[Robotgroup] "Loanables.com" an interesting concept

[Ed Xavier Gonzalez]

This is an interesting way of sharing expensive resources, such as 
machinery, tools, etc.

A major concern I might have is how to insure the asset and protect both 
the owner AND the user from liability, damage, theft, personal injury, 
etc.  I'm certain that everyone involved always has the best intentions, 
but reality rarely affords someone compensation for damage that occurs 
during use, pays for hospital bills if someone gets injured, or major 
remodelling of someone's home should it get burned down.

Being practical and very conservative, I rarely take advantage of these 
sort of offers by friends and neighbors, for fear I may damage the thing 
I'm borrowing.  Many times, it's cheaper (mentally) for me to just go out 
and buy something that I need, or rent it from a company and sign on the 
bottom line, my credit card number provided in the event I owe them for 
consequential damages.

By the way, read the fine print when renting tools or equipment.  I used a 
skid-steer tractor a few years ago and had to pay for the repair of a tire 
that they 'claimed' was brand new when I rented the unit.  I was foolish by 
not reading the tiny print at the bottom of the rental form, and then NOT 
taking LOTS of photographs of the deflated tire before they arrived to 
replace it.  I had to pay quite a bit more when the unit was returned, my 
credit card charged for something that I had obviously NOT rented (a 
skid-steer tractor with NEW tires).

Caveat Emptor!

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At 10:19 AM 9/13/07, you wrote:
>Heard about this on a radio show:
>
>http://www.loanables.com/
>
>The concept is similar to freecycle or craigslist, in that its community
>based, but this site hooks up the folks that own something with those
>who just need it for a short time.
>
>You can rent things from your neighbors or rent out your own stuff to
>make a bit of money from specialized tools you have that could save
>someone else from having to go out and buy them. A short sample from the
>page:
>
><snip>

<The right to Free Speech does not diminish the value of remaining silent>

Ed Xavier Gonzalez
Oak Hill Laser
ohlaser at swbell.net
(512) 288-5243