Non-flashaholics using your lights.....

[ackbar]

My understanding on loaning is simple.

People do not ask borrowing for precious thing. Have you ever seen anyone seriously asking you "hey, can I borrow your 5 months old baby?"

We see flashlight as a baby, they see it as a tool. We just can't expect the kind of care we have from others. Tools can be broken eventually, so no one takes responsibiliy.

Having a cheap loaner is the way.

I don't know about that. People DO ask to borrow precious things. I consider my laptop a tool but I'd be pissed if it came back with teeth marks/cracked screen etc. You can also borrow (rent actually) a car, i'm sure the company that loaned it to you wouldn't be happy if it came back looking like it came back from Iraq.

 

[dalekcommander]

I've had some of the same experiences as you guys....

Two years ago I bought 6 cheapy S+W 'tactical' lights (2x123's) and gave them to those on the night shift that really needed a light.

I haven't seen any of those lights in 18 months.

Then, coworkers have lost my Pentagon and a Gladius.

I am now an '*ssh*le' for not lending out a light no matter what the reason.

I've told them all that they are big people now and should go and get their own lights. Won't happen.

Last night I had 4 people come to me for pens, "Nope - go buy some," I said.

Again, I'm an *ssh*le.

How can people show up to work unprepared on a regular basis?

 

[zx7dave]

I always had some lights on my desk, just because I need them regularly, to see what numbers are on opamps, transistors etc etc.
These used to be bulky, cheap plastic 2D-cell lights made by Panasonic. I bought six of those monsters because we had no flashlight at all at the company. No one would ever use one. They are just not sexy enough 😗

Now, the last month I take my better lights to work, so regularly some SureFires, Wolf-eyes or Fenix lights are within reach on my desk.

Of course, it didn't take long, and my colleagues spotted them.

What happens then, when they start to use something, that just looks like a "flashlight" but in reality is some very high power incan light, or a two stage LED-light?

First, the incan: one of my colleagues asked, if he could use the C3 centurion "just for a moment". So I gave him the light, knowing he would just use it briefly. After all, three expensive primary lithiums are in.....
Half an hour later, some yell across the place: "AAUWWW, that thing is BLOODY HOT!!!"
By then, I instantly realized he must have had it on all the time 🙁
Half the batteries down the drain 🙁 🙁 🙁

Then, another colleague using the L1 LumaMax: "is this it, are the batteries empty or.....?" Well, just TURN that cap, it will be brighter then....
"Ohh, that's better!"
He was servicing an Apple G5 computer, and to see how much dust was in, he shined into it.... just for a few seconds, then he put the light down, on its head.... and forgot to switch it off. This, you can imagine, I only saw an hour later. Another primary lithium nearly depleted 🙁 🙁

I stopped taking the M90 rattlesnake with me, and put it on my desk, as it has UNPROTECTED 18650s in it. I know, it has a runtime of about 90 minutes, my colleagues won't know this and promptly run the batteries flat.

I'd better buy that simple Fenix 2AA light with around 100 Lumens, this is a bullet-proof single stage light with no "extraordinaries".
I suppose, anyone can handle this one 😕
AA batteries we have more than enough, or I take some NiMHs....


What's your experience with your colleagues.... never used a light, until they found yours, and then use it in a very, hmmm, wrong way?

Timmo.

Timmo...lots of good responses already...
Most of us have speciality lights that can damage themselves with intense heat if they are just left on..or we have valuable lights that we don't want scratched or ding'd.
So I generally have a Superfire/Ultrafire with a simple R2/P4 drop in that will not destroy its self with heat, and I have it on a AW rechargeable. This way I am not limited to a generic off the shelf from Walmart light and am still in the modern world for brightness and runtime. If a coworker destroys it they will usually pay for it...if not I am out less then $25.

 

[seaside]

I've had some of the same experiences as you guys....

Two years ago I bought 6 cheapy S+W 'tactical' lights (2x123's) and gave them to those on the night shift that really needed a light.

I haven't seen any of those lights in 18 months.

Then, coworkers have lost my Pentagon and a Gladius.

I am now an '*ssh*le' for not lending out a light no matter what the reason.

