I found a lost watch.

[ORione]

I'm a college student, and I take the bus to school. This morning at the bus stop I found a watch. It wasn't a super cheap watch, but not overly fancy, either - maybe $25. I figured that I had four options on what to do.

A:Take the watch to my college's lost and found.
Pros: Most of the people who use that bus stop go to my college, so there's a good chance that the owner does, too. If they're looking for their watch, then there's a high chance that they'll look there. Also, it's unlikely that someone who isn't looking for a watch would get it.
Cons: The bus stop wasn't on campus, so it's possible that the owner doesn't go there. In that case, it's quite unlikely that they would look for their watch there.

B: Take the watch to the bus station.
Pros: The watch's owner was at the bus stop, so presumably they have been on a bus. If they inquire about a lost watch, they'll be likely to get it this way.
Cons: They might not think to ask the bus station. This would require the most effort on my part (The college's lost and found is at least near places where I was planning to go anyway). I don't really want to bother the bus employees.

C: Leave the watch at the bus stop.
Pros: The owner was definitely at the bus stop. If they were to retrace their steps, they would find it. Or even if they just need to use the bus stop again. This is also the easiest option for me.
Cons: Someone else might find the watch and take it. The watch's owner might not know where they lost it, and might not think to check there.

D: Keep the watch myself.
Pros: The only portable time-keeping device I have is my phone, so I can't check the time when I'm somewhere where I can't have my phone on. I'm a college student who spends a lot of time at the theater, so that's something that happens a lot.
Cons: No chance of the watch's proper owner getting it back. The watch was too small for my wrist.

I went with option C. What would you guys have done? Is there a possibility that I have missed?

[Hbgplayer]

Personally I would have taken it to the bus station as that's where I would look if I lost a watch.

[Aedilred]

I would also go with the bus station (albeit if it is a long way out of the way, handing it in to a driver would probably suffice). If you lose your belongings on the bus and you have an idea that that's where it was it's the logical place to start looking. If it wasn't at the bus stop, I'd also consider the police, although if it's not a particularly valuable item it's probably not worth the hassle either for them or you. I probably wouldn't go with the college lost and found unless it was found actually on campus or I was otherwise very confident that it was a student item (i.e. it's the sort of item only a student would carry).

Leaving it at the scene is probably the only way to "help" the owner find it themselves without making enquiries of authority, but it does increase the chances of someone else nicking it.

[Asta Kask]

Bus stop it is.

[The_Ditto]

E) Write a note and leave it at the bus stop:

"FOUND: lost watch, please call/email/whatever ... xxxx with description"

Option C) would be my last option. It's the most optimistic, but also the most naive (sorry, I don't mean that as an insutl, just realistic on the way people behave). If you left it there, more than likely, somebody else is now sporting a "new watch" :)

Option E) also gives you the assurance that you made the best effort to find the owner.
If, failing that, it also gives you option (D) as a fall back, and hence is a win-win for you.

win: comforts your sense of morality in your attempt to return the item.
win: Hey, new watch!! :)

[BannedInSchool]

Eb) Note at bus stop: "If you ever want to see your watch alive again..." :smallbiggrin:

[The_Ditto]

Eb) Note at bus stop: "If you ever want to see your watch alive again..." :smallbiggrin:

roflmao


padding since this message is too short!? wtf? wow ...
reminds me of those security questions:

What's your favourite color?
Answer: Red
ERROR: answer too short, must be at least 6 characters long.
O.o

Wait, What ? So, what does that leave?
uh

Purple
Orange
Violet
Yellow
..
uh ..
wow
not many options there ... :smalleek:

no red
no blue
no green
no black
... :(

[ORione]

Personally I would have taken it to the bus station as that's where I would look if I lost a watch.


I would also go with the bus station (albeit if it is a long way out of the way, handing it in to a driver would probably suffice). If you lose your belongings on the bus and you have an idea that that's where it was it's the logical place to start looking.


Bus stop it is.

Really? I guess more people would check there than I thought.


E) Write a note and leave it at the bus stop:

"FOUND: lost watch, please call/email/whatever ... xxxx with description"

Option C) would be my last option. It's the most optimistic, but also the most naive (sorry, I don't mean that as an insutl, just realistic on the way people behave). If you left it there, more than likely, somebody else is now sporting a "new watch" :)

That's pretty cynical. I mean, I figured that that would likely happen, but cynical=/=realistic.


Anyway, UPDATE: The watch was still there today. I have a thing near where the bus station is, so I'll take it there on my way.

[ufo]

Don't worry, the Universe is just redistributing some stuff. Don't need it? Find someone who does!

[Zrak]

I would leave a note at the stop.

[Bulldog Psion]

I'd probably put a note at the bus stop, and on the bus itself if the driver would allow it. That way, if someone contacted me, I could be fairly sure they owned it, since they would have to give some kind of detail about it before I'd turn it over to them.

If the note went unanswered for 2-3 weeks, I'd probably take it down and donate the watch to the local thrift shop.

[ORione]

I don't want to put my contact information out in public. I suppose that I could leave a note along the lines of, "If you've lost a watch, it's at the bus station downtown." I'll do that tomorrow.

[FinnLassie]

I don't want to put my contact information out in public. I suppose that I could leave a note along the lines of, "If you've lost a watch, it's at the bus station downtown." I'll do that tomorrow.

My mum lost her phone at a bus stop earlier this month, and upon returning to that bus stop there was a note stating that it had been returned to the lost and found. So yeah, probably the best way to notify about something without giving your personal information. :smallsmile:

[Zrak]

Alternatively, make a throwaway gmail account just for this.

[Jay R]

Alternatively, make a throwaway gmail account just for this.

That works to avoid being hassled by online advertising, but not to keep a creep from calling and claiming the watch as a tool to get to you.

[Bulldog Psion]

That works to avoid being hassled by online advertising, but not to keep a creep from calling and claiming the watch as a tool to get to you.

They'd have to be a pretty good guesser to give specifics about the watch, though, wouldn't they?

[Jay R]

They'd have to be a pretty good guesser to give specifics about the watch, though, wouldn't they?

You have now set up additional security measures beyond the gmail account. We are no longer in disagreement.

[Giggling Ghast]

E. Eat the watch, so that you may gain its power to control time.

[Bulldog Psion]

E. Eat the watch, so that you may gain its power to control time.

This, by far, is the best solution of all. :smallcool: