Freecycle Nusiance

ScoobieGirl

Yeah, I've had people change their mind like that. I don't have a problem with them changing thier mind so much, but a little good manners when someone is offering you something for nothing is not too much to ask IMHO

rosebyanyothername

i think free cycle is great u just have to use with caution i mean esp when u get wierdos coming round to pick something up. i had one guy who wanted to get in my garage and see what else i might have and i said no. women should be careful too. i went to pick up a bike and this man said come in its upstairs. and i said actually i would prefer if i could see it outside. he took offence but i am not putting myself in a situation where i dont feel comfortable. my advice be careful and dont just choose the first person who emails you. Some people are doing it for money and hog all the best items.

ScoobieGirl

rosebyanyothername wrote: »

i think free cycle is great u just have to use with caution i mean esp when u get wierdos coming round to pick something up.

I couldn't agree more. The tone of one guy's reply was a bit strange, but his was the only reply, so I suggested that he pick it up from my work (which he would have to drive past to get to my house). He replied that it would be better if he could pick it up from my house after 9:30pm. I told him that we were still open at work at 9:30pm so that would be easier as it was closer for him. I never heard from him again. It might have been innocent, but better safe than sorry.

CharleneUK

My local Free cycle hasn't been too bad, BUT I've had this happen twice and it's annoying.

I respond to a post, have a reply saying, great, come and collect such and such a time/day.

When I reply with thanks, can I have your address, they reply with 'sorry this has gone to someone else/already been collected'

This has happened twice now, and I'm a frequent net user, so not responding in time is not the case, they've obviously offered to several people at the same time! Ugh!

CharleneUK

ScoobieGirl wrote: »

I couldn't agree more. The tone of one guy's reply was a bit strange, but his was the only reply, so I suggested that he pick it up from my work (which he would have to drive past to get to my house). He replied that it would be better if he could pick it up from my house after 9:30pm. I told him that we were still open at work at 9:30pm so that would be easier as it was closer for him. I never heard from him again. It might have been innocent, but better safe than sorry.

That's scary! :eek:

SaverSarah_2

Sounds like some of you have had pretty bad luck. I've been a member of my local group for over a year now. I've got rid of probably close to 50 things and have only ever had one person not turn up.

On the other hand, perhaps I've been lucky! Our group's pretty good, people tend to be reliable and genuine.

Hope you have better luck next time.

robnye

yes i agree with other posters - there are an awful lot of people who are obviously using freecycel to gather stock for selling at car boots/ebay etc...... whilst this annoys me if the item i was after has gone to someone like that,

at the end of the day, if the items on offer are collected and then reused - does it really matter.... if you are getting rid of something.... surely the whole point is you are getting rid of something for nothing... without the hassle of taking the item to the tip yourself.

i have raised the issue with my local freecycle moderators (who are a bit of a clique.....) regarding items going before the list is released...... basically its tough on me if i dont see items before the list is produced.....

still i have managed to get rid of some strange items........ old wooden posts from garden loggia, to be reused to make a climbing frame - strange.....

at the end of day - you control who/when/how you dispose or pass your items onto..... never put yourself into a position where you feel unsafe.......

happy freecycling

jordylass

It is difficult to get the balance right. I moderate for a local group and most complaints are about the amount of wanted posts.

Freecycle.org have changed the rules a few times, it used to be you could do Wanted Wednesdays or similar in your own group, but they'd prefer that didn't happen now.

What I have done (on the group I don't moderate) is create a filter so items with wanted in the subject line go straight to my trash. That has really cut down the amount of emails. Although I have seen some Wanted's for things I would not have thought of offering and that is supposed to be the idea behind allowing wanted ads.

We only allow the same wanted post once a month, but it's often the same people who ask for many different things, sometimes a few items in a day.

According to Freecycle ORG other members soon start to recognise the email addy and they get a reputation as being greedy and often aren't the one's chosen to receive items.

In contrast to your experience Becles, someone offered a guest bed on a Saturday. I had guests arriving the following Wednesday and replied saying that I would appreciate it. I got a response on the Tuesday at 10am saying I could have it if I could get there before 4pm. Maybe they'd offered it to a few people previously who had not turned up, but I could not make it in that time scale. I did reply thanking them and saying I was now sorted.

I just told my neighbour about Freecycle. Over the last 2 months she has had 3 skips on her drive and thrown away masses of good quality items, last week there was garden furniture and a TV in there. I told her that someone on our local group had been asking for garden furniture and would it be OK to let them know it was there, but she said the skip was being picked up that afternoon, then said it's a shame there's nothing wrong with that TV either, I could hardly believe it and said I would take it. It was a 32" silver flat screen with a combined DVD and Video. I just assumed it was broken as she'd put it in the skip, but she said she's changed them all to LCD's!!! When I mentioned landfill she said people at the tip would dig through and take what they wanted out, but I didn't think tips allowed that anymore. I'm pretty sure our local one doesn't although the staff probably take what they can.

Ken68

When applying I almost always get the heavier
pieces, as have the right transport.
Recently taken possession of a large chest freezer and an
electric rise and recline chair. On the last item the giver also passed on a Victorian chest of drawers.Worth a few quid.
These items would be a sod to take to the tip or local auction anyway.
When giving always have the whatever available in my garage or vehicle .Don't let 'em in the house. Had one lady pick up a heavy gate-leg table, only just managed to get it into her Porsche convertible.

Cardew

Jordylass,
Nice post.

However the vast majority of people are not moderators and would have no way of recognising the email address unless they studied all the freecycle adverts avidly.

When I advertise something, I would have absolutely no idea if the reply is from one of the 'greedy' types(as you put it).

Apart from being against the ethos of 'freecycle' (as I understand it) I personally have a serious objection to everything being grabbed by those who want it for resale on ebay or a boot sale. It just leave a nasty taste.