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Free Soda Refill Can Be a Federal Offense
By Jetackuu 2014-04-20 11:41:24
Bahamut.Baconwrap said: »It costs restaurants less than a quarter to produce a glass soda via the fountain machines. It's the cheapest thing on the menu to produce. I'd say the cup/lid/straw+waste account for the majority of the cost of a cup of soda, not really the soda itself.
Typically the machines are provided/serviced by pespi/coke vendors themselves and the mix is sold to them and delivered by the vendor itself, the cost is really in the bag.
edit: As to the OP: While I agree theft is theft, and purposefully breaking the law or stealing should result in said punishment, there should be some leniency and just allow the guy to pay what he owes, and apologize, it's the more "adult" thing to do, imo.
The only reason I say that is that a lot of places don't charge for refills, and we don't really know where the fountain may have been.
Maybe the guy has bad eye sight and wasn't wearing his glasses at the moment, as he may be near-sighted, who knows.
I'm all for punishing actual theft, and when people blatantly abuse things, heck I used to work in retail and even in cstore situations (while never actually a cafe) where people who weren't buying anything thought they could just roll in and grab straws/silverware whenever it pleased them, the difference in that place and the Cafeteria, is that it was a for-profit industry, and they typically did better by trying to get repeat business.
Leviathan.Chaosx
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By Leviathan.Chaosx 2014-04-20 12:23:45
The fact that he's label as a habitual thief for snaggin some 'free refills' boggles my mind.
What's next, arresting people who steal electricity from an outlet that's attached to a government building?
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By Shiva.Onorgul 2014-04-20 12:36:22
What's next, arresting people who steal electricity from an outlet that's attached to a government building? If there's a sign indicating not to use it to charge your cell phone, then yes.
I'd ask what's so hard to understand about following posted and clear rules, but I know that in virtually every case it was lackadaisical parenting that never instilled any respect for consequences.
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Leviathan.Chaosx
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By Leviathan.Chaosx 2014-04-20 12:39:59
What's next, arresting people who steal electricity from an outlet that's attached to a government building? If there's a sign indicating not to use it to charge your cell phone, then yes.
I'd ask what's so hard to understand about following posted and clear rules, but I know that in virtually every case it was lackadaisical parenting that never instilled any respect for consequences. How do you expect the average citizen to follow the rules, at all, when the government violates its own constitution?
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Leviathan.Chaosx
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By Leviathan.Chaosx 2014-04-20 13:05:21
Where's the line between electric car and a cell phone?
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By Asura.Ludoggy 2014-04-20 13:15:21
Where's the line between electric car and a cell phone? In between 6 W·h and 20 kW·h I'd guess.
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Lakshmi.Aelius
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By Lakshmi.Aelius 2014-04-20 13:35:06
Next thing: People getting arrested in walmart parking lot for stealing electricity from the outside parking plugs.
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By Valefor.Endoq 2014-04-20 15:05:52
What's next, arresting people who steal electricity from an outlet that's attached to a government building? If there's a sign indicating not to use it to charge your cell phone, then yes.
I'd ask what's so hard to understand about following posted and clear rules, but I know that in virtually every case it was lackadaisical parenting that never instilled any respect for consequences. How do you expect the average citizen to follow the rules, at all, when the government violates its own constitution? 2 wrongs do not make a right. Stop making excuses for breaking the rules.
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By Leviathan.Chaosx 2014-04-20 15:11:36
What's next, arresting people who steal electricity from an outlet that's attached to a government building? If there's a sign indicating not to use it to charge your cell phone, then yes.
I'd ask what's so hard to understand about following posted and clear rules, but I know that in virtually every case it was lackadaisical parenting that never instilled any respect for consequences. How do you expect the average citizen to follow the rules, at all, when the government violates its own constitution? 2 wrongs do not make a right. Stop making excuses for breaking the rules. Any way I could convince you that not paying for soda refills at a VA hospital was this guy's way of protesting the government?
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By Shiva.Onorgul 2014-04-20 15:13:37
He works in construction, so no.
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Fenrir.Camiie
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By Fenrir.Camiie 2014-04-20 15:28:02
I wonder... would I also be a criminal if I decided to forgo ice and simply fill my cup with soda instead? I'd probably end up with as much or more soda than free refill guy for the same price.
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By Shiva.Onorgul 2014-04-20 15:33:38
I wonder... have you missed that this wasn't an isolated incident with this guy?
Most businesses and certainly the law are nothing like as black-and-white unreasonable as seems to be the perception. They're still run by human beings. An honest mistake is quite one thing, but this kind of response is not how anyone (much less a hospital of all places) reacts to a first-time problem.
