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Report: #156503

Complaint Review: FtWayneFreecycle - Fort Wayne Indiana

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  • Reported By: Fort Wayne Indiana
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  • FtWayneFreecycle None Known Fort Wayne, Indiana U.S.A.

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Here is my listing on the ftwaynefreecycle group:
I am in need of an electric wheel chair, I should only need it for 1-2 months, I have a manual one, but with my husband having diabetes it is really hard on him to push me around in the heat. We ride the bus and have close to a half mile walk to our bus stop. I have an enlarged thymus gland and hardened salivary glands, I get weak and breathless and cannot exert much at all, they are worried I may have MS or MD.

As soon as they have enough tests I can get a chair through Medicare, but it takes time. I am more than willing to provide proof of my illness, my husbands illness, and to have my husband walk to the bus stop with you, so you know I am not blowing this out of proportion.
Thanks for taking time to read my post.

Here is the email I received that explained why they were deleting my post:
I am sorry to hear that you and your husband are having a difficult time. I can understand how Medicare may not be responding to your needs as quickly as you'd hope.

However, I have to let you know that the Freecycle network does not allow borrowing, renting, buying, or selling of any kind. It has to be free, no strings attached. I realize that your need is temporary, until the Medicaid kicks in, and you are welcome to post a "WANTED" for the wheel chair. If you are lucky, and do get a chair to fill your needs, you could always repost it as an "OFFER" later.

Here are the rules they have posted on their home page:

The worldwide Freecycle Network (www.freecycle.org) is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is run by local volunteer moderators (them's good people!). Membership is free. If this sounds good to you and you live in Fort Wayne, join us and "recycle" unwanted items. One person's trash can truly be another's treasure! Have fun and keep on using the Freecycle Network!

One rule: everything posted must be free. Whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano, or an old door to be given away, it can be posted on the network (NO ANIMALS can be posted to the list, however). Or, maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself? Respond to the posting directly and you just might get it. After that it is up to the giver to set up a pickup time for passing on the treasure.

(Much more information available in the rules letter [updated as needed], sent to all new members upon subscribing and to all members every two weeks.)
Firestorm552@aol.com
*******************************
I see nothing in there that says you can't ask to borrow something free, and I guess that no strings attached meant that I couldn't offer money. If anyone joins this group, please go through all the rules and see how they are on a power trip over this potentionally freesite, I all so went to www.freecycle.org and saw nothing that says you can't ask to borrow something for free, I didn't need someone to give me a chair, I will get a free one if I need one for more than 2 months, so to me just asking for a free chair would of been close to stealing.

To be fair I will include the email I sent back to Firestorm552@aol.com and here it is, it wasn't very nice.

Well there will be no more problems for you to email me Ms. or Mr. Gestapo, My post was for a free loan of a wheel chair and your n**i rules that you keep adding suck and so do you. I removed myself from your group and will never return, I think you must be a worthless schmuck and this must be a real power trip for you. As far as I am concerned, you spit on a handicapped person. Your rules says it has to be free, I was asking for something free, all be it a loan, I still wanted it free. Your rules are over the top and inconsiderate, I went to the freecycle.org and saw absolutely nothing that said you couldn't ask for something to be loaned to you free. If you can find it feel free to send me the quote and the link you found it, otherwise bugger off.

Here is a link you can go to if you aren't sure what a schmuck is: http://www.schmucku.com/definition.html
*****************************
As of now I have not received a quote from the www.freecycle.org, hmmmmmmmmm, seems like a place like that would want to help out a handicapped person.
*****************************
Here is one other thing that happened to me because of this group, I offered up some free fresh cut oregano back on 7/11/05, I got a lot of replies, I gave the item to the first person who emailed and emailed all the other people and told them I would keep their email addresses and as soon as it grew back (which is pretty fast)I would give it away in the order the emails came. I followed through on my offer and the first person declined because of gas prices, the second said yes, and told me they would be here at 12p the other day.
As I was sitting in a counsiling meeting trying to help me deal with my feelings of malaise and my chest pain, the person I offered it to called me, I was crying and trying to listen to her and apologize to my counciler, for the phone call, but I have to keep my phone on because I never know when one of the 4 doctors that are trying to diagnose me will call. All I remember hearing is 3-4p and something about her daughter, I got out of the conversation that she would pick it up at 3-4p, when I got home around 6p, the cooler was still full of oregano. I didn't want it to go to waste so I put it back on freecycle and had it given away within almost seconds. Well the other person that I misunderstood, sent me an email and carbon copied it to the freecycle group even though it wasn't a deal made through freecycle, and it ended up me getting an email that said:
Hi Robin,

Based on the information I received, this does sound like a no-show, albeit an accidental misunderstanding. Since you offered her more oregano to make up for the misunderstanding, I'll go ahead and let it slide and keep you off the no-show list. Just don't let it get out to Michelle. ; )

Do you see how organized this group is, they are calling me a no-show and I was the one with the item that wasn't picked up.

