can someone please please tell me why people ask for things, confirm a time to collect and then just dont bother turning up?    no emails, no explanation no contact at all. i have experienced this a while ago and after meeting a few fellow freecyclers so have many others! i have also noticed an increase in posts stating re offered due to no show. it doesnt take long to type a wee message saying sorry cant make it.
just thought i would bring up the subject as i feel it defeats the purpose of freecycle when items are being "binned" because people are not showing up and the offerer doesn't have the time or space to keep the item.
anyone else experienced the same or am i just unfortunate?
 ok whinge over.

happy freecycling, julie

You're right, Julie - from the number of repeat posts due to 'no shows', this happens far too often!  However, we moderators can only act on anything if we know who's involved.

Sometimes there's a genuine reason why someone doesn't turn up, rather than simply not bothering. They might have had problems with their emails, or suddenly been called away, or there's been a communication gap. Without hearing the other side of it, there's no way of telling.

It's one of the issues that can put people off Freecycle, so we have to take it very seriously - to the point of banning people who keep not showing up & not getting in touch before or afterwards. So please, please everyone! Do report no shows to the moderators. You could be doing the rest of the group a favour as well as yourself.

thanks for your reply sarahjane, perhaps you could send the same message to the main offers/ wants board as many of the freecyclers i have spoken to don't read the discussion forum for one reason or another.
starting to detect a bit of tension in a few of the re offered due to no shows posts!

yes i have had problems with people not replying this i my pet hate but i think alot of our messages end up in yahoos spam and no one bothers to check their spam.
I have yet again another person who has asked for an item and replied but failed to pick up...

yet again this weekend i have been mucked about by a guy who wanted my tyres...first he would come sat then it was sunday.
then on sunday i see he has posted a post asking for the tyre the exact size he was meant to pick up.
I am so annoyed why say you want them then dont show twice....its not exactly polite is it

That sounds a bit odd! I'm trying to think why someone would ask for something, not turn up then ask again. 

I'll look into it & get back to you.

thank you
I now have another freecycler coming for them on wednesday i hope

Be carefull of people that want to deliver. there was a corner computer desk being offered and i thought i was lucky getting it . was only 10 mile away and i was able to collect but he kept syaing he can deliver i politly said no you are doing me the faviour i will come get it...got a few emails asking if i wanted it or not i kept saying yes but never recieved his adress... gave up after the week,, but noticed he reposted it.. has anyone else had the same guy give them the run around. I had a funny feeling about it all.

As far as 'no shows' are concerned, how about having a page on the Aberdeen Freecycle web site listing members with an angry face beside them if they fail to show up for something?  Then us 'offerers' could check before emailing such people.

Janet

That isn't possible on a Yahoo! group, and could be open to abuse. For example, if members fall out with each other they could end up using it as an all-purpose "black mark board" - and then what happens to the group's goodwill?

Anyway, it shouldn't be necessary. If all the no-shows were reported to the moderators, we could find out what was happening - and if someone repeatedly fails to show, they can be removed from the group.

Why do so many people find it easier to complain about each other in public than resolve their problems in private? Anyone know? 

confused.me

Al Jock, did you want to add something to that?

think its something in the aberdeen water supply    

was only trying to highlight the issue a while back and i hope it was taken as was meant; a general moan about circumstance, not a moan about a particular person.

i think the council may have increased the amount of whatever it is they added to the water coz this week aint half been personal!!   

 keeping my nose out for a change 

happy freecycling 

al jock u got me puzzled lol

I just wanted to add that I really don't care if folk ask for houses or aeroplanes I can just ignore them.  BUT I really get frustrated at no-shows.  And today my daughter was waiting in for someone and they didn't turn up or even bother to phone to let her know, and she has 4 kids all waiting to go out.  Maybe we should have a system like e-bay where folk are rated then we'd know who not to offer stuff to.