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By Kiroo 2014-04-20 15:45:41
quote]
I've never stolen anything. Your info provided nothing we didn't know and it's irrelevant. Theft is theft.[/quote]
I call *** lmao and I dun care if you think it's relevant or not. Hell you put a plate of cookies in the middle of a crowded place put a sign up behind it saying go pay at the counter and not expect that people wont even bother looking at a sign and just walk off with one, half your tray will be gone unpaid for. They are HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE for not having the damn thing behind the counter.
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By Shiva.Viciousss 2014-04-20 15:48:01
/yawn. So, whats new?
By Kiroo 2014-04-20 15:54:15
I wonder... have you missed that this wasn't an isolated incident with this guy?
Most businesses and certainly the law are nothing like as black-and-white unreasonable as seems to be the perception. They're still run by human beings. An honest mistake is quite one thing, but this kind of response is not how anyone (much less a hospital of all places) reacts to a first-time problem.
Exactly, I agree. They said he got bent outa shape, hell ya I bet he did. You come at me sideways over soda refill and wont let me pay and move on, bet your *** I'm gonna get bent too. and then a 525 ticket, is damn HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE, I'm gonna be real bent then, ticket me 10 bucks ok np I deserve it. I'm honest enough to tell you I didn't realize and Ive done this before (hey that's called being honest) I'll pay a restitution for my mistake but dun be a dumbass about it mr officer, screw you and your high horse too. I've NEVER seen a squeaky clean cop and as far as freebies, I've worked at a gas station and they expected free stuff and never tried to pay for sodas from fountain they would just walk right out. Stealing is stealing? How many of you talking that crap have ever stiffed someone on a tip? You just stole that persons time, regardless if you felt valid of the reason you did so. We can back and forth this all day, I love to debate. 525 and a lost job (bet you the guy has family, he dun look like no spring chicken fresh outa school) is absolutely over kill.
By Kiroo 2014-04-20 15:55:08
oh I'm here to entertain and meet your standards? screw off buddy lol
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By Shiva.Viciousss 2014-04-20 16:02:11
Yes, and you are coming up short. Try harder.
By Kiroo 2014-04-20 16:11:36
Nah, I'm good thinking your an egotistical twit. No one cares to make you happy, your just an average person like the rest of us.
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By Shiva.Viciousss 2014-04-20 16:55:18
Much better.
By fonewear 2014-04-20 20:44:35
The war on soda pop has gone on too long. I suggest a long slow switch to iced tea.
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Leviathan.Chaosx
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By Leviathan.Chaosx 2014-04-20 21:26:41
The war on soda pop has gone on too long. I suggest a long slow switch to iced tea. Instead of Snapple, I recommend this guy cause they use real sugar as well:
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Leviathan.Andret
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By Leviathan.Andret 2014-04-21 11:58:14
Yeah, it's a pretty dumb idea to charge for refills when you let people doing the refill themselves. Lawyers can probably argue that the customer thought there would be no refill charges cause he can't read or didn't notice.
I don't think the arrest is about the $0.95 refill. Imagine you were the person working in there and there is a guy to keeps taking your $1 stuff. Once, it might be a mistake. Twice, the guy is a jerk or thief, better have a talk with him. 3 times and you really need to catch him or just call the cops on him.
This is not because you're missing your $3 but because other people will copy the guy. Kids and other jerks will probably start 1st then other people.
Same thing with the electricity. It's not the current costs. It's to stop people from copying it. "hey, he's doing it, the other guy is doing it, even his mom is doing it so I can do it too if I want!"
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By Leviathan.Chaosx 2014-04-21 13:01:40
Yeah, it's a pretty dumb idea to charge for refills when you let people doing the refill themselves. Lawyers can probably argue that the customer thought there would be no refill charges cause he can't read or didn't notice.
I don't think the arrest is about the $0.95 refill. Imagine you were the person working in there and there is a guy to keeps taking your $1 stuff. Once, it might be a mistake. Twice, the guy is a jerk or thief, better have a talk with him. 3 times and you really need to catch him or just call the cops on him.
This is not because you're missing your $3 but because other people will copy the guy. Kids and other jerks will probably start 1st then other people.
Same thing with the electricity. It's not the current costs. It's to stop people from copying it. "hey, he's doing it, the other guy is doing it, even his mom is doing it so I can do it too if I want!" I'm still confused why they made this seem like a sting operation for refills. Why didn't they just report him the first time they noticed?
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By Leviathan.Chaosx 2014-04-22 06:57:10
Fenrir.Candlejack said: »Yeah, it's a pretty dumb idea to charge for refills when you let people doing the refill themselves. Lawyers can probably argue that the customer thought there would be no refill charges cause he can't read or didn't notice.
I don't think the arrest is about the $0.95 refill. Imagine you were the person working in there and there is a guy to keeps taking your $1 stuff. Once, it might be a mistake. Twice, the guy is a jerk or thief, better have a talk with him. 3 times and you really need to catch him or just call the cops on him.
This is not because you're missing your $3 but because other people will copy the guy. Kids and other jerks will probably start 1st then other people.
