A reminder to never lend out lights...

AnAppleSnail

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
4,200
Location
South Hill, VA
Ya LoJac for your light, an awsome concept. Probably possible modifying one of those USB programmable lights:drool: I actually suggested a dongle in another thread, light will only operate within 6 feet of , LOL.
GL
No, more to say "Well, here we are in the atrium. It's rumored that the original owner of this house saw his wife fall to her death right... here." and click their lights off.
 

enomosiki

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
1,109
I have no idea why I did it, but I sure as hell regret doing it.

Yesterday, a co-worker lost his keys. No one had any idea where, but the keys that he lost consisted not only of the key for the building, but included his house and car keys, as well. This is a regular occurence, but it was the first time where he really, really, really lost them.

Anyway, he tried to find them using incandescent Garrity 2D that we have lying around. Obviously, it wasn't helping much to illuminate every nooks and crannies. After a while, he turned to me and asked me if I could borrow one of my lights.

Me: "No."

He's the clumsy type where everything that he holds on ends up either breaking apart or becoming lost.

Co-worker: "Why?"

Over the years, I have given him at least four flashlights as gifts, but he has lost EVERY. SINGLE. ONE OF THEM. Two IlluminaTi CA1, iTP EOS A3 and TerraLUX LightStar 100. He has lost every single one of them within two weeks of having given to him. Of course, I pointed this out to him.

Me: "What happened to the four different lights that I gave you?"

And, obviously, he side-stepped the issue.

Co-worker: "C'mon, are you REALLY not going to lend me your light?"
Me: "Uh, yeah."

He then tries to get another co-worker to borrow my light FOR him.

Co-worker: "What if <name> borrowed your light?"
Me: "Nope."
Co-worker: "But, why?"
Me: "Because you are not <name>?"


After a brief argument, I ended up handing my fully blinged-out Quark "X" Tactical with Fenix diffuser, turbo tailcap and AA body because I didn't want the charade to continue, considering how I was extremely busy with my work and he was becoming annoying not only from the argument, but the fact that he was getting in the way of my work.

After I handed it to him;

Me: "I would appreciate it if you can refrain from losing my $80 flashlight."

He nods, and ends up DROPPING the light to the ground.

Me: "AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU CAN REFRAIN FROM BREAKING IT, AS WELL!"

After he was done fruitlessly searching for his keys, he returned my light... Except that I didn't see the diffuser still attached to it.

Me: "Uh, where's the thing that goes in the front?"

He fishes for it in his pocket and digs it out. I take it without much thought and tried to fit it to the head of the light, at which point I immediately noticed something was wrong. I take a look at it and, sure enough, the diffuser is broken.

Me: "Great. Thanks. You broke my light, you ******* idiot."
Co-worker: "Really?"
(I show him the broken diffuser.)
Me: "YES."

That's it. He now KNOWS that I am never lending him anything in my possession. But the damage has been done.

To be honest, I'm not really angry about the diffuser being broke. It's pretty cheap. What I am angry about is that I was a complete fool to lend out my light to a complete moron without any sort of accountability.

If there was anything positive to all of this, it was something that another one of my co-workers said when I used my TN11 when she was searching for the keys using another 2D Garrity. As she was searching under some cabinets with that dim light, I lent her a hand and shined my TN11 down there.

Co-worker: "WOAH!!"
Me: "Too bright?"
Co-worker: "It was, like, daylight, all of a sudden!"
Me: "Well, sorry about that."
Co-worker: "Oh, no, I just got shocked a little. I thought it was the flashlight that I was holding, and was, like, 'what HAPPENED to this flashlight?'"
 
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cummins4x4

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
320
Location
Near Lethbridge Alberta
Thats exactly why I have 4 UF lights kicking around, they are exactly the same and can be replaced easily for $25 plus a 18650, also a UF. Nobody but nobody borrows my good lights.
 

Lodogg2221

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
162
I never loan anything anymore, because every time I do, it comes back worse than when it left.
If ever I feel the need, Ill help someone by using my own stuff, but never will I let someone borrow something again.
It never turns out good.

Truthfully, you should have already known what was going to happen. If he couldnt keep 4 of them, why in the world would you trust him a 5th time?

Say no, go back to work. End of it, and you have all the pieces in the same condition they were in before the conversation!


Sorry, I just have zero tolerance for people with no respect for others property....
 

Average Joe

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Joined
Nov 11, 2011
Messages
22
Location
Singapore
Ha! That's why I keep 2 flashlights at work. The loaner is a cheapo "something-FIRE" that has a dodgy clicky but works nonetheless.
Lend my good stuff out? No way...
 

