Who thinks this is Rude? Ten points for Best Response

Question

Do you think when someone asks to borrow your pen that it is rude to tell them no? If Yes or No Please explain. My friends and family keep telling me that i'm rude when I don't let people use my pen.

Answer 1

I remember back in  college ,a classmate asked to borrow my pen who simply needed to sign a document and would return it. I handed it to him,and he removed the cap with his teeth and slobbered all over it while using  it and then wanted to give it back. I simply told him to keep it.

From that moment on,I have NEVER allowed someone to borrow my pens. I'll hand you a pencil,but that's it.

Answer 2

No i don't think it's rude not to lend your pen out. It's yours. People have to learn how to bring the things that they know they will need especially a PEN when conducting business. It irritates me when people ask me to borrow my pens when they're in school, banks, and dept. stores. I work in several different offices within my college and it irritates me when a student asks to borrow a pen or pencil. I purposely put out a box of pens on my desk and wait for them to ask and I simply reply you came all the way here to conduct business and you didn't think to bring a pen with you no you can't use any of mine sorry. I've seen many students get sent home who didn't have a pen or pencil when it came to taking ACT tests. The letter indicates in bold writing that you must bring a pen and 2 number two pencils to be admitted in to take the tests. Do students listen? NO! And I watch them get sent home crying, upset or frustrated because they didn't come prepared.

Answer 3

yeah it kinda is. Just let them use it, they probably just need to write down a number. But if they want to borrow it all day and its the only one you have, then its not rude, its reasonable. Unless, your family has a tendency of borrowing your pens and never returning them, then i understand where your coming from.  

Answer 4

No it is not rude. The reason a person asks to borrow things is because you reserve the right to say yes or no. If it were rude to say no there would be no reason to ask and people would just take things.

Answer 5

I don't think it's rude but it's not very nice but I'm sure you have a good reason for saying no. I reluctantly hand over my pen. I've lost good pens so I try to give over a pen that I don't care about. It's just a pen but some write better than others.

It's such a minor thing. My coworkers and I use to get annoyed with the pharmacists because they always stole the pens and brought them in the sterile lab where we couldn't go. We fixed the situation. Once a month or maybe even less often all of the pens stolen would come back out. I would say, I don't care but when we have a need for a pen then it's kind of hard to do without.

You might want to consider getting some junk pens that they can borrow.  

Answer 6

I think it depends on how you tell them and if you had another pen to spare.  

Answer 7

if it is in plain sight, it would be rude.  if it's hidden, say in your purse, just say you don't have one.

Answer 8

it's just a pen. not a diamond necklace. are you afraid they won't return it?

unless they chew on the cap then i don't see any reason to refuse to lend them a pen....

Answer 9

I don't think it's rude but instead of saying "No", tell them "It's the only one I've got and people keep taking them from me".  Hide all the others you may have.  There is a nice way to say it to someone.

Answer 10

No, I don't think it's rude to tell them no because the pen belongs to you and the time that they consume it belongs to you as well. If you don't want them to use it, just tell them how you feel. It is only a pen, and if they make a rude remark back, forget them.

Answer 11

its rude to say no, for no reason...direct them to another pen  

Answer 12

Anything can be said politely and respectfully.

If you say "h**l no."  yes, it's rude.

If you say "I'm sorry but this pen is really important to me and I need to keep a close eye on it.  Perhaps someone else has one they don't mind loaning?"  That's not so bad.