Same thing with the electricity. It's not the current costs. It's to stop people from copying it. "hey, he's doing it, the other guy is doing it, even his mom is doing it so I can do it too if I want!" I'm still confused why they made this seem like a sting operation for refills. Why didn't they just report him the first time they noticed?
They probably did the first time, actually, or kept an eye on him to see if it happened again. The next time, they more than likely reported it to their manager, who in turn reported it to hospital security. The third time, the manager probably called up security to detain the guy till the cops showed up to haul him out. The story you initially provided us leaves alot out, such as the side of the hospital and the cafeteria workers who caught'im in the act. What did they see happening? I wanna know ***like that. Me too. I looked, couldn't find any updates yet.
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By Shiva.Viciousss 2014-04-22 10:56:12
Yeah, it's a pretty dumb idea to charge for refills when you let people doing the refill themselves. Lawyers can probably argue that the customer thought there would be no refill charges cause he can't read or didn't notice.
I don't think the arrest is about the $0.95 refill. Imagine you were the person working in there and there is a guy to keeps taking your $1 stuff. Once, it might be a mistake. Twice, the guy is a jerk or thief, better have a talk with him. 3 times and you really need to catch him or just call the cops on him.
This is not because you're missing your $3 but because other people will copy the guy. Kids and other jerks will probably start 1st then other people.
Same thing with the electricity. It's not the current costs. It's to stop people from copying it. "hey, he's doing it, the other guy is doing it, even his mom is doing it so I can do it too if I want!"
He was ticketed, not arrested. There won't be any lawyers.
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By Shiva.Onorgul 2014-04-22 11:21:36
This is Uh-MER-ika, gobdammit! The rule is: "Don't (GET CAUGHT) steal(ing)."
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Leviathan.Chaosx
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By Leviathan.Chaosx 2014-04-22 11:34:42
This is Uh-MER-ika, gobdammit! The rule is: "Don't (GET CAUGHT) steal(ing)." This is the motto that should be on the dollar bill!
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By Sylph.Shipp 2014-04-26 05:15:45
What is the deal in this thread? The guy habitually got free refills while there were signs that said refills were not free.
The price has nothing to do with this. It doesn't matter if you think you're being gouged for soda. Simple solution, don't do business there. If you're going to frequent an establishment, you follow their rules. If you disagree with their rules, you don't go there. You do not just take matters into your own hands and decide to take what you please.
This is as dumb as people saying, "Walmart charges too much for televisions, so I put two hundred dollars on the counter and walked out with a five hundred dollar tv."
That is shoplifting, regardless of whether you think you paid sufficiently or not.
Don't like the prices? Go somewhere that is more suitable to your budget.
Despite what people think about hospitals, they usually are not just rolling in money. Most money paid is to pay for supplies, insurance crap, wages, and equipment. Cafeterias and gift shops are a rather large (percentage wise) way for them to stay afloat.
Having worked in a hospital, and having to still pay for my meals there (20% discount, oh god so much cheaper on a $10 meal...)I can fully understand where the hospital stands. It pissed me off when co-workers would go take supplies like boxes of gloves or get free refills. Why? Because those people are why the base prices are so high to begin with. If people would use common sense and follow a business' rules, prices would be cheaper for everyone. If you think it's unfair, then go somewhere else like an intelligent person instead of trying to justify your petty thefts.
Here's an interesting story I picked up on today: Quote: On Wednesday construction worker Christopher Lewis went to refill his cup at the soda machine in the cafeteria at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. Next thing he knew, Federal Police Force officers were slapping him with a $525 federal citation for shoplifting.
Seems harmless enough, but here's what what the hospital had to say: Quote: In a statement, the hospital said Lewis told “VA police he had not paid for refills of beverages on multiple occasions, even though signs are posted in the cafeteria informing patrons refills are not free. Shoplifting is a crime.”
According to police: Quote: After police approached him, Lewis tried to pay the cost of the refill, but his money was refused. Instead, he was given the shoplifting ticket. A hospital administrator even called what Lewis did theft of government property.
So is this a case of blatant disregard for the rule law on Lewis's part? Or were both the VA and the police overrating?
It's one man's word against a lot of others and ultimately this is how the story ends:
Quote: After a local backlash, on Thursday afternoon the hospital’s officials backed down and let Lewis off with a warning. But this small-change mistake has still cost the man his job. Lewis is no longer allowed on the hospital’s premises.
Should he have been fired as well?
Ultimately though the moral of the story is:
Quote: In a perfect world, Lewis would voluntarily just say no to sugar-laden refills. And yes, following rules is important too. But given the serious health challenges our veterans face and how difficult it is for them to get care once they’ve returned home, you’d think VA hospitals would adjust their priorities. Ticketing a guy who made an innocent mistake isn’t where we need to focus federal resources.
Thoughts?
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