What should we do, about people who borrow other cyclists tools - then keep them?
A few weeks ago, an Adelaide Community Bicycle Workshop volunteer, ran a session on chains and gears. Participants learned to use chain breaker tools. The workshop has 2 or 3 ; they were all in use; Don lent his personal multi-tool - to one of the visitors.
After the workshop, Don realised, the person he’d lent it to, had not returned it.
Don waited for a call or email - nothing
Don mentioned it on the ‘mutli tools’ thread – still not returned.
Don has been without it for over a fortnight now
That's not something that should happen, to people who volunteer at the Workshop... .
So it’s time to say a few things, about people who borrow tools, and don’t return them when they should. It raises issues for the Community Bicycle Workshop. We lend out tools. Also for the cycling community. From what I hear, it's common to be asked to lend tools - then for them not to be returned. Or for the owner, to have to go to a lot of trouble, to get them back. That's not acceptable behaviour in my book. It makes things harder for everyone.
Most people are honest. They intend to return things, but have genuine difficulties –so it’s perhaps a bit unfair to use the term “theft” at this stage.
However, for the person who lends but doesnt get back -" theft" is what it can feel like.
The principle: – if you borrow something – the responsibility is yours, to seek out the owner, and return it to him/her promptly.
Let’s say you borrow one of the Adelaide City Free Bikes. It is your responsibility to return it; It isn’t up to the City, to have to find you and ask for it back.
It is your responsibility to take it back to where you got it from. It isn’t up to the City, to pick the bike up from you, wherever you happen to be.
You would not expect to take one of the City Free Bikes home, and keep it for 2-3 weeks...
With Adelaide City Free Bikes - You would not expect to keep the bike indefinitely. Or keep it until someone asks for it back. Or keep it until you happen to feel like returning it, whenever that happens to be. Same principle with tools, and the time works out like this. You borrow the tool when you actually need it; start that job immediately; and return it as soon as you have completed your work. Unless otherwise agreed.
Re Community Bike Workshop . The Workshop keeps a big stock of tools. A cyclist can turn up, and, with little fuss, be lent tools to do the job. We lend based on trusting people - we trust they will respect the system and people; we trust they will do right thing. So far, nearly everyone does.
I dont want to see the workshop, having to get contact details and signatures from all visitors. Or having to charge deposits. Or having to check tools in and out, all the time. But if there is a risk of tools not being returned, or other property going missing, we may have to.
To finish, back to the multi-tool, that went missing. If you are the person who borrowed it: just make sure Don gets it back, please? Let Don or me know you have it. Drop it by the Workshop this Saturday. Postit to me at 13 Mines Road Campbelltown 5074, in one of Australia Post’s plastic pre-paid envelopes. A small donation to Workshop funds -a blue one with Banjo Patterson and “$10” on it - may help make amends ....
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on -
Make a movie
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Rushton on -
Chuck Norris wouldn't need a Multi Tool, The chain would just separate.
-
Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on
-
Chuck doesnt need a chain in his bike
-
Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on -
Chuck would drive a V12 Ute with rooster tails coming of all four wheels.
While hanging out the window with some sort of automatic weapon.
This is possibly not an image that fits well with cycling.
-
Permalink Reply by Rob (Chewbacca) on -
Sad :( Don what type or model of multitool was it ? Can you post a picture please?
-
Permalink Reply by Specialised Roubaix on -
Good points Mike
Best strategy is early publicity of the problem and calling the person to account. Publicity ensures this type of abuse comes under peer pressure from cyclists and early contact with the person involved raises the isssue whlst it is fresh in their awareness.
Hopefully the individual has overlooked their borrowing & doesnt appreciate the inconvenience to Don.
-
Permalink Reply by rossmg on -
I have never been to the workshop - do I understand it that people are lent tools to take away (back home) and then return said tool back to the workshop?
-
Permalink Reply by Lee-Anne on -
Hi Mike,
As one of the workshop participants on the evening in question, I'd like to say, it wasnt me - I was the one they all joked about who was wearing pink and therefore didnt want to get dirty - truth was I've broken many a chain in the past year to not need to play again with one.
The CB in question was as Don discribed: 'one of those cheap multi-tool brands that have a chain breaker and really you cant expect them to work too well ....... oh wait it did a pretty good job'
Hope it's returned wrapped in a 'Banjo'
-
Permalink Reply by Matt Koukourou on -
I hope it finds it's way back to Don! It did an excellent job on the night and is a real pity that it didn't go home with Don! Last I saw of it was next to a chain and plastic bag.
-
Permalink Reply by Phil Crick on -
Simple solution, you hand over a credit card/drivers license/car keys when you borrow a tool at the workshop and you don't get it back until you return the tool. It would stop this sort of thing happening straight away, whether it's down to forgetfulness or other reasons.
© 2013 Created by Gus K.
