KateNov 23, 2022

I'm slightly worried that all my #FreegleWoes posting will be putting people off using Freegle. For the record, I really do think it's a wonderful tool for passing on stuff that still has a useful life but that a charity shop wouldn't take.

It's just...with Freegle, as with literally anything where you have to organise stuff with random members of the public, you encounter a lot of flaky people, entitled people, bad communicators and downright whelks.

I still think the platform is a treasure, I think the volunteers are under-appreciated, and every now and then I donate a few quid to help cover their costs. Because they are doing the Lord's work.

Show threadCabNov 23, 2022
@griffinkate There's a local 'bits, bobs, buy and sell' WhatsApp that serves much of the same role as freegle here, and a healthy tradition of folk leaving things outside for others to take (or "fly tipping" as you may also call it). And yeah, it can go a bit haywire, but it's better than chucking stuff out.
Show threadKateNov 23, 2022
@cabd The leaving stuff outside thing annoys me a bit...it often blocks the pavement that's already blocked by parked cars, stuff gets rained on and ruined...it's just SO LAZY!
Show threadCabNov 23, 2022
@griffinkate Pavements here are knackered by cars being all over them, but the grass by peoples houses tends to be good for this and it's not really a problem. It can be a mess, but it's not in the way.
Show threadKateNov 23, 2022
@cabd Yeah, it varies depending on the space. People in the streets around my mum and dad's started doing it during lockdown when the charity shops were closed and then never stopped. It does annoy me to see people put out a stack of books, let it get drenched overnight and then continue to leave it out but hey, now it's for the binmen. Stop being so sodding lazy! There are two charity shops less than a mile away!
Show threadCabNov 23, 2022
@griffinkate people who leave books out in the rain should be drenched in muddy puddles repeatedly until they learn the error of their ways. But on the other hand, I've got some good stuff out of people doing that. Favourite might by my 1937 box brownie camera.
Show threadKate
@cabd Wow, that's quite a find! I mean, I'm sure this method does often help stuff to find people, it just feels like people doing it don't give a shit if it gets taken by a real person or by the binmen a week later, as long as it stops being their problem.
Nov 23, 2022 at 12:50pmWeb
Show threadartsyhonkerNov 23, 2022

@griffinkate @cabd Here we call this kerbcycle, and I am pretty careful to check the weather before leaving things out. We do get a fair amount of passing foot traffic though, I don't think it works as well even in some places a block or two away.

The worst is people who leave entire carloads of stuff in the churchyard so we can "give it to people who need it". A lot of the time it's already broken or ruined. And then we get charged by the council for rubbish collection.