Do you let others use your equipment? Liability?

[KeithG]

I lent a strobe to some one once (i made him use his own batteries). I forgot to make sure he was not American. Thanks for reminding me...I need to add this to my checklist.

 

[Fogest]

I lent a strobe to some one once (i made him use his own batteries). I forgot to make sure he was not American. Thanks for reminding me...I need to add this to my checklist.

Sounds like you could have had a bad situation there! Glad you made it out alive!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I have a garage full of equipment, and I'm constantly loaning some of it to somebody. The only time I've ever regretted it was when I loaned someone an argon bottle and it never came back to me. By the time I realized it hadn't made its way back to my garage, I'd forgotten who I loaned it to. Oh well ... there's four more where that one came from ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Here's the thing with loaning that nitrox tank. Who is going to analyze it? Do they know how? Do they understand the MOD? Do they understand the MOD may be different for them depending on the dive and the risk factors that need to go into figuring their personal pO2 limits?
Certified doesn't mean a thing if they don't know what they need to know. That waiver can also be viewed as you knowing that you are giving them a hazardous device. Believe me there are lawyers who will take the case.

 

[kensuf]

I am no attorney, but I think there would have to be a serious problem with the equipment that you knew about and did not disclose, and that defect caused a problem. They would have to then prove you knew about it and did not disclose it, or that you did disclose it but the borrowing party did not understand the danger of using it in that condition.

Here's the problem though. Even if you're not remotely negligible, a lawsuit against you could eat up a substantial amount of your time and wealth to defend.

 

[kensuf]

If I trust someone so little that I need to make them sign a waiver first, I'm not lending them anything.

It's not them. It's their family.

 

[NYCNaiad]

And now that you've asked the question and all of these people have acknowledged the danger of the situation, just imagine what would happen if/when the diver or family of the diver gets a hold of this thread. ;O

 

[Patoux01]

That US mentality is really scary.

 

[NYCNaiad]

That US mentality is really scary.

Well, if you look at my earlier post, I also said I don't think others will treat my gear as well as I do. I'm very generous with pretty much everything else in my life, but why share my lifesaving equipment when a person can very easily rent/buy the equipment themselves?

 

[redacted]

Here's the problem though. Even if you're not remotely negligible, a lawsuit against you could eat up a substantial amount of your time and wealth to defend.

So, that is your rational for not asststing anyone who is not paying you?