What would you do?

[Disc Golf Doctor]

I can't think of a diplomatic way to say this so ...

Seriously? You abandoned the disc and think you're entitled to walk up to a complete stranger and grab it and walk off? How do you know he didn't buy it at PIAS or from a trunk seller? DB move all the way. 24/7/365.

The minute you originally walked off and left it behind you surrendered any right to recovering it. Would it have been courteous for the finder to call you up when he found it? Sure; but that's a courtesy, not an obligation. At the very least you owed the dude a finder's fee if you really wanted it back. The fact that you eventually looked him up and gave it back to him shows that you know you were in the wrong.

It is not just a courtesy to call someone when you find their disc, I think it is an obligation if you take it. How much effort does it take to text/call someone and leave the disc somewhere for them? I'd hope someone would do the same for me.

 

[ThrowBot]

What a weird situation.

My typical line of logic for returning discs is:
Getting the disc back to the original owner is a net-sum gain for the universe, because that disc has more value to the person that already knows how it flies. So even as the disc finder, if you consider it a "loss" to give up the disc by returning it, know that the original owner gets a greater gain than your loss. Utilitarianism.

This is an oddball case where it sounds like the dude that found the disc needed it more than the original owner. And since the finder sounds like a newbie, I'd try to offer a polite explanation that it's typically good form to return discs to the original owner, when possible. If the newbie got pushy about it I probably would have just shrugged it off, unless it was my very favorite discs. I have spares for pretty much everything I throw. Not many discs are worth picking a fight over.

 

[art_vandelay]

Attempting to defend one's self or establish one's moral superiority by resorting to ad hominem simply draws attention to the bankruptcy of the accuser.

Wow you told me. So you paid attention in your high school debating class. You sound like another pond diver looking to justify your weird ideas on personal property. The ones that do not respect others property are usually the ones that don't have any of their own and think they are entitled to stuff other people paid for.

 

[slowplastic]

This makes me think of some guys at the course a few days ago.

"Do you know where to get some discs?"
"Yeah...there's a PIAS nearby that has tons of stuff and lots of used discs"
"Those guys are kind of %%%% there sometimes though"
"Oh..."
"They want too much for stuff...like do you know any kids that pull them out of the water for a few bucks or anything?"
"Uhh...ok"

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

This thread makes me all

 

[art_vandelay]

Like almost any story these days, if we simply omit all the filler in the middle, and stick with the salient points that actually inform us, this whole thing went down exactly like it should have.

Random dude finds disc, elects not to call OP. Uncool, but also...happens all the time. This Finder then does something semi-cool, and gives his Friend a Tool needed to enjoy our game.
(OP had obviously moved on, after what we can assume was a suitable mourning period, followed by the acquisition of a Replacement Tool.)
OP stumbles upon Friend and Tool.
OP repatriates Tool. (Never mind how it happened. It simply happened.)
OP then has a change of heart, expatriating his Tool once again to the Friend who, out of all concerned, probably needed it most.

And then we, OP's Fellows, have grist for the conversational mill. That's the story, right there. And it isn't a wrong vs. right thing. It's simply that which went down in the real world, and no one got a black eye. Win for all.

That's it pretty much it in a nutshell. I liked your use of the word tool! But what else is the forum for but to discuss unusual situations. I went about my business after thinking over a situation that caught me by complete surprise. Anybody who is saying they would not react to seeing one of your own lost discs sitting on a picnic table right in front of you...not sure that's realistic. People keeping inked discs without a second thought should expect at some point in their lives someone is going to call them out on it, as it should be.

 

[aclay]

The OP is a little different, but really how would you react if you saw the disc and it turned out the guy bought it used? You are out your disc now, but if he gives it back to you, he's out the money he paid for it. It feels like ethically (not sure about legally) two people have the right to one disc. Somebody has to lose. Plus, the guy with the disc has no way of knowing you didn't sell the disc and then try to scam him out of it. Most disc golfers are not scumbags, but there are a few out there.

 

[BrotherDave]

Plus, the guy with the disc has no way of knowing you didn't sell the disc and then try to scam him out of it. Most disc golfers are not scumbags, but there are a few out there.

