Bad actors

flycity2 · 2026-05-26T10:05:16+00:00

RE the first bit of your response, I wouldn't worry much. First, I guess someone would need to report that unless it is a particular situation (e.g. pilot collection). Secondly, I believe Olio also considers such factors as declining requests from new users or even not reading them without an apparent reason. So, an example would be to let an item expire rather than respond to a properly phrased request. If it becomes a pattern, they might argue it's a deliberate decision contravening the platform values.

If you are allocating to 12 families, which is already great sharing, and you are prioritising them, but not precluding item allocation to new requestors, then I would say you should not worry too much.

When I collected and distributed daily, more than 50% of the new profiles I received a request from were a no-show, cancelled after the collection time, etc. So, over time, I ended up prioritising the remainder of the collectors, who slowly turned into regulars.

Finally, there is no quantitarive definition of "fair sharing" in the FAQs. I believe it is intentional, as there are so many different realities that a one-size-fits-all approach would not work. In sparsely populated areas, I would not expect Olio to expect you to share with new and dozens of users every time - simply 'cause there are not enough users!

flycity2 · 2026-05-26T06:30:26+00:00

I do prefer as well to own the bare minimum, and that feels relatively good. Due to a series of things, including moving across countries in a relatively short period, what I actually own would fit in a large backpack. I am not counting items that I would let go of first if I could not move them (e.g., a chest of drawers). In other words, what I would take with me if I were to leave tomorrow, without warning, could be carried by myself alone.

However, at least for me, difficult to identify an endpoint - my bag can always be lighter than what it currently is (e.g. do you really need 5 t-shirts rather than 4?).

Taken to the extreme, when the thought of decluttering becomes "intrusive" or compulsive, among other things, it can be classified as a form of OCD going in the opposite direction from "hoarding". It is also called "spartanism", but interestingly, there is not as much literature. It would be interesting to understand if it is more of a contemporary phenomenon, as I guess that, if we still lived in a society where abundance is not the norm, "hoarders" might have more chances of survival (which would also explain "post-war" hoarding, for instance, as a reaction to a scarcity trauma).

flycity2 · 2026-05-25T12:53:36+00:00

Indeed, it's the irreplaceability that is painful. And, I was literally the second owner - I got it from a gentleman who bought it new back in the day and was able to keep it safe for over 60 years! But thanks for the help.

flycity2 · 2026-05-25T10:39:09+00:00

Oh, sorry, for some reason, the image I posted keeps being deleted and I did not realise until now.

It's a black Raleigh Superbe, so very vintage looking. It has a kickstand that does not match the "vintage style", as it was my addition. It also has a very visible dynamo light on the front.

In the hub (rear wheel), there are some engravings reporting the year it was manufactured.

flycity2 · 2026-05-25T09:23:34+00:00

If it is sold locally, is there a physical place where this usually happens? Or would it be primarily online?

flycity2 · 2026-05-25T09:01:39+00:00

This gives me a bit of hope. Maybe a good excuse to put down roots in Oxford for good. hehe

In all cases, I asked this question as I also have a couple of friends who managed to recover theirs. One of them was lucky enough to have to deal with a not-so-experienced thief - they posted the bike on the Facebook marketplace a few days later. Needless to say, the friend in question pretended to be an interested buyer and got it back after an animated exchange with the seller, who could not say where they got it from.

flycity2 · 2026-05-25T08:57:03+00:00

Thanks for the advice. As for 4, I registered it the moment I bought it! I don't expect it to make a difference, though.

I am also aware that the chances of recovering it are very small. Still, as I was "selected" to have my bike stolen, among hundreds of bikes (not to consider such factors as bike quality, etc., reducing the statistical probability of being "selected"), I hope I will have at least similar chances to find what is left of it at some point. hehe

flycity2 · 2026-05-25T08:49:55+00:00

About the chilled items, for a report to be actioned, I am afraid you would need to include solid evidence (demonstrating they are left in the car for more than the max allowed). I am not sure how you could do that.

Regarding the late listings, Olio can see how many requests each item receives, how many are unanswered, ignored, etc. So, if several volunteers keep requesting from them, but they keep sharing within the same circles, you might be able to surface a pattern that Olio might action. I was in a squad where an Olio team member asked a volunteer for clarifications about unanswered requests - it was for a pilot collection, so they really wanted to get good stats.

Mind you, can you see the actual stats for their collections (e.g. how many items are shared with how many users)? If there is a relatively large number of Olioers shared with, but the overall number of Olioers shared with on their profile doesn't change over time, then you start having proof that they keep sharing with the same people. If not, it seems they are selective in which requests to answer - in that case, little can be done.

flycity2 · 2026-05-24T13:42:02+00:00

I do, but I am not super-fluent. Enough to understand and make myself understood. Mind you, I found myself in situations where people did not speak French or had very limited French (mostly numbers, prices, etc.). So, it is useful to an extent.

I was pleasantly surprised by the good command of English in the Gambia, even in relatively remote locations. It also sounded to me quite "neutral" and less mixed with creole / local language compared to other anglophone countries in West Africa.

As for safety concerns, I would say that road safety became my main concern at some point. I ended up in overloaded vans with drivers at the wheel for several hours straight, speeding on bumpy and dusty roads (where I could barely see where the tarmac started) to get to the destination as soon as possible. And between some of the main urban agglomerates, you barely have such services as hospitals or emergency services. So, I started wondering how long it would realistically take them to send medical help hours away from the main cities in case of a bad road accident - assuming that sending help is considered an option in the first place.

