Subject: [pafree] Re: redwoodcityfreecycle ADMIN: Freecycle-Etiquette (pick up)

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 02:39:39 -0400

Claire,
 
I can understand your frustration, but please consider this:
 
At the moment I am remodeling my house and I have a lot of items to give away.   Freecycle is great, is ecology friendly and great for saving money, but if the giving stuff away part is an incredible amount of hassle it gets to be not worth it.  
 
For example, I've had people claim items but never pick them up, people who claim items but when it gets down to it they want me to hold on to it for long periods of time (three weeks in one case).  In one case one of our fellow freecyclers (you know who you are out there) show up at my house at 2 am (24 hours late to boot) to pick up an item and then bang on my door because he's mad that I won't leave the rather large item he claimed out in front of my house.  There are some people who take other people's items, too.  I've had people show up, not pick up the item (they decided they didn't like it) but then never tell me that they didn't want it so I could re-post it.   My favorite was the person who showed up, didn't like the item, and then chastised me because it was a used worn item  (if you want it new, go to Bloomingdales).  Or the people who show up, pick up their item and then ask about other items that I am obviously using (no, I'm not gonna freecycle that bookshelf which is full of books....or my kitchen table my kids are using at this moment to do homework). Then, there are some people who want me to deliver it (I'll do that in my local area if I can, but if you're in San Jose like this person was, forget it.....)
 
Everyone out there, please appreciate that a little courtesy goes a long way...  Please understand that the people who are offering things are being nice.... When you post an item, it might be a good idea to state the general area it is located in.  When you write to claim an item, commit to a time to pick it up right then (and generally make it sooner rather than later...) and then show up when you say you will.
 
Jayne Lange

-----Original Message-----
From: Claire W. Gilbert <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]; [email-masked]
Sent: Sun, 1 May 2005 19:39:55 -0700
Subject: redwoodcityfreecycle ADMIN: Freecycle-Etiquette (pick up)

I'm a member and always puzzled by people saying "the first one to pick it
up, gets it" with reference to something they already put out.

Here is the etiquette concerning such offers:

> PICK UP. <cut> Arrange pickup with one person only, rather than "it's on
the porch, whoever gets here first gets it." Otherwise you'll become the boo
man pretty fast with your fellow Freecycle Group Members. [From
Freeccle-Etiquette]

As much as I might want an item, I am not going to use my time, limited
energy and car to try to pick up something that might already be taken.  If
it's a popular item, many people are going to be inconvenienced or
frustrated if they are not the first one there.

Claire Gilbert

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