Do you mind if I borrow your pen?
 

Okay, I am sure this has been brought up on here before and I know many people will give me a lot of stick but here goes.

On a domestic economy flight in the US we were asked to fill it an arrivals form, cannot remember the exact flight but it was a 3 hour flight. Me and my wife had a pen in a bag (as we all do) but the plane was so full our bags were taken from overhead and placed a few seats ahead to accommodate people with larger bags.

I asked the gentleman next to me ''Do you mind if I borrow your pen please?". He abruptly said "Yes I do" in a harsh tone. I literally chuckled out loud as I couldnt believe someone would not do a simple favour to borrow a pen. Its not like I would not return it as he was window seat and I suppose my sentence shouldnt have started with "Do you mind...". But I just looked at my wife in disbelief and loud enough for him to hear said ''Who wouldnt let someone a pen!".

I know we as humans are not all the same, I get that, but I have gone out of my way to store heavy luggage for pregnant, elderly, disabled. Lent pens, paper, newspapers during my travels, its no skin off my nose just that scenario ended up being my most awkward moment for remaining journey and felt like I was sat next to someone with measles/cholera.

Maybe someone here will label me as acting 'entitled' but I can assure I maybe many things but not that. :)

There are no "arrivals" form(s) to fill out on a domestic US flight.
Your post doesn't make a lot of sense.
Are you sure you're not confusing it with an international one - when you need to complete a customs declaration?

that aside, his point is still valid.

to tack on that, some carriers are omitting pens from their J amenity kits. the 0.10c or whatever unit cost it is for a pen, i'd imagine is far more useful to most people than the 0.15c miniature tube of hand cream and lip balm (or maybe theyre even free as part of co-marketing exercise)

Some people are just selfish, but I can see reasonable reasons behind the refusal.

I personally wash my hands at the first chance I get after getting off an airplane because the surfaces are so contaminated by dirt, grime, DNA, and micro-organisms. Airplanes, and the people on them, are generally gross.

I don't want a stranger handling my pen - I don't know where your hands have been! It isn't your seat neighbor's responsibility to have a pen for you. Even though it would have been nice of him to loan the pen, he is within his rights to be selfish and I'm sure you found plenty of pens in the CBP area at your arrival airport and went about your day with minimal delay anyway.

Sounds strange he wouldn't lend someone a pen, although the staff on the plane would presumably have one.

Still, there are certain way to go about things - this wasn't one of them!

Do enough international flying and you get tired of Kettles who don't remember they are forms be to filled out and pester you for a pen. On an LHR-YYZ flight I loaned a pen to a fellow passenger only to have it passed down the middle row of a widebody for their entire group to use and then had to get up to to retrieve it from the final user who dropped it in her purse. I will still lend a pen to another passenger but can certainly see why someone would decide to refuse all requests.

You were way out of line with the remark to your wife. It's his property. He has every right not to lend it to you. You are fortunate he didn't say something equally ignorant in return. I would have.

Don't be too presumptuous about the staff. You may well get the same response from an FA. I've seen them turn down requests to "borrow a pen" from people too dumb to bring their own.

Huh. Here are the scenarios I see, since we are generally gross...

Me: May I borrow your pen? You: Um, er, where have your hands been? Me: Well, I just got done in the Loo – didn’t have time to wash my hands. I grabbed a liverwurst sandwich from the cart and had to keep pushing the meat back in because it was falling out from between the bread. But I wiped them on my pants. Why? You: Eeeeew. No, you can’t borrow my pen.

Me: May I borrow your pen? You: Um, er, where have your hands been? Me: Nowhere, in fact I just rubbed some of that Purel on them, so they are clean as a whistle. You: Sure, here you go. Me: No way – I don’t know where YOUR hands have been…

:-)

That would make sense but this was a BIC in question. Still it was weird but people are different, I get that. Would be funny if he ever needed a pen urgently and everyone in vicinity blurts out 'no'.

Pfft. Good luck with this. I have been on international flights in the last year in which FAs added "We do not have pens available for you" during announcements about immigration forms.

