Phone Numbers on Back

[Craton]

Hey guys,

I have a burning question. I have recently started going into the lake, and found that if I spend about two hours out in a particular body of water, that I can pull 20 discs out. Here's my thing- These suckers are in a swamp NO one's going in, and I'm the only one that can seem to find anything. Yet I end up seeing about 80 percent of these suckers with phone numbers, and my enigma is this:

I know people put their phone number on the back of these so I'm assuming it's common courtesy to call them back. Yet if I spend 2 hours of my day collecting phone numbers and creating errands to run, what's the point? And if I don't want to go in for these discs, then who will? You can see my dilemma: get free discs and return them to their rightful owner, or leave them to be stuck in a swamp for all eternity. I am of the mind that if I go in and find them, they are mine, unless I know someone. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[RHINESEL]

Here is my take. If you happen to find a disc while searching for yours that has contact info on it then you should attempt to contact.

If you are taking hours out of your day to retrieve discs from the water where people knew they went in but did not want to retrieve them themselves, then you have a justifiable case of claiming possession. I may still try to contact those with numbers but I would not go out of my way to deliver them. Those that want them back can pay for shipping if you can't find a location easy for you to get to.

 

[Midnightbiker]

I think it would be nice of you to call them and let you know you were able to find their disc. I am sure that most will say keep it. If they want it back let them know what you went though to get it, and see if they will offer you some money. If you are a real disc golf, that would be a nice jester on your part. How would you feel if your favorite disc was in the bottom of the lake.

I would be pissed if my favorite disc went in the drink, but I can't risk getting hurt and not being able to work , just to get a disc. I got too much to loose. Now, I have gotten a call about a disc I really liked, and I offerd to pay to get it back.

Now, ask yourself this; whats going to happen if you pull a disc out of the drink and the owner sees you playing with it?

Just call. If they want it back, charge a small fee. Its only right.

 

[flash86]

This is an interesting dilemma and the resolution is simply a matter of personal ethics. Legally, the discs have been abandoned and you as the finder are now the rightful owner. You have no duty to attempt to contact the previous owner. You can cross out their information and write your own on those discs. Ethically, I feel that the right thing to do is to call to see if you can return the discs. Using the Golden Rule, I am sure you would appreciate a call if those were your discs.

That being said, I think that it would be fair for you to charge a finder's fee for your time and effort. You could even turn it into a business. Your calls could go like this... "Hello Mr. Smith. This is Craton's Disc Recovery Service calling to let you know that we found a blue 171 gram Champion Boss in the lake at Bethel University Disc Golf Course with your name and phone number on it. Are you interested in recovering this disc? If so, we charge a $5.00 finder's fee per lost disc. Shipping and handling costs would be your responsibility. How would you like to arrange the transaction?"

If they don't want the discs back or you can't get a hold of them after two or three attempts, then you can keep them with a clear conscience. If they do want them back, you make some money for your efforts. I think this a good win-win situation for you. Just something to think about. Best of luck in whichever way you decide to go on this.

 

[discpicable]

I don't put my information on the back of my discs. If you find them, you can have them.

 

[dreadlock86]

This is an interesting dilemma and the resolution is simply a matter of personal ethics. Legally, the discs have been abandoned and you as the finder are now the rightful owner. You have no duty to attempt to contact the previous owner. You can cross out their information and write your own on those discs. Ethically, I feel that the right thing to do is to call to see if you can return the discs. Using the Golden Rule, I am sure you would appreciate a call if those were your discs.

That being said, I think that it would be fair for you to charge a finder's fee for your time and effort. You could even turn it into a business. Your calls could go like this... "Hello Mr. Smith. This is Craton's Disc Recovery Service calling to let you know that we found a blue 171 gram Champion Boss in the lake at Bethel University Disc Golf Course with your name and phone number on it. Are you interested in recovering this disc? If so, we charge a $5.00 finder's fee per lost disc. Shipping and handling costs would be your responsibility. How would you like to arrange the transaction?"

If they don't want the discs back or you can't get a hold of them after two or three attempts, then you can keep them with a clear conscience. If they do want them back, you make some money for your efforts. I think this a good win-win situation for you. Just something to think about. Best of luck in whichever way you decide to go on this.

i think this is right on.

 

[klay]

If you are a real disc golf, that would be a nice jester on your part.

I'm not one to usually be the grammar Nazi but I feel I have to help you on this one.

