FOD charity ride or charity starts at home?

[Chopperhughes81]

I would like to make the moderators aware that the FOD charity ride may have been used for personal gain as well as charity unfortunately! When you are approached to sell a listed item quickly to be within a deadline for an event that needs to meet the rules set out for CHARITY and then the bike WOULD be donated to CHARITY, exact words. It is very disappointing to not only see that the bike is now been kept for continued personal use, but now parts from bike now being sold off separately. I am not writing this because of any potential financial loss but through principal.

Can I request that any future charity rides of the same nature have firm rules in place as to where the bikes go at the end as I would have let the auction run until the end (perhaps for a lower price anyway) and then I would have know who and why they were really buying the bike.

I am sure that the person who brought the bike in question will know what this is regarding, and I am not doing this to bad mouth anyone as we have communicated since the transaction took place. I will think twice about helping anyone with a similar request again!

Disappointed Ebay'er and fellow bike enthusiast

 

[daj]

Hmmmmm sadden me to read this after the great day we had doing the scrap yard challenge , I guess I am to blame for leaving the idea and rules quite loosely open and even then I cant really enforce any rules it was all just a bit of fun :?

I cant help but agree that if a bike/parts was purchased on the cheap reflecting on the fact the previous owner was told it was going to charity then it clearly hasnt ..... Tis bit of a poor show (Me personally I was glad to see that back of my ten tons of metal!!)

I dont really know what else to say

 

[NeilM]

I think I'd like to jump in here and clarify something.

The scrapheap challenge was never pitched as a CHARITY ride. I chose to give my bike to charity after the ride, and made that clear from the outset. As it happens, Dave was happy for his bike to go to the same place as mine.

However, if a bike was bought and the seller was told (as mine was) that the bike was going to charity after the ride, and has not subsequently been donated, then that is with the conscience of the person who bought the bike and can in no way reflect on RB, or the West Midlands Group as the ride was NEVER pitched as an event in aid of charity.

I agree wholeheartedly with Dave, that if a promise was made to the seller, then it is extremely disappointing that this promise has not been kept and I think the least the buyer could do was to make an equivalent donation. That said, it is not possible to draw a firm conclusion, as at present we only have one side of the situation.

 

[Russell]

I distinctly remember reading, though I can't be arsed to look back, that one of the 'rules' was that the bikes would be given to charity after the ride.

 

[The History Man]

Just seen this and am surprised and feel somewhat slighted.

As those involved in the ride and who have read the thread know, I bought first bike (Giant) but didn't use it and sold it and gave money to Daisy Chain Hospice Charity. This was once I'd bought a pre 97 Marin from chopperhughes81. I did say that the plan was to dispose of the bikes (for charity) at end of event. As discussed in thread, I enjoyed working on and restoring the bike and ended up wanting to keep the bike as i'd spent so much time and effort on it. This was not for gain as has been suggested.

I discussed this as soon as I had the thought to keep the bike with seller and assured them that I would make donation in lieu of bike to Daisy Chain. Throughout this process my intentions have been honourable.

I have explained all this to the seller and was in communication with them throughout and discussed this with them and am not sure what they think I have gained from this. Yes I have a bike but I am also paying its worth to my charity rather than donating the bike. So as far as I can see the charity still gains as it would have regardless? I appreciate that my plan changed but I thought I would end up with a 'scrap' bike rather than something usable.

Other than changing the form of donation have I done anything wrong?

Happy to have people suggest market value for the bike for this purpose.

 

[john]

The exact wording on the thread was

Dont forget its all just for fun so dont want to get heavy on the in and outs of rules and hopefully be passing the bikes onto charity afterwards

If a donation has been made to charity in lieu of the bike itself I do not see the issue. Sure there aren't that many charities who would *really* want a Raleigh Cobra.

 

[Coleman]

The exact wording on the thread was

Dont forget its all just for fun so dont want to get heavy on the in and outs of rules and hopefully be passing the bikes onto charity afterwards

If a donation has been made to charity in lieu of the bike itself I do not see the issue. Sure there aren't that many charities who would *really* want a Raleigh Cobra.

All in the wording 'hopefully', Dave you should be a lawyer

@John - I think the bike in question was actually a Marin, so you are right no self respecting charity would go anywhere near it