I've told them all that they are big people now and should go and get their own lights. Won't happen.

Last night I had 4 people come to me for pens, "Nope - go buy some," I said.

Again, I'm an *ssh*le.

How can people show up to work unprepared on a regular basis?

This is what I am talking about.

How come? No reason, some people just do that all the time.
Their mentality is like, this guy has the stuff, so why should I buy one when I can get it whenever I need it? You become their rental toolbox, when you stop being that for them, you become an a-hole.

You're blessed if people arround you are not those types.

 

[jp2515]

I've had some of the same experiences as you guys....

Two years ago I bought 6 cheapy S+W 'tactical' lights (2x123's) and gave them to those on the night shift that really needed a light.

I haven't seen any of those lights in 18 months.

Then, coworkers have lost my Pentagon and a Gladius.

I am now an '*ssh*le' for not lending out a light no matter what the reason.

I've told them all that they are big people now and should go and get their own lights. Won't happen.

Last night I had 4 people come to me for pens, "Nope - go buy some," I said.

Again, I'm an *ssh*le.

How can people show up to work unprepared on a regular basis?

WOW! They lost a Gladius and another Pentagon light :shakehead that's expensive! Well considering they "lost" the other 2 lights and yours, they probably won't take care of other peoples stuff. Good call on the pens, the people probably wanted to borrow the pen you were using! Kind of strange that work does not have pens, that's a office supply staple.

 

[ackbar]

It is just that most people:

A: Won't take personal responsibility thinking that someone else will have what they need and will foot the bill for being prepared when they arn't.
B: feel entitled to whatever it is you have that they don't.

to this I say FSK THEM!

The lack of preparation on your part does in no way constitute an emergency on my part!

 

[carrot]

It is just that most people:

A: Won't take personal responsibility thinking that someone else will have what they need and will foot the bill for being prepared when they arn't.
B: feel entitled to whatever it is you have that they don't.

to this I say FSK THEM!

The lack of preparation on your part does in no way constitute an emergency on my part!

+1 :thumbsup: I agree.

 

[brighterisbetter]

If I scratch it, ding it, drop it ... oh well, it is what it is. But I want to be the one who's doing that.

That's exactly the same way I feel, couldn't have said it better myself. 😀

 

[Strauss]

That's exactly the same way I feel, couldn't have said it better myself. 😀

Agreed 100%

 

[brucec]

Bruce, I'll come by your office to "borrow" your McG light. :nana:

:laughing: From your posts, I don't think you are undergoing any kind of McGizmo shortage. But if you turn out to be a 27 year old bombshell, let's talk. :devil:

I don't have people asking me for flashlights very often. I have plenty of flashlights to get me by and have no qualms lending out a G2L or 6PL. If they like it so much they want to keep it, then I would probably just let them have it. Gives me an excuse to buy something else. In fact, my only qualm about lending more expensive lights is not that they are expensive, but that these lights tend to be multi-mode or finicky in some other way. It's too easy for people to get stuck in a mode they don't want. I only gift KISS single mode lights.

 

[Stress_Test]

I've had some of the same experiences as you guys....

Two years ago I bought 6 cheapy S+W 'tactical' lights (2x123's) and gave them to those on the night shift that really needed a light.

I haven't seen any of those lights in 18 months.

Then, coworkers have lost my Pentagon and a Gladius.

I am now an '*ssh*le' for not lending out a light no matter what the reason.

I've told them all that they are big people now and should go and get their own lights. Won't happen.

Last night I had 4 people come to me for pens, "Nope - go buy some," I said.

Again, I'm an *ssh*le.

How can people show up to work unprepared on a regular basis?

It is just that most people:

A: Won't take personal responsibility thinking that someone else will have what they need and will foot the bill for being prepared when they arn't.
B: feel entitled to whatever it is you have that they don't.

to this I say FSK THEM!

The lack of preparation on your part does in no way constitute an emergency on my part!

This reminded me of a guy from work. I usually carry some advil or excedrin pills with me at work because I get headaches a lot. Every now and then I'll let somebody have one if they're hurtin'.