BaldGuy45

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Joined
Oct 8, 2011
Messages
62
Should have stuck to your guns. No means NO. And why would you let him have it with the diffuser in place? Didnt you think that would be the first thing he tried to rip off of it? Thats why I carry a $2 keychain light attatched to my keys. Its the only "loaner" I have.
 

shelm

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 8, 2011
Messages
2,047
entertaining story (and sorry for the regret). regretting is worse than paying for the plastic. (a McDonalds hamburger or fastfood is more expensive than the diffuser and we buy hamburgers all the time!)

which diffuser was it? this one:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?322177-Custom-Quark-AAX

good idea not to lend out our good lights but only spare ones. XXXFire, rayovac indestructible, ..
i like your contributions to cpf. always worth the reading.
 

Samy

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Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
539
Location
Australia
Next time tell him to give you $80 first as a fully refundable loaners fee first. And tell him if it returns with marks or damage you will be deducting an appropriate amount... If he gives you the light back in one piece there's no problem. Otherwise he just bought himself a broken $80 light ;)
 

brianna

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
246
NO means no, and you let him intimidate you into giving him a light. You got what you deserved. From what you told us the outcome surprises you?
 

jamesmtl514

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Joined
Oct 14, 2009
Messages
1,938
Location
Montreal, Canada
I carry beater lights most of the time. Office carry had been my EN mule, I wouldn't mind lending it out as long as I get it back.
Only one Co-worker knows I carry a light though.

Once I bring in something fancier I'll think twice about lending it out.

At least you have learned your (expensive) lesson.
 

PeterH

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Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
52
Sounds like a case for dollar store flashlights. If you know what you're looking at, and get a bit lucky, some of them are decent lights. And cheap enough to loan/give to unreliable people.
 

SuLyMaN

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Joined
Sep 27, 2010
Messages
326
Location
Light years away from you!
That thread reminds me to get a turbo tailcap!!! I would not normally lend but depends on the person really. I mean you cant refuse your bro, dad or good friend....or can you? :p

sent from my mob. Excuse misspelling. thanks!
 

strinq

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Joined
May 24, 2009
Messages
861
Location
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
That's really strange...I mean if anyone borrowed something from me and lost/broke it they would automatically ask me how much was it and either refund me the cash or buy a new one and give it to me.
Heck, I'd do the same.
It's the 'culture' here. Isn't it just bad manners to not do anything when you lost or damaged someone else's property?
 

Richub

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 6, 2011
Messages
371
Location
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
I have a few friends and 2 coworkers I'll lend any light to in a second. They know the value, and treat the light accordingly.

Once a good friend borrowed one of my lights, and I got a call from him the next day: "Where do they sell these Fenix flashlights?"
At first I thought he wanted to buy one for himself, but it turned out he lost my LD10 I lend him the other day. I found out later that day when he handed a brand new boxed LD10 to me: "I lost the one you lend me, so I bought a new one for you."
No questions asked, he just bought a new light for me when he lost the original one. That's why I'll still lend him any light again if he needs it.

He actually found that LD10 a few months later in his couch. He simply told me with a grin: "I payed for a flashlight last summer, and now I finally got it." After I looked at him wondering what he was talking about he showed me that LD10. We both just laughed. :)

As for the casual 'Can I borrow one of your lights?' question: I got an Olight I2 EOS I could lend them, but only after I made it clear they'll have to replace it when they lose or break it.
 

hkneoh

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Mar 1, 2012
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Eerily, I had a similar experience as that described by the OP...
 

Harry999

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Joined
Jun 19, 2009
Messages
584
I normally have some keychain coin cell lights that I would lend. If someone really needs a light for something important they might get a Fenix E01. If it is that important I would actually offer to go help them with only me handling my better lights. Same principle as if someone needs to use one of (my UK legal) edc penknives or multi-tool. I will use it for them so they don't damage it, misuse it or cut themselves.
 

angelofwar

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Nov 17, 2007
Messages
3,336
Location
South Carolina
Some people are bound for Darwin to dispose of...sigh. My EDC Surefires are pretty nigh indestructible...but as a few others have stated, my coworkers know the value, and will either get another light, or if the borrow one of my SF's, they treat it with respect. They've dropped them a few times, etc., but they're all still kickin'. Sorry to hear op.
 

kaichu dento

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Joined
Apr 5, 2008
Messages
6,554
Location
現在の世界
A customer asked for a light to borrow so they could search for a glove. I asked if they had $400 in case they lost it and they laughed saying "no", since they didn't believe me.

I handed them my Clicky already turned on and said, "Really - good luck finding the glove."

Light was back in my hands a few minutes later with a smile.
 
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