I've been driving a truck, a really nice one, but it wasn't mine. Is it better than mine? Well, I guess that's subjective; I reckon it's better in some ways and mine is better than it in other ways - let's call it a draw. Anyway, I managed to drive it for a decent amount of time (a few days) and got a really nice feel for it - *it's a really nice pickup truck. The owner was accommodating, threw me the keys and said I could use it for a few days - I'm a long way from home on a work trip and needed to be mobile.
So, here's the thing. I was thinking about how trusting the guy was with me in respect of his truck which has a total value of about $200,000 Australian dollars; that's trust that can't be bought I think. Here's the other thing, I treated that truck like it was my own - That is to say with care and respect; it's how I am when using my stuff and how I am when I use other people's stuff.
Have you ever had the use of something that wasn't yours? Have you treated that thing well or badly? I know people who treat hire cars very poorly for instance, a few others who borrow people's things and simply treat them badly. What about you?
Do you feel obliged to treat other people's things with care, do you treat them with care simply because you treat your own things that way? Do you abuse and mistreat things? Explain in the comments below if you want to.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
[Original and AI free]
Image(s) in this post are my own
We had a grocery shop at one time, my brother and I, and my father persuaded us to lend our HiAce van to a friend of his. The man returned it so badly dented that the side door no longer opened, then parked it outside the shop and posted the keys through the letterbox, without so much as a mention of the damage.
When we challenged him, he swore blind it was in perfect condition when he left it there, and that the damage must have occurred afterwards.
Yep that's exactly why I don't let anyone use my vehicles! That sort of thing infuriates me, people mistreating other people's stuff. It's bad enough that they do it, but then not to take ownership? Fucken assholes.
I often had to drive cars which weren't mine, a few from in-laws family, a few from my family... They had full trust cause 1) I can drive properly which is not granted, 2) I treat things well like they are mine
What a beast for that price though, did he know you before or just a flash of trust?
Yeah, it's a big pickup truck and well accessorized. I've known the chap for a while and the trust has been built up over a long time; I don't think there's many I'd trust with my own truck so I respect the degree of trust he has shown in me.
I don't know how's the situation in Australia with driving skills, but I wouldn't trust many either to give my car
Driving skills here are diminishing, too many people from countries were road rules are non-existent...or they drive camels.
We are on the same shit boat then...
Indeed.
Yes Sir,
See what I did right there?.
The first Owner Opt truck I drove in 1995. I Loved that old Peterbilt. It was nearly brand new and I thought they might eventually sell it to me so for a full year I drove it and treated it as gentle as a 28 year old with only 4 years experience could. They would not sell it so in 1996 I went and bought the Freightshaker...
It just makes good sense to me to treat things (even if not one's own) with good intent. I think it's a sign of integrity and self respect as well.
This topic sounds ideal for discussing my history as both a library patron and a librarian. Early on, my mother taught us to treat library items as carefully as our own, and to store them in a specific library box so they wouldn't get lost. Good stewardship was part of our family culture. However, when working at a library, one sees everything from people pointing out minor stains and page creases they found while reading, to kids who return torn and moldy books that were left in a dirty gym bag with wet sports gear over a weekend.
I believe it says a whole lot about a person's upbringing, character and their personal integrity when they show care for other people's things and I don't see much value in those who go out of their way to treat others people's items poorly yet treating their own well.
I can understand kids being occasionally forgetful, and accidents do happen. The library tends to be understanding. But the adults who did the same kinds of neglectful and destructive things to library items seem beyond hope.
Yep, kids will be kids but a grown adult should know better...and impart that ethos to the kids as they grow.
I always try not to borrow things, as a rule, but if I have to, I look after them even more carefully than if they were my own. I’m extremely careful. And yes, I’ve been lent computers on several occasions, in particular, and I’ve always returned them in perfect condition, including carrying out the proper maintenance, which I learnt from my brother who’s a technician.
But it’s true that many people don’t look after things properly. For example, I could never lend anything to my cousins, because they either didn’t return things at all or returned them in a dreadful state; they never cared about anything.
People who treat others people's things badly are disrespectful fucken assholes. I don't really like lending my things out and if I do a person only gets one single chance to do the right thing including returning the item undamaged and in a timely fashion. Once someone breaks my trust it's usually impossible to regain.
Exactly, and that point you raise about punctuality is also very important. In my case, I’d rather say I didn’t have something to lend out; I knew I’d never get it back.
Towards an object or thing that is not mine, but borrowed or given for use, I behave much more responsibly than if it were my property.
What can I tell you, when I slip between parked cars, I often raise my fist so as not to scratch the paint on that car with the button of my jacket or watch bracelet.
and when I open the door and another car is parked next to me, I place my fingers so that my door does not hit the door of someone else's car (ok, honestly, I also keep my paint on the edges of the door here 🙂)
You sound like a respectful dude and I think that speaks highly of a person's character.
If I were borrowing it from a person, especially someone I know, I would be extra careful with it. I have had to borrow my brother in laws truck in the past and my father in laws and I always probably treat it better than I would my own. If I am renting a vehicle on the other hand, I drive it like I stole it. I'm not ashamed to admit it.
I'd be ashamed to admit that.
Well, it's a rental, so me driving it fast is probably pretty tame compared to what a lot of people do in it.
Hmmm! Well, many of us are victims of this. Let me say that we have learnt from your example here and hence we will treat others' properties with respect
So you only just learned this? You've been treating others' property with a lack of respect?
This is a very meaningful reflection on trust. Being entrusted with something valuable says a lot, and how we handle it says even more about us. I believe treating what belongs to others with care is a matter of character and responsibility. In my experience, respect and trust go hand in hand, and they should always be honored.
This seems like a very impersonal AI generated comment.