Lost and a question of ethics

[ZenDiver.3D]

WOW!!! I'd have major issues having someone with such a messed up value system on my boat! Where I work, integrity/ethics is the number one job requirement, and unethical behavior will get you fired in about a nanosecond! (I deal with people's 401K retirement accounts, so there is an absloute zero tolerance policy for unethical behavior or actions!)

I dont think that person worked on her boat, he "booked" it

Yep. This guy who found the mask was a customer. He had booked the boat. But even a customer on my boat will play fair. They don't have a choice. We have lots of fun, are very trustworthy, and take care of each other. I expect my divers to have manners and look out for the group. They don't have to book with me, but they know if they do, any lost belonging or left belonging is in good hands and will come back.

Except for my DNY t-shirt. That was squarely pinched on my boat.

 

[Garth]

I found a lobster snare or something to catch lobsters with on my dive in Florida. Thing was estimated to be worth a hundred bucks. Really nice but I don't do lobsters. Since it was brand new and a guy on the boat was catching them by hand I gave it to him. I didn't know him but I felt great after. I would do it again in a second.
She should have given you back the knife.
Get a line cutter and forget the knife.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

knife was bought in Calgary - lost in Honduras. It also lost the sheath, i guess both zipties failed - my fault on that one. After she kept it, on my last day at the shop I brought the box+accessories(rubber strap) to give to her.

The look on her face of "oh wow how nice a box too!" was kind of priceless.

As I was reading the thread - and considering my usual sarcastic and dry humored responses, especially when annoyed, I was thinking I'd have just thrown the DM the sheath as well.

So I like your style in giving her the box as well. It is of course wonderfully ironic that the DM in question is so self centered that she can't see what a toital ass she looks like. That is worth every penny of $50.

My follow up would be to clearly let the shop owner know why you will either never be back to his/her shop or will never get in the water with that DM again - your choice on how far to push it/how many other shop options you have.

------

I have lost count of how many things I have found and given away over $30 years of diving. I hope most divers get to the point of realizing there is a lot more joy in finding something AND the former owner than there is in just finding something - especially when most the time you either don't really want or don't really need.

I will mark the important things to help eliminate any doubt of ownership and to help reduce any temptation for the person who found it to keep it, but if someone wants to be a real dick about it they probably can - I just write them off and put them on the "list".

 

[DA Aquamaster]

He was perfectly happy to keep it, but I chose to take it away and say," Hey, fantastic! You found Kevin's mask that he lost here yesterday!" The guy said," Oh no, it is my mask now." To which I replied that he was welcome to keep it but he would need to book a different boat next week, because we all take care of our own.

He gave it up, but was pissy. Until the next week when he dropped his smb and one of our dm's found it and graciously returned it. Then he got it.

I would Never let one of my DM's keep something we all knew was someone else's. That is not acceptable.

This was a great way to handle it as you gave him the perfect opportunity to play the hero. When he chose not to take it, you made it real clear what the ethical expectation was and pointed out his options as well as the potential costs of choosing to do something that was not focused on the greater good.

Well done. The fact that kharma rammed the point home a week later was just frosting on an already excellent cake.

 

[Grover48]

Always remember, "Time wounds all heels."

Karma is a wonderful thing. Some folks are happy when they find something someone lost and keep it. Others are happy when the find something and return it to the owner. I think of the good things that came out of the lost camera thread.

 

[scubafanatic]

She should have have given it you. Think I would make sure I engraved the next one though

yeah, maybe buy another identical knife, engrave it with something like: "Help, I'm STOLEN!", then arrange to be on a dive outing with her and secretly swap out her knife with yours.....

 

[DandyDon]

I was thinking I'd have just thrown the DM the sheath as well.

Got to disagree there as a dive knife is much less valuable without the sheath and how does one find one for a found knife...??

As long as she gets to be an ass, don't make it too nice for her.

 

[D_B]

knife was bought in Calgary - lost in Honduras. It also lost the sheath, i guess both zipties failed - my fault on that one. After she kept it, on my last day at the shop I brought the box+accessories(rubber strap) to give to her.

The look on her face of "oh wow how nice a box too!" was kind of priceless.

Don, you may have missed this post

I think it's priceless

 

[DandyDon]

Don, you may have missed this post

I think it's priceless

I get the point, but it's being too nice to the thief.

 

[Belmont]

There is definite pleasure in finding some valuable item but greater pleasure in finding it's owner and reuniting both of them. She acted as a selfish 3 year old only child.

Every item in my kit is identified with an engraver I bought for $9,95.