It's a warning that we show to folks who are near a quality block, or would be near a quality block if they were enabled on the site. As we could (in theory) enable them at any point where we and the moderators of a site deemed them necessary, we warn unconditionally.
While the user isn't actually going to be blocked (though they will soon be rate limited based on the quality of their recent contributions regardless of blocks being enabled or not), the warning is in fact useful - they need to ask better questions.
The philosophy behind this is essentially the same as for the "consistently low quality questions over time" mod message, and on sites without automatic question-bans it should be treated in the same fashion: if someone has been repeatedly warned and continues to contribute poorly, they should be suspended.
Logging this is a rather useful utility, because you (as a moderator, this is not visible to folks without a diamond) can more effectively see how they've been using the site, and that the system has in fact attempted to slow them down. Hence, you've got a better overview and more information should you elect to intercede.
The answer-block warning:
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're
in danger of being blocked from
answering.
Please pay close attention to the following
guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question.
Provide details and share your research!
But
avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or
responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on
opinion; back them up with references or personal
experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
The question-block warning:
Wait! Some of your past questions have not been well-received; if this pattern continues, we will no longer accept new questions from you.
For help formulating a clear, useful question, see: How do I ask a good question? Also, edit your previous questions to improve formatting and clarity.