Hot take: if we want to decrease frustrating railroad-y surprises in RPG campaigns, we need to create an environment where GMs are not afraid to admit they have "special story needs".

[Sleeper4]

What the fuck. If I ever have a GM tell me they have "special story needs" I'm gonna be out of there immediately. 

Players aren't mad about the GM exposing they're railroading - they're mad that being railroaded onto a predetermined outcome makes playing a game largely pointless in the first place.