Maybe I was taught wrong

[dschflier]

When I was growing up I was always taught that if you borrow something you should give it back in as good or better condition then how you got it. No questions. It wasn't up to the person who did the lending to make anything right. I guess this rule no longer applies.

 

In the last couple of months I have lent out the following items:

 

A Skimmer, My truck, 2 pumps, 2 power heads,40' Python, sumps, many garbage cans and buckets, 2 ballasts, Fans and given away countless other things. In the past I have always done this because it actually makes me feel good helping other people out. I only asked if I gave things away that when the person is done using it they don

[treesprite]

Very good post.

 

When I lend things to people I do it with the understanding that no matter what they say, I may not get the item back or may not get it back in the same condition.

[Mystical Lady]

I try to live by an old saying:

 

"You can't be taken advantage of....

unless you LET someone take advantage of you........"

 

for me, its hard to live by sometimes ...........

but I continue to try........

[vaironman]

A good old basic living standard code that is hard to find anymore. I have a few extra Maxjet powerheads (old) to mix salt but still useable and a few extra buckets if you need, just let me know.

Edited November 26, 2007 by vaironman

[gsedlack]

"When I was growing up I was always taught that if you borrow something you should give it back in as good or better condition then how you got it"

 

-you were brought up well. Others, not so much. I think that in this club that the good far outweighs the bad.

 

I hope your post "encourages" some to be better borrowers.

[dbartco]

Sorry to hear this Dave. I have been copied on all the correspondence you guys put out in organizing and moving that tank for the school. I thought everyone did a great job, for a great cause. I'm sorry things did not go as well as hoped. Maybe this little reminder will help fix these issues.

[lletellier]

I agree that the good outweighs the bad in this club and that you can't direct something like this at everyone. I know it is hard but you shouldn't punish the group for the poor behavior of a few people. I had a poor experience with my first group buy, I bought a part of a coral and even though it was delivered 20 min away from me I had to drive an hour away to pick up a frag from another person in the GB because the person in charge did not tell me when the coral originally came in. People were auctioning off larger frags than mine within a month. It was not a good experience but on the other hand I ended up losing that tiny frag when my tank went south and I know I will be able to get a nice frag from at least one person when i'm ready which will be shortly I think you just need to be careful with who you loan stuff to and make sure you keep track so you can talk to them individually.

[lanman]

I was brought up the same way. The only way I wouldn't return something in perfect condition would be if I forgot I had it, or it was impossible to repair or replace.

 

Shakespeare, on the other hand, must have suffered the same fate as you:

 

From Shakespeare's Hamlet, 1603:

 

LORD POLONIUS:

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;

For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

 

 

bob

[bigJPDC]

Nice posts Bob and Mystic.

[jason the filter freak]

I have the fan you gave christina and I and it works like a charm. Also YGPM

sorry about all the crap you've gone though, you're one of the first members I've ever visited and comming over to see your stuff is always a blast

[davelin315]

Hey Dave, I'm not sure what happened with your truck but I'm really sorry to hear that. I know that those guys worked really hard on getting the tank set up and some of the stuff that you lent to them is still at the school as the tank is not completely set up yet. Let me know what I can do to help you out with fixing things and making them right. I'm sure that anything that was not returned is still being borrowed at school as they had to set up a few different things in a few different ways due to a broken bulkhead. Let me know what does not get returned to you and if it's in bad condition and I'll see what I can do to resolve it for you. I'm not sure who was borrowing your truck, but I believe Michael had it the whole time? Not sure of that one...

 

Please don't let a bad experience sour you on helping. I'm sure that it will be made right shortly.

[dschflier]

Well I am going to sleep now so I will make this quick. Just wanted to thank everyone for the interest. I didn't expect to get so much feedback from this thread. I was just a little annoyed at a couple of instances that happend all around the same time. I should have taken my own advice as well. When you are angry about something and want to confront the situation, wait a day the situation will still be there in the morning.

 

In the larger picture and with the things that matter everyone has been great. If anyone is in need of something and I can help feel freee to PM me.

 

David

[Grav]

I once had a problem with my rider lawnmower and a friend / nieghbor insisted that I use his when he saw me pushing my little one. I used it for 2 weeks and eventually clipped a tree stump... bending something that screwed up the way it cut. He and I spent 4 or 5 hours fixing it, far more effort than it would have taken to push mow the lawn. He swears that the mower is perfect now, but I can't see him on the thing without feeling bad.

 

I now refuse to borrow anything I'm not prepaired to purchase / replace outright if I should so much as scratch it. SO unless it is an egg or something small, I don't borrow stuff.

 

I also don't loan out anything I'm not ready to give to the person I'm loaning it to.

[jason the filter freak]

Well I am going to sleep now so I will make this quick. Just wanted to thank everyone for the interest. I didn't expect to get so much feedback from this thread. I was just a little annoyed at a couple of instances that happend all around the same time. I should have taken my own advice as well. When you are angry about something and want to confront the situation, wait a day the situation will still be there in the morning.

 

In the larger picture and with the things that matter everyone has been great. If anyone is in need of something and I can help feel freee to PM me.

 

David

 

 

Did you get my pm?

[mutley29]

Large sticker on my tool box

 

"Everything in this box has a back to it, BRING IT BACK"

 

Sorry to hear of your woes, you were taught right.

[lanman]

I once had a problem with my rider lawnmower and a friend / nieghbor insisted that I use his when he saw me pushing my little one. I used it for 2 weeks and eventually clipped a tree stump... bending something that screwed up the way it cut. He and I spent 4 or 5 hours fixing it, far more effort than it would have taken to push mow the lawn. He swears that the mower is perfect now, but I can't see him on the thing without feeling bad.

 

I now refuse to borrow anything I'm not prepaired to purchase / replace outright if I should so much as scratch it. SO unless it is an egg or something small, I don't borrow stuff.

 

I also don't loan out anything I'm not ready to give to the person I'm loaning it to.

 

I kept my old rider when I got a new one. Anyone asks to borrow mine - I offer them the old one. I tell them all it needs is to be taken down to the shop and given a minor tune-up. Nobody's ever taken me up on my offer.

 

bob

[dschflier]

Yes Jason I did get your PM and thanks for the words and the offer. Depending on if I get the pieces back from my Phython I may take you up on your offer.

[Origami]

My offer (from my PM), Dave, stands. Let me know what I can do to help make this right. I'm disappointed that things didn't get put back together the way they were received. You were brought up the same as me and my expectation is that you shouldn't have been treated this way.