Dead-beat Tyers

[jdubach]

It seems no matter where I go; no matter what level: I almost always end up in a swap where someone doesn't turn in their flies by deadline. This isn't a problem really for me, as I have yet to host a swap. But after talking to a few swapmeisters of recent swaps I've been in it seems many people are signing up and then not communicating anything about whether they're going to be able to complete the swap. Rick's 4 Swap Madness had several people who never contacted him about anything. With some meisters they can wait or understand if someone has to pull out due to certain commitments.

But for the ones who don't even show that courtesy, I recommend a "Thread of Shame."

I know I'm getting tired of tying flies only to get half of them back, and I know several meisters who are sick of the game of trying to track people down. I say if someone fails to meet the commitment without some kind of explanation they should be publicly shamed! If someone gets on the board and it seems later there were some circumstances that warrant the no contact, their name could be removed from the list. Such circumstances could include anything from illness, death, etc.

What do y'all think?

[Fatman]

On another board I'm on that does swaps they have a listing of folks who get banned from swapping for a certain period of time. After their time out period they get closely looked at when they start signing up again.

Fatman

[ol' blue]

I host a lot of swaps, and I have that trouble quite a bit. My solution has been our swap of the month group, which is an ongoing swap with the same participants. For the portions I host, if you are a no-show or your entry is late, your name is off the list. This year, I am letting people host a month, so their portions are more lenient. I've tried in the past to be more lenient, but the more lenient you are, the worse some people are about the deadline. And it isn't fair to those who make their deadlines. IMO, the chronic late entries are worse than the noshows. And that is just as bad IMO.
The only problem I've seen on this site is that the no shows tend to sign up for one or 2 swaps, and then don't do it again. I think it either results from unexpected circumstances or not realizing how much time it takes. It seems about half and half on whether I get a response or not. In most cases, they didn't sign up for swaps again for a while. I went through some of my older swaps and tried to see if it was the same group and it tended to be different people.

[modocdan]

That's why I haven't joined any swaps for awhile....I got too many irons in the fire already, and it would be tough to get it all done. I enjoy the swaps, and it is a bit disappointing when the flies come back short a few. I figure a fella needs to live up to commitments. If there's no consequences......well ya get what ya get...... guys that take it seriously won't have to deal with consequences.....................ModocDan

[Normand]

i was in a swap on the "flytyingforum" and it took 6 months to get the swap flies back. never joined another swap by that swapmeister.

[Eric-WD]

I have hosted two swaps, and both times at least one person did not keep their commitment. I understand that sometimes stuff happens, people get sick, run out of money, get overtime dumped on them by their boss etc.

I wouldn't mind it if they just emailed or PM'd me and told me so I can attempt to find another tier or let people know not to send so many flies. what ticks me off is when they just don't respond to my emails and pm's.

If we see someone signing up for a swap that left us high and dry we should just privately give the swap master a heads up. They can then deal with the problem as they see fit.

Eric

[jdubach]

I guess this all makes sense. As for keeping up such a list, I would, but I'm a hard-***. And as for people having a problem with embarrassing people publicly, I don't, but then again I'm a cops reporter and I do that on a daily basis. Or rather they embarrass themselves and I make it public.

But I understand all the points brought up. But I also wonder how many people have not joined a swap because it was full and then a couple people turn out to be dead-beats. I often wonder how many people never got in on the action because the spots were full and then those people didn't fulfill their obligations.

I guess this is just something that comes with participating in fly swaps.

[rainbowchaser]

From the other side of this I once sent in a set of flies for a swap that I did with a bunch of stitches in my right hand. I wasn't at all happy with the flies and really considered just dropping out. The people who got those flies may have been better off just having an eleven person swap. If I had jerked my hand back just a bit slower and cut tendons I would have had no choice in the matter. I do try to tie swap flies right away when I sign up but in this case I had waited for some back-ordered hooks.

[jdubach]

If you're communicating with the swapmeister that's not a problem. My only concern is for the people who sign up and then never do anything after that and never contact the meister. To me that's a real dead-beat. If you're late, you're late and if you've got a legit reason and communicate this to the meister it shouldn't be a problem.

[Fatman]

Normand

The list does work!!!!!!! That's why theirs only one name on it!!! Yes their has been times when someone had to bow out but it always seemed like they had someone to take their place in it.

One other swap they hadn't heard from the guy and come to find out he was in the hospital in the ICU unit. The guys still sent him a set of flies to cheer him up. It's all about COMMUNICATION!!!!!!!!!

Fatman