Finder's fee

[mark996]

Just because I feel like beating a sick and nearly dead horse today:

I think $5 would be a dick move for DX plastic. If it were one of my go to discs, my Star Wraith/Boss/Max or any of my "gift" discs that have sentimental value I personally would gladly pay $5 to get one of them back. My easily replaced discs I guess it'd depend on how I felt that day. I'm gonna replace it anyway, $5 would be cheaper than buying a new one, it'd also depend on wear factor on each disc. I lost a brand new Star Wraith in the snow, didn't even put my name and number on it yet, posted around on the local course facebook but never expected to get it back. I would have paid $5 for that one, but my old beat in Champion Valkyrie? Likely not.

There are two schools of thought surrounding this question, and it's always fun to watch them go back and forth trying to force their views and opinions on someone else.

Moral: The it's the "right" thing to do club.
Legal: It's the legal thing to do club.
I can understand the moral group, but in all honesty, those looking to file "theft" charges on something you left on the course, you're gonna have a hard time. We may make a report (I wouldn't, it's widely considered abandoned property), but getting a judge to file charges against someone would be really hard to do. You'd have to prove your intent, and prove the person who got your disc got it with malicious intent to deprive the owner of the disc directly, and didn't just happen across it on the course.

As I've said before, if it's got a number on it, in MY OPINION, it's a dick move to not try to notify the owner and try to get it back to them. If YOU don't agree, awesome, we can still be best buds, no worries. We each have different opinions on how to handle things.

/end rant-resume trying to convince others your OPINION is the only way to go.

 

[JRW III]

I think $5 would be a dick move for DX plastic. If it were one of my go to discs, my Star Wraith/Boss/Max or any of my "gift" discs that have sentimental value I personally would gladly pay $5 to get one of them back. My easily replaced discs I guess it'd depend on how I felt that day. I'm gonna replace it anyway, $5 would be cheaper than buying a new one, it'd also depend on wear factor on each disc. I lost a brand new Star Wraith in the snow, didn't even put my name and number on it yet, posted around on the local course facebook but never expected to get it back. I would have paid $5 for that one, but my old beat in Champion Valkyrie? Likely not.

I am of the opinion that it is a service fee and the value of the disc is irrelevant to the service that he performed. He is not selling your disc back to you, he is selling his service. The service he performed is the same for a DX or CE.

The value of the disc to you will determine whether you pay the fee or just tell him to keep the disc.

At the end of the day, the important factor to me is that he made the call and let the original owner make the decision to try to get it back. Most people will say no to a DX disc, and he knows it. However, he still took the time to send the text and let the original owner make that decision.

 

[mark996]

I am of the opinion that it is a service fee and the value of the disc is irrelevant to the service that he performed. He is not selling your disc back to you, he is selling his service. The service he performed is the same for a DX or CE.

The value of the disc to you will determine whether you pay the fee or just tell him to keep the disc.

At the end of the day, the important factor to me is that he made the call and let the original owner make the decision to try to get it back. Most people will say no to a DX disc, and he knows it. However, he still took the time to send the text and let the original owner make that decision.

I understand that theory too, but his service wasn't requested, so...in most cases he can keep the disc, unless it has some sort of value. Telling me I have to pay you to get something I lost back, that in itself is a dick move, especially if you take it upon yourself to perform the task.

 

[hook_nuts]

Moral: The it's the "right" thing to do club.
Legal: It's the legal thing to do club.

I agree that tends to be the main arguments, but let's delve a little deeper.

The moral group uses the "it's the right thing to do" to try to shame people because they have no other argument. They are lazy, don't hold themselves accountable, but want to hold the disc finder accountable. This is bad morals in my book.

The legal group can stand on the law, logic, morals, accountability, reasoning, etc.

Of course it's not black & white. Both sides have flaws. As long as little kids doodle on their discs all you can do is pick the most sound, logical views.

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

The moral group uses the "it's the right thing to do" to try to shame people because they have no other argument. They are lazy, don't hold themselves accountable, but want to hold the disc finder accountable. This is bad morals in my book.

Don't forget the 'moral' group wants somebody to dive in the lake for their disc who is willing to do it for free. They still want their lost disc back, they just don't want to pay someone for it.

 

[JC17393]

Don't forget the 'moral' group wants somebody to dive in the lake for their disc who is willing to do it for free. They still want their lost disc back, they just don't want to pay someone for it.

Let's also not forget that not everyone breaks down into just one group or the other. This "moral" person has no problem with someone diving legally for my disc so long as they give me the opportunity to reclaim it once they find it. And, , I'd even pay for the opportunity/service!

 

[hook_nuts]

Don't forget the 'moral' group wants somebody to dive in the lake for their disc who is willing to do it for free. They still want their lost disc back, they just don't want to pay someone for it.

We also can't forget that if they can't get the abandoned disc back for free then they'd rather it rot in the elements because they didn't ask anyone to go get it lol. Either way it is very greedy and shows bad morals.

I would change my views if I could be convinced I was wrong, but the "moral" side tends to reaffirm my stance by their attitudes.

 

[ztrain]

Most of the courses with water that I play have signs that say no swimming or wading. I play these holes knowing that if I throw one in the water I have abandoned it. I would love to have a call back, but at those locations it truly is abandoned. I have known some to be fined upwards of 300 dollars for entering water that have signs posted.

