Tales from the Crypt ( ohhhh I mean FreeCycle )

[rhirhi]

I think the misunderstanding is where is the line drawn between 'additional information' and a 'sob story'. From what I gather, what I do is just provide some additional info as to why I deserve the item, but I don't say 'Givit to me, I neeeeeeeed it, no one on the whole planet deserves your stuff more than I do'

Is that right?

[Miss Vertigo]

Back to another tale from the crypt: I moved recently from a flat where I had all my own stuff to a furnished flat. I had three weeks to get rid of nearly everything, so I didn't have time to try and sell it. I Freecycled the lot. Among the gems:

- the woman who arranged to collect my sofa bed with a van and didn't turn up, despite me asking her to let me know if she changed her mind. Then she had the nerve to ask for a) my fridge freezer, tumble drier and washing machine and b) my other sofa when I put them up a few days later. I eventually reported her to the mods and they removed her from the list for her behaviour.

- the first couple who came for the sofa bed and ummed and aahed about it for a good twenty minutes, took the cushions out to put in the car in a pouring rainstorm before deciding they didn't want it after all and returning the cushions to me soaking wet.

- the third guy who came for the sofa bed, complained that it wouldn't dismantle (after I told him it wouldn't, specifically - he'd got a mate with a van especially because of this). Complained because he had to take it out of the door and it wouldn't go out of the window (and no, I wasn't going to try and 'take the window out', as he requested. Waited until he got it outside and then complained that there were three cat hairs on the top. There were literally three, that I missed with the hoover. I counted them.  A heated discussion followed, during which I honestly thought he was going to dump the thing outside my flat on the street. So I got the hoover for him. He ran the hoover over it for all of two seconds then gave the hoover back to me minus the pole. When I finally got the rest of my hoover back, he picked up the sofa with his mate and walked off with it - without even saying thank you.

- the two men who came for my washing machine and decided they couldn't un-hook it from the plumbing (despite me asking them to bring tools to do so, as I didn't have any) and promised to come back the next evening with a pair of pliers to disconnect it, then decided the next day that they didn't want it after all. Not before, however, a) leaving the machine half-pulled out into the kitchen so I couldn't move it back and b) breaking the back of my under-sink cupboard by pulling so hard on it to try and get to the pipes it snapped clean in half. The next day when I turned my sink taps on, I discovered they'd left something disconnected to do with the plumbing under the sink and water was pouring out all over the floor.

I eventually got rid of the washing machine and my second sofa by advertising them as freebies on Gumtree.

It's funny - I've been a Freecycler for years and I've generally had nothing but great experiences with it - until I moved to BigCity. In SmallerTown, it was a pleasure to be a part of but here - almost all the people I've encountered have been rude, entitled, and dismissive of other peoples' time and property. It's a very strange phenomenon.

[drivenbonkers]

I've offered a couple of things on freecycle:  a well used electric range (suitable for cottage or hunt camp) and strawberry plants to be dug from my garden.

One person emailed me demanding my address so they could come and pick up the plants: they'd be there within the hour. Another person expected me to dig exactly 125 of them, and deliver them an hour away.

With the stove, I received an email telling me that I was going to deliver the stove to the man because he was poor and disabled in a wheelchair, half hour away, 3rd floor apt, no elevator......UM....NO

The electric range was carted to the dump's recycle area, and was rehomed as soon as DH was finished unloading it from the truck and the couple who did come and dig the strawberries brought their own shovel and containers.  

I'll gladly share what I have, but please don't think you're entitled to what I have.

[rhirhi]

With the stove, I received an email telling me that I was going to deliver the stove to the man because he was poor and disabled in a wheelchair, half hour away, 3rd floor apt, no elevator......UM....NO

Wow...he must have some STRONG arms!

[DottyG]

With the stove, I received an email telling me that I was going to deliver the stove to the man because he was poor and disabled in a wheelchair, half hour away, 3rd floor apt, no elevator......UM....NO

Wow...he must have some STRONG arms!

[Moralia]

I've usually had good luck in both giving and getting from Freecycle.  (I have an awesome pair of vintage chairs for example.)

When I give, I don't mind hearing pertinent info like, "Do you still have that kitchen table?  We just moved from a smaller apartment and only have TV trays!" They're not saying they're poor or extra deserving, just offering some detail as to why they'd be so happy to have it.  When I gave away a futon, I chose the lady who said "Do you still have the futon? I'm trying to get some furniture together for the spare room. We just discovered that my 13yo stepdaughter is coming to live with us next week." Again, no drama, just a bit of detail. (I also got a thank-you 2 weeks later saying how happy her stepdaughter was to have a comfy place to sleep.)

But anything smacking of pathos or entitlement is immediately trashed.

[magicdomino]

When I first started using to give away and find things on Freecycle , there was equal number of wants and offers.  Now i very rarely look at Freecycle because all i ever see is I WANT.  My friend and I have started our own Freecycle- I leave on a busy highway and there is an electric pole in my yard we put our stuff out there and it goes like hotcakes.  I have even had a few people come to my house and offer to buy the stuff, I tell them to just please take it.

Unfortunately, this doesn't work in my neighborhood.  I've seen things set out with a "FREE" sign -- I've done it myself -- and the items just sit there, sometimes for days.  And it isn't like I live in an upper-middle class neighborhood, either.