The woman who was a no show, sent this first, instead of asking me if there was a misunderstanding:
> Robin -
>
> I called you and told you it would be tomorrow afternoon and you said no
> problem!! I can't believe you did this!!

This was my response:
I misunderstood you, I thought you meant you were coming this afternoon around 3-4, I don't hardly even remember the call, I was in a Doctors office in the middle of an appointment, I only had my phone on incase one of my other doctors called. So if your mad I am very sorry, there is enough for me to pick another big bag of it, if that would help.

I am very sick, I see a surgeon tomorrow, have been to the ER Twice in 3 weeks. I have an enlarged thymus gland and something in a ct scan the lung dr. Doesn't like. I have to have my husband push me a half mile to the bus, because I will pass out if I walk that far. I was in the therapist office through 3 Kleenex's because I am in so much pain and freaking outbecause I might have to stay at a nursing home for a while and I am only 42. I did nothing malicious and am so sorry that I miss understood you, but Iguess I wasn't listening right. I feel very bad I messed up your message.
Please forgive me.
Robin

I can't find a copy of the one she cc'd to the owner/moderater of the group, but it was as if a child was tattle telling on me.

Robin
Fort Wayne, Indiana
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/09/2005 08:59 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ftwaynefreecycle/fort-wayne-indiana/ftwaynefreecycle-freecycle-refused-to-allow-me-to-list-for-a-free-loan-of-an-electric-whee-156503. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
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#4 Consumer Comment

No Offense Intended to the other Rebuttals but...

AUTHOR: Gale Dubois - (United States of America)

POSTED: Tuesday, September 11, 2012

... none of this changes the fact that Freecycle is run by fascists that care more about rules and nothing about the environment.  Isn't that supposed to be Freecycle's "mission", to keep things out of the landfill?

Even our legal system has exceptions to their "rules".  So why won't Freecycle accommodate these people that have needs that lie outside their precious rules that they would gladly enforce at gunpoint?  You'd expect less flexibility from the legal system, and this is just a board on the Internet.  It's supposed to be helping others while also helping the environment.

Face the truth here: Freecycle is failing in their mission when they don't make reasonable accommodations.  I have no problem with them having to block troublemakers, but that should be repeat offenders, not someone that just signed up and was refused access over an email address.  Or someone that had a misunderstanding.  Or someone that has poor eyesight and thus must type in all caps just to read what was typed.

Freecycle is like any other corporation, in that they believe what they do to others is right.  My advice is don't buy their items that helps support them, don't click their Google ads, ignore any mention of them on sites where their shills are advertising, and don't donate money to them.  If they're going to care more about asinine and ultimately pointless rules more than their non-profit's alleged mission, then they need to go broke like the rest of the for-profits that have lost sight of the customers.

As for the original poster, I can understand she felt she was taking advantage of someone by accepting an electric wheelchair.  It feels awkward accepting something for free, you feel like you should give something in exchange, or borrow it.

Have we all lost sight of what it means to be human?

Oh.  Right.  All must bow to the mighty God of Rules.  Or else.  Humanity is irrelevant in reality.  Compassion, understanding, accommodating those with certain needs--none of that matters.  Only strict adherence to the rules matter, unless you're one of those elite few that "don't have to obey," and your lackeys will blissfully ignore you breaking them, because they don't want to be found dead in a ditch somewhere.

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#3 Consumer Suggestion

You Overreacted out of error

AUTHOR: Edward - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, September 14, 2006

Possibly from misreading the rules, or ignoring them, you violated the group rule that there should be no borrowing of any sort.

I manage a group which has left The Freecycle Network, but we also have a rule prohibiting any posts requesting to borrow items because they are often returned, when returned, in a damaged condition.

We also have a rule that excess personal information is strongly discouraged in posts, and in my opinion you could have omitted most of your complaint's content in complying with the intent of this rule. The simple fact that you need the wheelchair for a limited time and a statement that your husband has difficulty pushing you due to illness should have been sufficient for your post. The time limit mentioned would imply that you intended to borrow the chair, not keep it.

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#2 Consumer Comment

I doubt you will hear back

AUTHOR: Anne - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, October 28, 2005

The volunteer who deleted your post was very polite in explaining the reason. You don't have to agree with it, but you must know there are better ways to handle a disagreement than calling the volunteer names. People just don't respond well to that and the best response is none.

Now that you have had time to calm down, it's not too late to write back apologize for that email. It's the right thing to do and it will make you feel better.

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#1 Consumer Suggestion

Try craigslist.org instead

AUTHOR: V R - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, October 28, 2005

Find the cragslist city nearest you and try posting an ad in Community under General. Or you may consider the Barter category if you have something to trade.

Freecycle is a good site The owners have the right to run it the way they see fit. Calling them Nazis is offensive to anyone who remember the REAL Nazis.

That said, I hope both your husband's and your physical situation improve in the near future.

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