On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 08:05:31 -0400, "Mike Marlow"
wrote:


I find it more than a little odd that you consider him rude to have asked.
I think that says more about you than about your neighbor for asking.

I found this neighbor rude because he bought his house last year so I
barely know him - I don't even know his name. He's doing a lot of
renovation in his house so he seems to have enough money for that.

Not only that, he asked me about one month ago to split my TV cable
and pirate the signal for him. Looks more to me like a bottom feeder
who will do everything in his power to get a free lunch and a free
ride at the same time. I'm sorry, but I'm not like that. Just there,
there's an ocean of diffences between us.

I would never borrow a tool from a neigbhor, I'd rather rent one. I
don't know if it's me but I believe there's so much more involved in
landing a tool. Just to name a few:


A fine personal perspective, but that's your choice on how to deal with the
need.

I just feel it's too much too ask. For the same reasons I've stated,
and even though I'm careful with tools, I feel it's just too much work
to demonstrate to a neighbor I can use his tool carefully. I prefer to
shell out 20$ and get a rental for one day. If I have enough money to
afford a house, I must have enough to rent a tool.


1. The tool can be abused or even damaged by careless handling or a
lack of understanding on how to use it. If it does happen, comes the
"fun" to ask "the neighbor" to pay for the repair or replace the tool.
He may deny damaging the tool and claim he got it like that... You
must have heard that one before...

A good start on a list of weak and contrived reasons to back up your
position.

Based on the feedback I had already on this topic, I think many more
people think like me.


4. And the last one, I just can't resign myself to lend any of my
tools. I carefully chose and paid the high price for them (I buy only
high end stuff) so let's say the "better cry once" happened several
times with me and I don't why to cry twice for the same tool.


The only reason in your list that makes any sense to me. I consider you to
be somewhat selfish, *but* at least with this reason you come clean and
simply state that you don't like to loan your valuable tools. Then fine -
don't. But don't loan them simply on the basis that you don't want to loan
your valuable tools. Making up silly sounding contrived reasons does not
convince anyone else any more than those reasons probably convinced you.

If you define selfish as being a person who don't want to lend any
objects he owns. Yes, I'm certainly selfish when comes to powertools.
But the problem is I don't mind lending other stuff. So can one be
selfish and not at the same time? The reasons I have stated are
genuine and not made up. I don't want to deal with that. Period.


I would ask you though - have you ever borrowed a tool? Maybe before you
amassed all of your high end valuable collections?

Yes, I did borrow tools at some point in time. I've been extra careful
with them and must admit, they belong to my father. So the trust
relationship took a few years to build up and I've been up to.


So, what do you guys do when those situations happen? Do you have any
horror stories about that or overall, it always work for you?


No Greg, it has not always worked out for me. Sometimes a tool gets broken.
Sometimes it gets repaired or replaced, and sometimes it does not.
Sometimes that hurts a bit. But I believe in giving back. I'm fortunate to
have what I do and I try to extend that to others. I do take precautions
and I do try to be smart about others using my stuff, but I don't hoard what
I have.


There's also another aspect to this question. Where do you draw the
line between being a good and resourceful neighbor to others or become
a free tool rental store for all? When a neighbor talks to you only
when he needs something from you (because he knows you have a great
collection of tools), I don't know but I feel a little bit exploited.
I'd rather see him interested in buidling up a good relationship with
me before looking after my tools.

A relationship must be build up by showing care and interest for the
others. When you get nothing of that and just a rude "request" to lend
one of your tool, I'm sorry but he doesn't qualify yet to get one...


Greg D.