I guess this one guy knew about it, and he said he had a headache and asked if I had anything for it. I gave him one (of my two) excedrin, and he looked at me and said "Just one?"

I thought WTF!!?

Should've told him the first one's free, additional ones are 5 bucks each!

 

[dudemar]

I've had some of the same experiences as you guys....

Two years ago I bought 6 cheapy S+W 'tactical' lights (2x123's) and gave them to those on the night shift that really needed a light.

I haven't seen any of those lights in 18 months.

Then, coworkers have lost my Pentagon and a Gladius.

I am now an '*ssh*le' for not lending out a light no matter what the reason.

I've told them all that they are big people now and should go and get their own lights. Won't happen.

Last night I had 4 people come to me for pens, "Nope - go buy some," I said.

Again, I'm an *ssh*le.

How can people show up to work unprepared on a regular basis?

Don't sweat it. Those guys are d-bags who think you're a flashlight vending machine. Next time they come up to you, ask them "where's the one you lost?"

 

[KingGlamis]

I won't lend coworkers my lights. But I have on many occasions walked over with them to what they needed light for and lit the area up for them (while giving them a hard time about not owning a light of their own 😀 ).

Close friends or the kids are a different story, but I only loan them cheapy LED lights that I wouldn't miss if they get lost.

 

[kaichu dento]

It really ticks me off seeing some of the crap you guys have been put through!

Still I think some people are worthy of trust, and others never should be.

I have one friend at work that I'm trying to get hooked on lights and so far he really likes my LF5XT. It's funny to see how many people vehemently dislike strobe when it's his mani prerequisite! "I've got a fever and the only cure is MORE STROBE!"

So far he's had, in addition to the LF5XT, the D10, P1D, P2D, LD10, NDI, Jet-I Mk IBS, 120P and just today I handed him a Titan. All my lights have come back clean and with the battery still in good shape.

The next posts I'd really like to see is some follow ups to what you got back out of the cheapskates who never brought your lights back.

 

[seaside]

It really ticks me off seeing some of the crap you guys have been put through!

Still I think some people are worthy of trust, and others never should be.

I have one friend at work that I'm trying to get hooked on lights and so far he really likes my LF5XT. It's funny to see how many people vehemently dislike strobe when it's his mani prerequisite! "I've got a fever and the only cure is MORE STROBE!"

So far he's had, in addition to the LF5XT, the D10, P1D, P2D, LD10, NDI, Jet-I Mk IBS, 120P and just today I handed him a Titan. All my lights have come back clean and with the battery still in good shape.

The next posts I'd really like to see is some follow ups to what you got back out of the cheapskates who never brought your lights back.

The fact people had bad experience does not mean people do not believe in good, or spitting craps outta their mouth. You having a good friends does not mean others do not have any. You should have known that and you need to calm down.

Trust is not gained only because he/she is one of my coworkers, but gained by mutual understanding and the way treat each other. If someone do not respect me and my belongings, I won't think him trustworthy and I won't place my flashlight at his disposal. That's what other people have said at above postings.

And as you said, some people are still worthy of trust, even if I knew he/she can demage/loose my stuff. I am willing to loan my stuff to them, and I did that all the time, because I value them over my stuff. I am sure most people here in CPF do the same thing. Hopefully, I wish everyone here have more trustworthy people than those d-bags arround them.

 

[kaichu dento]

The fact people had bad experience does not mean people do not believe in good, or spitting craps outta their mouth. You having a good friends does not mean others do not have any. You should have known that and you need to calm down.

You need to do some more reading and improve your comprehension skills, and calm yourself down while you're at it. How you got this interpretation out of my post is beyond me. :shakehead

 

[MWClint]

One of my coworkers is a gadget freak, so i usually show him my new lights,
usually he asks how much and where and the usual 'wow thats bright"..
he asks how to use it and then he shines them around the room and hands
them back. no big deal, plus he edc's a small 2aaa river rock. The server
room is dark, so we all carry something.

I said nothing this time, wanting to see his reaction and handed him my brand
new Spy 007. I'm thinking he's gonna really like this one. He just grinned
and twirled it in the air by the lanyard and saying "Ooooh this is a nice
weapon". That was the longest 5 seconds in flashlight history.

i snatched the light back and promptly put it back in it's holster. i wanted
to seriously kick him in the nuts. I dont hand him any more of my stuff.

