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The photographer/YouTuber and the Free Ride Request.. (good for who?)
A true story, that happened to my wife who owns the business in the picture below
The young man, barely out of his teens, approached me with an air of confident entitlement. He introduced himself as a photographer, his eyes gleaming with ambition. He’d heard about my prized possession, a superbike, the most expensive and coveted machine in my collection. He proposed a photoshoot. "It would be great for my portfolio," he said, the emphasis on his portfolio. He envisioned dramatic shots, the bike gleaming under the golden hour sun, the backdrop a winding mountain road.
"Of course," he continued, "I'll need the bike for a few hours. Just bring it down to the location, and I'll take care of the rest."
I raised an eyebrow. "And what do I get out of this?"
He seemed slightly taken aback, as if the question was unexpected. "Well, the exposure, of course. Your bike will be seen by thousands of people!"
"Exposure?" I chuckled. "I'm not looking for exposure. I'm looking for a fair exchange. This bike cost me a considerable amount of money. You want to use it to enhance your portfolio, which will directly benefit you. Where's the benefit for me?"
He shifted uncomfortably. "I'm just starting out," he mumbled. "I don't have a big budget."
"That's not my problem," I replied. "You're asking me to entrust you with a very expensive piece of equipment, and you're offering nothing in return. In fact, you're expecting me to transport it to your chosen location. You haven't even mentioned a deposit, let alone payment for my time and the use of my bike."
He looked genuinely confused, as if my perspective was alien to him. "But it's just photos," he protested. "It's not like I'm taking the bike permanently."
"No," I said, my voice firm. "You're trying to get something of significant value for free, and you're trying to frame it as a mutually beneficial opportunity when it clearly isn't. You want to use my property to further your career, and you expect me to be grateful for the 'exposure' you're offering. That's not how things work."
As I watched him walk away, a thought lingered. This young man wasn't necessarily malicious. He genuinely seemed to believe that his request was reasonable. He'd likely seen others do the same, perhaps even been encouraged to do so. It struck me that this kind of self-interest-driven behavior, this expectation of getting something for nothing, was becoming increasingly normalized, especially among younger generations. The Overton Window, it seemed, had shifted. What was once considered taking advantage, or at least bad form, was now seen by some as a legitimate approach. It wasn't even a question of ethics anymore; it was just how things were done.
This encounter served as a stark reminder of how societal values can change over time. What was once clearly unacceptable – expecting someone to provide a valuable asset for free – was now being presented as a standard practice. It was a small incident, but it spoke volumes about the changing landscape of ethics and expectations, a landscape where the lines between fair exchange and exploitation were becoming increasingly blurred.
Credit: www.kohlantabigbike.com