The word you're looking for is gesture.

This is a jester.

Seriously, just trying to save you from future embarrassment.

/threadjack over

 

[TalbotTrojan]

I think if it has a number on it you should call and do everything you can to return the disc. Yes, it should be their responsibility to pay for shipping if that is necessary. Yes, they should tip you for your troubles. I am not going to force anyone to pay me for their disc. Most likely it would just become a water disc for me anyways. I would rather play a round with the person and call it even.

If you are taking the time to go in after discs like that, it is a choice that you are making. No name or number I would say is just fine to keep or sell.

 

[Midnightbiker]

I'm not one to usually be the grammar Nazi but I feel I have to help you on this one.

The word you're looking for is gesture.

This is a jester.

Seriously, just trying to save you from future embarrassment.

/threadjack over

Your right. Its very late, and I wasn't thinking.

 

[Neophyte]

I think that you should call them. It has been my experience at least half of the people I call tell me to just keep the disc (sometimes they don't even call you back after you leave a message). Sometimes if it is one that they really miss they will offer a trade or to pay the postage. I think any way that it shakes out calling is the way to go.

 

[tbird888]

Would you want someone to call if they found one of your discs?

 

[aarikc17]

I actually do the same thing at a local lake. I always call. Every number. Every time. Its nice to return discs to people. And besides i too get about 20% of discs with no info, thats your reward right there. Just do the right thing. And you never know, some people might have actually went into the water only to not find it.

 

[JRW III]

I think the right thing would be to make a good faith effort to return them. At a minimum, this would be one phone call and leave a message. After that, it is on them to return the call, and meet you somehwere at your conveinence. I think you will find that half of them will either say keep the disc, or not even bother returning your call. So between that half, and the 20% that did not have contact information, it was worth your time to go disc diving.

 

[kerplunk]

Although this topic has been already been discussed in many other threads, I would like to add a new idea. Call the numbers and tell the person that you bought their disc at play-it-again sports or on craigslist, and you would like to get back the money you paid if they want the disc. I actually do this when I buy a nice disc with ink, but there's no reason you can't use it as a lie.

But in my personal experience even if you don't ask for anything over half of the people you call will just tell you to keep it, and those that do want their disc back will often give you something for it whether you ask or not. And it is excellent karma to return discs.

 

[kerplunk]

I think the right thing would be to make a good faith effort to return them. At a minimum, this would be one phone call and leave a message. After that, it is on them to return the call, and meet you somehwere at your conveinence. I think you will find that half of them will either say keep the disc, or not even bother returning your call. So between that half, and the 20% that did not have contact information, it was worth your time to go disc diving.

Bingo.

 

[Disc Golf Cowboy]

I think the right thing would be to make a good faith effort to return them. At a minimum, this would be one phone call and leave a message. After that, it is on them to return the call, and meet you somehwere at your conveinence. I think you will find that half of them will either say keep the disc, or not even bother returning your call. So between that half, and the 20% that did not have contact information, it was worth your time to go disc diving.

That's what I do.
Just think about that 250lb 6' guy looking down at you pissed off asking you why you are throwing his disc.
It's a Karma thing.
By the way Craton, What happened to the discs you wanted to trade?

 

[mashnut]

I think you should make some effort to return them to their owners, though if you went to real trouble to fish them out of somewhere most players wouldn't go for their discs I think you're ok to ask for a little compensation for your trouble. You'll find that often people have already replaced the lost disc, and aren't that worried about getting the old one back, so you'll end up keeping the majority of your finds anyway.

 

[ovar]

If your going into the water to search for discs whatever you find is yours in my mind. I think the whole name and number thing is dumb. You lose a disc, bummer. You find a disc, sweet. Go on with your life.

 

[cooktastic]

Agreed...if they didn't go to the hassle of fishing it out...they didn't want it bad enough. You did the work...I don't care if they see you playing with it on the course or not. They saw were it went in and DID NOT retrieve it. I know I just threw a new disc in water at my local course. I didn't go in after it and if I see someone playing with it sometime...more power to them. They got it...it's theirs.

 

[3monsterboys]

i think it is great that you would take time out of your day to go swimming for discs, BUT that is your choice. if it has a # on it you should give that person a call. no need to go out of your way to give it back, maybe if they meet you out on the course when you are playing. as for the ones with no # i think you can keep them, and if you run into the person one day just give it back i guess.