That's quite the long con there. :\

If it were me, I would've taken my disc back if it was one I really liked. If the guy didn't give me much of a hassle I would've given him cash/disc for it. If he pissed me off I would've given him nothing and sprayed him with my musk. I just mailed a guy his disc back last week so I take this stuff seriously.

 

[Vintage Folfer]

I think I would have started the conversation with something like: "Um, where'd you get that disk?" followed by: "I lost it here a couple months ago, see, it has my name on it." See where that leads. One thing to consider is that since this is a local course it's possible you'll see this guy again so you're better off friends than not. I'm still pretty new to the DG community but so far I've been impressed at how friendly everyone tends to be.

 

[ru4por]

Aaaaand.....another "lost disc, return or keep" thread. :wall: :wall: :wall:

 

[joecoin]

I own the disc. I have a pit bull.I take the disc.

I don't care if he was wearing a walking cast on one foot or if he was almost totally deaf. I don't care if he had leprosy. I don't care if his wife just died or his son has leukemia.

It's my disc.

If the walking cast was on the other foot I'd have called the number on the disc when I found it.

 

[DoWork]

I would have skinned him alive and worn his pelt for the round.

Just kidding I would usually offer to play the round through with him and if he was cool I'd give him a driver or a fairway disc to toss depending on his power level if I really wanted the disc he found back.

My major efforts go to suppressing my urges to knock people out cold, and instead turn it around and make a friend. That initial wave of rage can be hard to stop but it's always rewarding to do so. It's always the right call.

 

[DavidSauls]

He didn't necessarily abandon the disc. He merely stated that he lost it. Legally there's a difference.

Pretty much every jurisdiction has a statute dealing with such, and I don't think any of them simply default to a rule of finders keepers.

Ah, you overlook that most of those jurisdictions have a special clause in the statute, saying that it does not apply to golf discs as it does to wallets, automobiles, and virtually everything else.

Really, as much time as you've spent in this forums, I'm surprised you didn't already know that.

 

[DavidSauls]

It is an odd and awkward situation for the O.P.

Complicated by the fact that the holder of his disc may not have been the finder, and apparently wasn't.

The closest I've come was when I was playing solo, and playing through a group of new players. Mistaking me for some sort of expert---I had a bag and threw further than they did---one of them handed me a disc and asked me how it flies. The disc belonged to a friend of mine.

I said something like, "I know this guy. Do you want me to give it to him for you?"

The new player was caught off-guard, but acquiesced. Perhaps because I framed it as the assumption that he would want to give it back.

 

[DoWork]

I own the disc. I have a pit bull.I take the disc.

I don't care if he was wearing a walking cast on one foot or if he was almost totally deaf. I don't care if he had leprosy. I don't care if his wife just died or his son has leukemia.

It's my disc.

If the walking cast was on the other foot I'd have called the number on the disc when I found it.

I feel bad for your dog.

 

[thrembo]

It is better to have loved a disc and lost it than to never have loved a disc at all.

 

[KniceZ]

You didn't specifically say that your phone # on the disc. You only mention a signature.

And we don't have the other persons side f the story. Who started being snarky first - who copped an attitude first. And it's always hard to convey tone and attitude.

In the end you did the right thing - one disc isn't worth being a d**k

 

[art_vandelay]

"You down with OPP....Yea you know me..." (Other people's plastic in this case.) You youngsters can look that one up.

 

[art_vandelay]

You didn't specifically say that your phone # on the disc. You only mention a signature.

And we don't have the other persons side f the story. Who started being snarky first - who copped an attitude first. And it's always hard to convey tone and attitude.

In the end you did the right thing - one disc isn't worth being a d**k

I coped the attitude first so I don't blame the guy for snarking back at me. I showed him my signature and phone number on the other discs in my bag. I gotta tell you that if someone came up to me and said I had one of their discs and could prove it I would be extremely embarrassed and would hand it back with an apology. That's why I don't even want other people's stuff in my bag. It's bad mojo and my friends would hound me until I gave it back or lost it.

 

[KniceZ]

If they wanted it back Fine but I would give them a little ribbing about why they didn't return my calls. Now the guy in this story obviously didn't call so he has no higher ground to stand on.

Did you asked how he got the disc, did he find it, did someone give it to him, did he buy it a PIAS?