[DottyG]

When I first started using to give away and find things on Freecycle , there was equal number of wants and offers.  Now i very rarely look at Freecycle because all i ever see is I WANT.  My friend and I have started our own Freecycle- I leave on a busy highway and there is an electric pole in my yard we put our stuff out there and it goes like hotcakes.  I have even had a few people come to my house and offer to buy the stuff, I tell them to just please take it.

Unfortunately, this doesn't work in my neighborhood.  I've seen things set out with a "FREE" sign -- I've done it myself -- and the items just sit there, sometimes for days.  And it isn't like I live in an upper-middle class neighborhood, either.

Put a sign up with a cost for the items.  "They" did a study one time that showed that people are more likely to want something if they think it has value.  So, assigning one puts the thought into people's heads that this is something they absolutely must have!

[mikeylou]

When I first started using to give away and find things on Freecycle , there was equal number of wants and offers.  Now i very rarely look at Freecycle because all i ever see is I WANT.  My friend and I have started our own Freecycle- I leave on a busy highway and there is an electric pole in my yard we put our stuff out there and it goes like hotcakes.  I have even had a few people come to my house and offer to buy the stuff, I tell them to just please take it.

Unfortunately, this doesn't work in my neighborhood.  I've seen things set out with a "FREE" sign -- I've done it myself -- and the items just sit there, sometimes for days.  And it isn't like I live in an upper-middle class neighborhood, either.

Put a sign up with a cost for the items.  "They" did a study one time that showed that people are more likely to want something if they think it has value.  So, assigning one puts the thought into people's heads that this is something they absolutely must have!

That's actually why we believe there's so many issues with people behaving poorly on Freecycle.  It's -Free-, so if you commit yourself to picking it up and then decide it's too much bother, your not out any money.  Aside from the stories, that's another big complaing people have - being stood up. 

I haven't had any horrible experiences, but I'm not holding my breath.  Back when we bought the house, we got a serviceable sofa and loveseat from someone on Freecycle.  Which was a good thing b/c we'd been using a Futon as our couch (had been for years) and someone flopped on it and broke it.  I've given out some old Childrens magazines, and now my kitchen stuff to some very happy people.  Although I wasn't too enthused with the Mom-to-be who -really- wanted everything b/c it would help with the baby( Waffle Sticks ) and couldn't afford them right now.  She stopped replying to me after it was evident she wasn't getting everything... 

Which I suppose was a good thing, since it means I wasn't sitting around waiting for her to not show up.

It's funny - I've been a Freecycler for years and I've generally had nothing but great experiences with it - until I moved to BigCity. In SmallerTown, it was a pleasure to be a part of but here - almost all the people I've encountered have been rude, entitled, and dismissive of other peoples' time and property. It's a very strange phenomenon.

I would suspect that is because in SmallerTown you basically know everyone or have passed each person at least twice in the grocery store or somewhere.  In BigCity, there's so many people you can be anonymous.  Of course, there's also a greater number of people, so that factors into it as well...

[Tosha Go]

Just posting for the updates. I just joined freecycle, but have no stories yet.

hehe  me too.  I want to see what I've been missing out on (and I am moving in a few months and plan on giving some stuff away).

[miritree]

Recently posted on my local Freecycle:



"1)Wanted: Two-Stage Snow Thrower 26"-5-12Hp or 208 4-cycle.(eish) motor, Push-button electric start & Pull start (Both) system .Wheel drive system nicely Equipped, That is in good conditions 2-years old or older that someone wants to get rid off . that some wants to get rid off need A.S.A.P. These Tooele Winters Are bad At Shoveling buy Hand ..

2)Looking for a older ( Small on Nissan/Toyota pickups & large on ford/Dodge 4x4 pick up trucks Reg/supper/crew cab with gas or diesel motor auto/mananl trans, That is good conditions,driveable, No Wreckes or Chevy Subarban 4x4 or E-250/E-350 12 pass van that is also in very good conditions, Driveavle, No Wreckes. need a bigger vehical

3)lawn mowers with wheel drive & Electric start Gas/mowers,weed trimer with (Tiller/Cultivator, edger, Attachments, & a up wright 14-20 Cu.ft. Freezer with door lock key ..

Thank you So Much for helping me find These"


Seriously? Seriously?  I have also noticed a lot of people saying "We are poor/lost a job/etc. and are starving.  Do you have food we can have?"  Bugs me.  Freecycle is exactly the last place I would go if my family was starving.

[Twik]

I have also noticed a lot of people saying "We are poor/lost a job/etc. and are starving.  Do you have food we can have?"  Bugs me.  Freecycle is exactly the last place I would go if my family was starving.

That strikes me like the people standing around with "will work for food" signs. Many people have found that offering food, or even decent pay for a day's work, gets turned down quickly - they are frequently scammers who hope that people will simply slip them them cash.

[jaxsue]

These freecycle ads are as well written as they were when I belonged.   

[Balletmom]

Why would anyone give away a driveable truck in good condition?

And if you did want to give it away...wouldn't you give it to a charity and get a tax donation? That is mind boggling. Some serious panhandling going on there...

[wolfie]

A few days ago I asked someone when they were going to be able to pick up the item I was offering - they responded by sending directions to their house. yeah - they are going to be waiting a while for me to show up.