 

[kaichu dento]

...and handed him my brand new Spy 007. I'm thinking he's gonna really like this one. He just grinned and twirled it in the air by the lanyard and saying "Ooooh this is a nice weapon".
That was the longest 5 seconds in flashlight history.

😱

i snatched the light back and promptly put it back in it's holster. i wanted to seriously kick him in the nuts. I dont hand him any more of my stuff.

 

[Tomcat!]

Did you get a reasonable replacement from her after you explained what you loaned her?

I think if that happened to me, the person would have a fit after I told them the replacement costs.

LF5XT 82USD from Khoo
AW 14500 18USD shipped (was it 9 or 5 dollars for shipping.. I forget)
R2 LED (since the LF5XT doesn't come with it anymore) 20 bucks
Paracord lanyard with glowskull 20 bucks
Total cost 140USD, converted to canadian would be about 182. factor in the time to solder in the new LED.. make it a even 200. oh yeah.. they'd have a fit.

Unfortunately not, Ackbar. She refused to believe the cost of the light. 'Why would anyone in their right mind spend 86GBP on a torch!' (162USD back then) It's difficult to convince people here because Joe and Josephine Public have never heard of the likes of Surefire, and you can't buy these sort of things over the counter. The only lights of above average quality anyone knows is MagLite, and many people would baulk at paying out for one of those too. No one believed me when I bought my first 123 light, a Gladius, at the then US dollar equivalent of $367. Mind you, that's how I ended up at CPF, trying to justify to myself spending that much money on a torch. 'Oh my God, what the hell did I just buy!'

I was sitting here thinking that some people are a bit cheap not lending their lights to others, because I always hand one of mine over if somebody needs one.
But! Then I read this and I honestly got the most upset I think I've ever been from a forum post! How in the... How can you not take better care of something you borrow? And if you actually lose it or something else happens (and it sometimes does), how can you not go out of your way to find a replacement of the same, or preferably higher, value? I know for sure I would, no matter what the item was! I really hope you received some compensation more in line with the actual value later.
I think I'm starting to understand why so many around here are reluctant to hand over their lights...

"How can you not take better care of something you borrow?"
Absolutely right Trekmeister. When I borrow things, I see it as my duty to return the item in the same condition I got it, and in good time. Although I do appreciate high quality gadgetry, my attitude is that no matter what the cost, I must look after other people's stuff simply because it's other people's stuff. They've trusted me with their posessions, so I have to repay that faith. It's partly a matter of resepect for the person, but also enlightened self interest. I've found that the more care I take of borrowed items, the more trust it engenders with the owner, the more willing the owner is to allow me to borrow their things again. Everyone wins.

I get very annoyed when people show me disrespect by not looking after my things or holding on to them so long that I have to go and ask for them back. I hate the attitude I hear so often "Oh if you needed it back, why didn't you ask?" I shouldn't have to ask! How I've never punched anyone I'll never know. Anyway, I got sick of being the only one who seemed to take this seriously, and that's why I decided to get some cheap loan items (not just lights) so that I wouldn't have to get stressed or fall out with people if they do screw up. I have also found it quite relaxing to be in control when giving them a hard time about damaging or losing a loan item, when only I know that I'm not that fussed. Guilt tripping someone when you're not really angry is rather cathartic.
Or maybe I'm just a sadist?:devil:

 

[ackbar]

Unfortunately not, Ackbar. She refused to believe the cost of the light. 'Why would anyone in their right mind spend 86GBP on a torch!' (162USD back then) It's difficult to convince people here because Joe and Josephine Public have never heard of the likes of Surefire, and you can't buy these sort of things over the counter. The only lights of above average quality anyone knows is MagLite, and many people would baulk at paying out for one of those too. No one believed me when I bought my first 123 light, a Gladius, at the then US dollar equivalent of $367. Mind you, that's how I ended up at CPF, trying to justify to myself spending that much money on a torch. 'Oh my God, what the hell did I just buy!'

In this situation Google is your friend 😀