I always carry at least 6 pens in my bag, (crosswords) you can borrow on and keep it if you like
(but be aware they are hotel pens)

This not a serious issue that needs to be discussed ad nauseum on FT. Either let someone borrow your stuff, or don't. Your choice. Either way, get on with your life

You're correct that this was inappropriate.

I didn't realize that 6 hours and 11 replies was now ad nauseum.

Perhaps we should stick to important, enlightening posts such as "Reading this thread is better than gossip! " 90 posts and 5 years into a thread about taking a blanket)

If that's the new benchmark for FT discussion then it will soon be a very quiet and lonely place. :p

Just a guess, but perhaps Hawaii where you have to (or at least you used to) fill out an agriculture form?

I usually travel with four other guys, and I usually carry about a dozen pen in my purse.

You still do.

If I pull out my Montblanc or other expensive fountain pen, sorry you aren't borrowing it. Call me rude, I'll survive.

The passenger doesn't want to lend you his pen so you came to tattle on him?

Edit: I might notice and compliment you on it, so watch out! :) No issues traveling with an fountain pen (expansion or leaking)? I have cheap ones (vintage Schaeffers and a Pilot) but travel with a ballpoint.

I will not lend out my space pen but I will loan out a cheap pen since I have loaned and lost one space pen.

Flight attendants have always offered pens for any form to fill out during the flight for customs.

I usually have a fountain pen. Since if it is not used correctly, someone can easily damage the nib, I prefer not to lend it.

I am on the pen owner's side. He has no obligation to give you his things, and you placing your bags away is not his problem or concern. You knew you had a pen somewhere, just go get it. People are allowed to say no to your requests.

And arrivals form on a domestic flight?

I've never had one leak, but I'm always cautious when I open one!

Surprisingly, nobody has accused the OP of panhandling.

I sincerely hope that the next time OP gets a new phone, some bum comes by and asks if he can make a phone call, then proceeds to drop the phone and shatter the screen and walks away.

Or better yet the next time he gets a new car, some ...... relative comes by and asks for a test drive but proceeds to crash it and refuses to pay up. When pushed, the answer should be: ''Who wouldn't let someone borrow their car!" among your extended family.

Nevertheless, someone wanted to charge him with Attempted Penhandling.

More likely a revenue opportunity. $10 per pen for people too dumb not to bring one. Great profit margin. :)

I personally only use a Waterman which I always have with me (and am not lending to anyone), but I usually have a few stolen hotel pens in my bag for other passengers who ask to "borrow" one so that I don't have to look like a jerk for refusing. They don't often get returned, but that's fine.

I travel with a couple of decent pens. It has never occurred to me to deny such a simple request to borrow one because "they should know better".

Traveling can be confusing and stressful for a lot of people, and I don't blame others for either not remembering to bring one, or assuming that it will be given out. Plus, if a flight to Hawaii, I can see many people not even realizing they would need to fill in a form.

Plenty of pens at the immigration counters I've gone through. It's really not a big deal if you don't have the precious little form filled out before you leave the plane.

I really dislike this me me me age. My last flight to EWR resulted in me having to give directions to someone. I was perfectly fine taking 30 seconds to explain to someone where to go because nobody else stopped to help even though EVERYONE could clearly hear the woman asking people for directions.

Keep it upright during ascent and it's usually fine.

EVERY time I have lent a pen to someone near me the pen has started a trek to their seatmate, then THEIR seatmate...... So if it is your only pen, I can not only commiserate with the OP but agree whole heartedly with him.

I don't loan but I am willing to give a pen like the extras I have from hotels and convention exhibit halls and such. I have a Waterman and even an inexpensive pen (like a few dollars) that I have and like very much. I do not loan these.

I've lent out pens before and borrowed them before when I've forgot or found the one in my bag was dried out. A few times when it was my only one I've said "sure, just give it back when you're done since it's my only one." and so far I've gotten it back every time. Now if I had a nice fountain pen or something more than a cheap Bic I may think twice about lending it to a random person.