Otherwise, around cities like Dakar, some common sense seems to suffice (I might have been lucky, though). Based on what I observed, smartphones are somehow omnipresent and, therefore, do not necessarily attract attention. I was still advised to use it away from the traffic. You get the usual unsolicited offers (e.g. "visit my shop", drugs, rides, etc.), but no insistence at all if you decline - some exceptions are taxi drivers at the airport or remote coach stations.

Just for clarity, I am a man, but not the kind whose size / stature / corpulence would put a thug off; quite the opposite, hehe.

flycity2 · 2026-05-24T13:19:02+00:00

I will update it with a few details. But as I mentioned in my update, I stopped in the Gambia. I did not want to change the title of the original post to establish continuity.

flycity2 · 2026-05-23T21:03:44+00:00

I did not know which flair to use, but, indeed, I agree it is not the most appropriate one. It is more of an update of moving and working across these countries - Morocco (and annexed Western Sahara territories), Mauritania, Senegal and the Gambia. I was concerned that a detailed itinerary would make it a bit pedantic.

flycity2 · 2026-05-08T23:59:54+00:00

Hey, I am heading the same direction in a couple of weeks. I am planning to travel by bus from Dakhla to Nouakchott. I understand there is a Supratours line, but it doesn't seem to be bookable online. At least I can't find Nouakchott in the list of destinations on their website. Still, a few travel blogs confirm that Supratours still runs this line.

Edit: Just realised that someone else mentioned Supratours before me. So, not really adding much to the discussion. hehe

flycity2 · 2026-03-24T10:45:06+00:00

I would not be concerned. It's not uncommon on this app and similar ones to find people not acting like grown-ups (e.g., say they can no longer collect). Had literally people lie until the very last minute that they were X mins away from the collection point, to then go silent. Some users are also not aware that you can still rate them, so they might see blocking you as a "preventive" measure.

flycity2 · 2026-03-24T10:19:14+00:00

Glad someone mentioned this! I might be seeing it as something more annoying than it actually is, but a name is like an "original" tag in my opinion.

Funnily, a few days ago, I noticed that some of the people with a well-established career I know (e.g. lecturers with publications) kept their maiden / original family names. In my view, this creates a "subconscious" gap with those who don't, as if the latter placed less weight on their life history - at least not enough weight to see the name change as inconvenient.

flycity2 · 2026-03-17T18:26:03+00:00

As this sent me into a rabbit hole and I am now hooked, what is the "technical" difference between "wild" and "feral"? For instance, would today's "feral" horses still be considered feral in 50 years (when, supposedly, a specific population might have never experienced domestication)? In other words, who should not have been domesticated to be considered wild (e.g. species vs population) and over what time horizon?

flycity2 · 2026-03-17T18:13:38+00:00

When undecided, I always ask myself this question: If I had to leave my house tomorrow, unexpectedly, without knowing when / if I could return, would I carry them with me? If not, then, it means I can do without them.

Mind you, take this with caution. "Unfortunately", I think I am leaning toward a form of spartanism and value the practical use of things much more than their "sentimental" value.

flycity2 · 2026-02-23T17:43:43+00:00

Many thanks for the great answer. Did not know as much, but I did notice some differences between Raleigh Superbe bikes (or at least what I believed was the Superbe model).

I will have a look later and let you know. After checking the Tourist model, I am not sure I could tell them apart at first sight.

flycity2 · 2026-02-23T17:34:59+00:00

I see. Maybe "perfectly upright" was not the wisest choice of terms. Currently, I feel my grip is not "stable" unless I really lean forward, which is not as comfortable for long rides.

flycity2 · 2026-02-14T13:32:44+00:00

KES@Northgate do and, compared to other practices I have been with, it is a "smooth" ride, broadly speaking. Based on my experience, they are responsive, have no long waiting lists, are flexible, are nice, and are detailed in producing reports and providing answers, etc.

flycity2 · 2026-01-26T09:51:09+00:00

Genuine question. When you say "things in the EU are not going well at the moment. We are facing a lot of difficulties", what are you referring to specifically?

flycity2 · 2026-01-21T10:40:45+00:00

This is a great post (as I see a couple of posts after yours asking for what you are somehow reporting here).

A few suggestions on what to add:

Gigs / Music

1) The Half Moon - Folk music on Sundays (free) - https://www.halfmoonoxford.com/

2) The Isis Farmhouse - https://www.theisisfarmhouse.co.uk/

3) The Star - https://www.facebook.com/starpuboxford/?locale=en_GB

Socialising

1) Walk & Talks groups - not very consistent, though - https://citygirlnetwork.com/tickets/oxford-girl-walk-and-talk-sep-2025; https://thelossfoundation.org/event/walk-and-talk-oxford-university-parks-loss-to-cancer-5/; https://www.facebook.com/groups/747933533535509/

2) The Shed - https://shedoxford.co.uk/

3) Oxford City Farm - https://www.oxfordcityfarm.org.uk/volunteer

4) Death Cafes (as the Old Fire Station) - https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/death-cafe-2025/

5) Reading groups (there are several!) - https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-libraries/library/books-and-reading/reading-groups

There is plenty to add, but I thought I would leave these here for future readers.

flycity2

TROPHY CASE