 

[nevets4433]

man...debates on this topic really really devolve quickly on our forum. I'm personally guilty of it too so I won't pretend to have never had a part in it.

But there are two logical sides to this debate. It doesn't matter about your ability, or your post count, or anything else for that matter. Its not as simple as morality, or how any non-Judges on this site apply their interpretation of law.

But any time someone brings the "lost disc" situation up, we all start bickering like children. Pretty sad considering these are $7-15 pieces of plastic that we throw over water and at trees every day.

Lets just play DG and enjoy it. If you lose a piece of plastic and want a chance at getting it back, ink it with your number! But when you purchase it, realize it is a sunk cost, and depending on where you play, you might have to buy a few more if you lose them. And if you lose them, don't get too bent out of shape if you don't get them back. It is an unfortunate part of the game.

I come from a ball golf background where the sport is exponentially more expensive than DG. Greens fees every time you play, and nobody ever returns a lost golf ball!

So seriously, lets just play and have fun. Try to do good by others. You don't have to do it at your own expense, but it does feel good to return a disc, and it feels good to get one returned to you.

 

[scarpfish]

I thought this was a ethics discussion on returning discs (well before it became the usual back and forth insult shooting gallery this topic usually becomes).

Not sure how player ratings enter into that, or anything. Lots of people with lukewarm talent at something went on to be great mentors in teaching it to others.

 

[DiscgolfStu]

Relatively new to this forum/debate, but I cant help but wonder how those who charge for finding and returning discs feel about finding and returning, say, a set of house keys? If I dont pay you $5 bucks, is my house yours untill I change the locks? I mean, I clearly have no use for my house anymore, or I wouldnt have abandoned the keys.

I kid, but really, the abandoned argument is dumb. If you find my disc and need it that bad, keep it. I'll get a new one, just like I'd get a new set of keys. Return it to me if you feel its right, but trying to charge me for your services is cheap and beyond lame!

 

[mark996]

Finding a disc in an open field and trying to get me to pay a $5 fee, lame. Finding a disc in the middle of the pond in 30 degree weather, I'll gladly give you $5, and a 6 pack of your choosing for doing that ****.

 

[StripperJack]

Easiest way to settle this debate. We get a representative from both sides (legal and moral) and we put them in the Thunderdome... Two men enter, one man leaves. Everybody wins. Now if everybody who wants to watch will pay me 5 dollars I will make this happen.

 

[BCDan]

Relatively new to this forum/debate, but I cant help but wonder how those who charge for finding and returning discs feel about finding and returning, say, a set of house keys? If I dont pay you $5 bucks, is my house yours untill I change the locks? I mean, I clearly have no use for my house anymore, or I wouldnt have abandoned the keys.

I kid, but really, the abandoned argument is dumb. If you find my disc and need it that bad, keep it. I'll get a new one, just like I'd get a new set of keys. Return it to me if you feel its right, but trying to charge me for your services is cheap and beyond lame!

I agree.


Simply leaving the park without your disc doesn't mean it's abandoned. Does leaving my car without it locked on a city street overnight means it's abandoned and anybody can take it? Doesn't matter if it's $5 or $4999, petty theft is petty theft.


The abandoned argument is only valid if you phoned the number on the disc, left a message, and they didn't return your call for 30 days. Also, with facebook now, it is so easy, there are lost and found groups for every city, and there are disc golf club groups for every city. Every time i lose a disc, I make a post on that cities disc golf club facebook page. i've lost 15 discs, and the only two times I have got a disc back, it was because I made a post on the cities DGC facebook page.

Funny enough, those two discs i had returned, did not have my number on it; the other dozen discs I've lost, DID have my number on it . I think it's because people see an out of town number, and think they won't ever have to confront the person they are stealing from...?


I recovered one disc a year later after it was lost, I saw a guy teeing off with my Disc, that had my name and number on the bottom of the disc, and I went over and took it back.


I mean, even if you don't have facebook, all you have to do is ask a few people playing on the course the day you found the disc, and most likely they are either A: the owner, or B: know who the owner is.

 

[BCDan]

Oh, I believe if capable, rewards for having a disc returned is optimal, but disc ransoms(finders fee) are low class.

The last disc returned to me was my Glow Buzzz, and I gave the person 2 brand new discs back.

 

[paranoid70]

OP UPDATE. I saw my buddy yesterday. The guy who asked for $5 replied back and said that was just a 'suggestion'. Anyway, my buddy just bought a new Cobra at Big5, so apparently he isn't going to bother to pursue it.

 

[EXTRAMONTANA]

I got shaken down once for my mf champ tern. I interrupted his "favor" to trade him a disc for his gf, and told him i had 2 discs for him. I tried to say it with a smile.
Im in the camp where if you give up on a disc you should probably release claim to it.

That said, it rubbed me wrong.

Anyways, i shook his hand, said thanks a lot, grabbed my disc first, gave him 2 dx discs--one very beat--and left in a hurry.

 

[piranhabite]

so lets just say this dx that people seem to think is not worth anything happens to be a oop circle stamp cobra

 

[nolangherity]

so lets just say this dx that people seem to think is not worth anything happens to be a oop circle stamp cobra

then i cut a hole in the flight plate and hang it on a tree branch?

 

[piranhabite]

then i cut a hole in the flight plate and hang it on a tree branch?

whhaattt