Asking the same question over and over

[kitchcat]

I was wondering what is the best way to deal with a person who ask the same questions or inquire about the same info over and over, especially when that info is readily available.

Example:
A: What time are the meetings?
B: 2:00pm on Wednesdays and 4:00pm on Fridays. It's posted on the bulletin board.
A: *5 min later* What time is the meeting again today?
B: Today is Tueday. There is no meeting.
A: *5 min later* What time is the meeting tomorrow?
B: 2:00pm, it is every Wednesday.
A: *5 min later* The meeting on Friday is at 2:00pm right?
B: No, all Friday meetings are at 4:00pm. It's on the bulletin board.
A: *5 min later* When is today's meeting?
B: *explodes*

There is a person I have to deal with on a daily basis who is ALWAYS doing this and he's driving me insane. I want to just tell him "Write it down if you can't remember it because I'm not going to tell you again!" It's also irritating that he always asks me these questions when they are very basic info that is available on our website/bulletin board/etc. What should I say?

EDIT: Just to clarify, this is not a work situation. It's someone in social club I'm a part of, whom I'm not particularly fond of for this exact reason.

[kkl123]

I'd be thinking that maybe I needed to write it down and pin the note to his shirt, like a kindergartener, but I'd actually answer twice, then go for the broken record response of "check the bulletin board -- the pink piece of paper to the right of the time clock".  Most likely.

Is this a colleague?  Someone who reports to you?  Someone you report to?  Can you tell what's going on here?  A need for attention, someone who is very anxious about everything, someone who figures there's no point in using up a synapse with information they can get by bothering someone else?  Any of those factors would shade my response.

[GrammarNerd]

After the second time, I'd say "I already told you that information twice.  If you want me to tell you again, you'll need to get a piece of paper and write it down so you'll be sure to remember it.  Or you can check the website and then bookmark that page so you'll be sure to get the information quickly in the future."

Put the burden back on him.  Methinks if you make it a wee bit more difficult to get the information out of you, then he'll start to use another route.

[SleepyKitty]

I don't know about colleagues, but at the beginning of the semester, I had my students a syllabus with basic info on it. I also post it online and tell them that I have spare copies with me at every class, so they can always have another or just look the info up online. Which would then lead to students constantly asking me things that were on the syllabus - like where my office was and when my office hours were. I think the best way to nip this kind of thing in the bud is to refuse to give a straight answer.

Student: "Hey, when are your office hours again?"
Me: "Oh, that's on the syllabus." (Or bulletin board, in your case.)
Student: "I lost it."
Me: "Here's a new one/check online."
Student: "Can't you just tell me now so I don't forget to check?"
Me: "I did tell you. On the syllabus."

And so on and so forth. If this person does it habitually, you're better off never answering the question to begin with. 

[Outdoor Girl]

Is this a physical bulletin board?  I'd be tempted to take him by the ear arm and lead him to the bulletin board and point out the notice.  'There you go.  Anytime you want to know, you just need to look here.'

If it is an electronic bulletin board, anytime he asks, send him the link.  'What time is the meeting?'  'Here, I'll send you the link to the bulletin board so you can always look it up.'

[Hmmmmm]

"I'm not sure.  You'll need to refer to the meeting invitation/email/bulletin board to get that answer."

"the same time it is every Wednesday."

[Mental Magpie]

I like the advice everyone has given.  I have to ask, though, why you don't want to say, "I'm not telling you again."?  I don't see why you shouldn't, especially if it isn't your job to make sure he knows.

After he has already asked twice and you've told him, including the location of the information, simply say (and plainly so you don't sound snarky no matter how tempting it is), "Write this down because I'm not telling you again."  If he does it again, tell him why this time.  "I'm not telling you again.  You're wasting my time.  I asked you to write it down and you didn't.  This is no longer my problem as this is not my responsibility."

[Raintree]

If you can pull it off, an incredulous (but smiling, laughing it off), "Dude, are you SERIOUSLY asking me that again? You've only asked 15 times in the last hour. What am I, your personal daytimer? Why don't you look at the schedule?"

(I have a friend who I can just hear saying that, but it never comes across as harsh somehow).

If you can't pull that off, just simply say, "Better go check the bulletin board." Rinse, lather, repeat. He'll learn eventually that he can't get the information from you.

[Ceallach]

Don't give him the answer he needs.     

Just say "it's on the bulletin board" or "check the bulletin board".   And if he keeps asking, say "Didn't you already ask me that?"  in a polite but quizzical tone.    If you seem genuinely confused as to why he is asking you then he might get the message. 

[Margo]

Don't give him the answer he needs.     

Just say "it's on the bulletin board" or "check the bulletin board".   And if he keeps asking, say "Didn't you already ask me that?"  in a polite but quizzical tone.    If you seem genuinely confused as to why he is asking you then he might get the message.

POD to this. He keeps asking you because you keep telling him, so he doesn't need to remember / find theinformation for himself.

[bopper]

'The info is on the bulletin board.  I notice that you often ask me for the dates and times...is there something about the bulletin board that isn't working for you? I would prefer not to be your main source of information."

[Redsoil]

Broken record reply:  "You'll need to check the bulletin board."  "It's on the bulletin board" etc.

[gwennan]

There's also the strategy (which I have used) of handing the questioner a piece of paper and a pencil and telling them to write it down.....

[Kaypeep]

What time is the meeting?
"I don't know.  Ask Dave/check the calendar."

Stop giving him any answers.  Tell him you don't know any time he asks.  Soon he may hopefully stop asking you because you never give him the info he needs.

[Bijou]

Does he know where the bulletin board is so he can check it?  Something very simple can be very at the root of a problem.  He could have a memory problem or is afraid of making a mistake.  Maybe he has been taken to task about missing meetings or being late for them and so is excessive and paranoid?  I think he would benefit from a daily calendar, personally.  It must be awful to have that fear.