14-06-2011, 05:03 PM
I wonder if it's just me, but 'on the other side of the wall' whenever someone offers anything free, there seems to be a small clique of inidividuals who swoop within minutes, and despite the 'givers' saying 'collection only', the recipients expect others to put themselves about and get stuff to their doorstep. Sometimes people say 'this has to go by the end of next week' and get a response 'can you hang onto it till August?' or whatever. One particular individual 'elsewhere' has snatched a couple of items of complex equipment which - from his postings - far exceeds his abilty to get working, and which could have gone to others who would have greatly appreciated the opportunity to restore.
In one sense, from the giver's point of view, maybe it doesn't matter much if the item goes to someone. I try not to be cynical and to look for the best in people, but I have to say that I do wonder if any of the stuff later end up on e-bay. That probably sounds very unkind. The local 'freegle' group here asks that people who offer things don't adopt a fist come first served approach, but allow a day for people to respond, then pick a name out of the hat, explainnig in their post that this is their intention. I suspect that most people offering stuff FOC just want to get rid.
I do agree that it's essential to post an open message saying 'you have a PM' because as already outlined, not everyone has set up e-mail notification PMs.
David.
In one sense, from the giver's point of view, maybe it doesn't matter much if the item goes to someone. I try not to be cynical and to look for the best in people, but I have to say that I do wonder if any of the stuff later end up on e-bay. That probably sounds very unkind. The local 'freegle' group here asks that people who offer things don't adopt a fist come first served approach, but allow a day for people to respond, then pick a name out of the hat, explainnig in their post that this is their intention. I suspect that most people offering stuff FOC just want to get rid.
I do agree that it's essential to post an open message saying 'you have a PM' because as already outlined, not everyone has set up e-mail notification PMs.
David.
