Man at Hospital Ordered to Pay $525 for Refilling 89-Cent Drink

[shortylickens]

Reason number 243 the V.A. sucks.
Am so glad I got health insurance thru college.

 

[master_shake_]

Zero tolerance not only encourages zero intelligence, it practically requires it. Your post is werepossum-approved.

Apparently that and 89 cents will get you a free refill.


Not $5, but I filled the bike up yesterday at $3.799. 100% gasoline equals ouch! $3.399 for 10% ethanol which is still pretty ouch.

you poor thing...

gas is 1.37 a litre here so roughly 5.34 a gallon.

 

[werepossum]

you poor thing...

gas is 1.37 a litre here so roughly 5.34 a gallon.

Yeah, but we're, you know, special. Americans aren't supposed to pay those prices, 'cause we don't need big government. Or at least, no more big government than we can borrow from the ChiComms.

 

[DrPizza]

That's about what I get. Are you questioning his math?

I'd think that if someone were questioning the math, you might put a little more thought into it before responding. If it was $30 for 30 gallons, that would be $1 per gallon. You apparently think that raising the price to $45 makes it cheaper?

 

[GoPackGo]

This guy is charged $525 for an 89 cent cup of soda meanwhile the Oil Thugs steal Billions from Americans everyday.

That fine is clearly an 8th Amendment violation.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

This guy is charged $525 for an 89 cent cup of soda meanwhile the Oil Thugs steal Billions from Americans everyday.

Serious question: why don't you put your reply to the article in the first post? It seems either you want people to think you're making the consensus with the first post or just inflating your post count.

You do this every time.

 

[sourn]

While I can't really feel sorry for the guy. Even though it sounds like the officer was a complete ass, it could very likely be the guy got aggressive also.

Though I do wonder if the sign clearly visible and at the appropriate location (the machine)? As some places put signs in pretty shitty places.

I think the fine should be more reasonable also. But that won't ever happen as then they wouldn't be able to rake in as much money for stupid little shit.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

That large of a fine for petty theft? In Oregon if you go to court the judge will laugh the accusers out of the room.

 

[Matt1970]

I'd think that if someone were questioning the math, you might put a little more thought into it before responding. If it was $30 for 30 gallons, that would be $1 per gallon. You apparently think that raising the price to $45 makes it cheaper?

oops.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

this is a stupid case. there are all sorts of real thefts that the "justice" system should be focusing on. here in the bay area there are at least 3 cases of cops going into peoples houses on official calls and stealing stuff out of peoples houses. the latest case is a cop that would go to a convalescent home with his drug dog. he would tell the geezers that he needed to train his dog by having it sniff our drugs in their rooms. he would then steal their drugs and valuables. thats a real kriminul and you know what they say about roaches, mice and bad cops, if you see one...

 

[SunnyD]

And I'd just like to point out the statement released by the hospital:

The medical center released the following statement:

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center is fortunate to have a highly trained Federal police force to ensure the safety of our patients, visitors and employees. As Federal police they are responsible for enforcing the law.

Yes, highly trained. The chief of police put together a grand sting operation to ensure the safety of everybody on the campus over $0.89 worth of soda.

 

[werepossum]

And I'd just like to point out the statement released by the hospital:



Yes, highly trained. The chief of police put together a grand sting operation to ensure the safety of everybody on the campus over $0.89 worth of soda.

+1

One wonders how much all that advanced training cost before the chief of police was qualified to guard against the horrors of unauthorized free refills.

 

[SunnyD]

+1

One wonders how much all that advanced training cost before the chief of police was qualified to guard against the horrors of unauthorized free refills.

I literally imagine the chief at that hospital as something like Clancy Wiggum:

 

[smackababy]

$45/30gal = $0.66/gal?

You're right. I was thinking $30 for 45 gallons. =(

It is $1.50 per gallon. So, at the $0.89 price, you'd have to drink roughly half a gallon before you even broke even on the cost, and that is significantly cheaper than most sodas at places. Hell, movie theaters charge like $5 for the same size cup.

 

[dmcowen674]

serious question: Why don't you put your reply to the article in the first post? It seems either you want people to think you're making the consensus with the first post or just inflating your post count.

You do this every time.

again, just put your reply in the fucking op.

Self centered fuck.

.









.

 

[brycejones]

Given that 45 is larger than 30, doesn't that result strike you as a bit odd?

Doesn't common core teach estimation? Could be a good thing in this case.

As for the OP...its simple don't steal and you don't get fined and you don't lose your job. I feel bad for this guy but if it was posted then he doesn't really much of a leg to stand on.

 

[crashtech]

Putting the pop machine where customers can get to it and expecting no one to avail themselves of a free refill is just asking for trouble. It's too much to ask for the government to do the smart thing, which is to price the drink such that it retains the desired profit margin over time, whether people drink no refills or five. This is how virtually all businesses do it these days. It makes me wonder if they WANT to catch people and write them these ridiculous citations.

 

[BoberFett]

The answer is simple. We need to shut down these capitalist pigs at the VA and let the government handle medical care for vets.

 

[werepossum]

You're right. I was thinking $30 for 45 gallons. =(

It is $1.50 per gallon. So, at the $0.89 price, you'd have to drink roughly half a gallon before you even broke even on the cost, and that is significantly cheaper than most sodas at places. Hell, movie theaters charge like $5 for the same size cup.

Internet math - the effort put into deriving the correct answer is proportional to the advantage of having the correct answer - which is none. lol

Doesn't common core teach estimation? Could be a good thing in this case.

As for the OP...its simple don't steal and you don't get fined and you don't lose your job. I feel bad for this guy but if it was posted then he doesn't really much of a leg to stand on.

lol Could be.

Putting the pop machine where customers can get to it and expecting no one to avail themselves of a free refill is just asking for trouble. It's too much to ask for the government to do the smart thing, which is to price the drink such that it retains the desired profit margin over time, whether people drink no refills or five. This is how virtually all businesses do it these days. It makes me wonder if they WANT to catch people and write them these ridiculous citations.

For a business attempting to attract customers, that makes sense. For the government, a big fat "fuck you" to customers is simply standard practice.

 

[brycejones]

For a business attempting to attract customers, that makes sense. For the government, a big fat "fuck you" to customers is simply standard practice.

Now the flip side is that if they gave out free refills at some point some muckraker would fire up the outrage spam-o-matic about all the tax payer supplied soda being handed out for free every year in free refills.

 

[werepossum]

Now the flip side is that if they gave out free refills at some point some muckraker would fire up the outrage spam-o-matic about all the tax payer supplied soda being handed out for free every year in free refills.

lol No doubt.

 

[dmcowen674]

It makes me wonder if they WANT to catch people and write them these ridiculous citations.

I wonder how many of these re-fill tickets have been handed out or this the first one?

Also $525?

Punishment is supposed to fit the crime.

Does $525 fit?

 

[werepossum]

I wonder how many of these re-fill tickets have been handed out or this the first one?

Also $525?

Punishment is supposed to fit the crime.

Does $525 fit?

Of course not. Some people just have zero sympathy for someone who isn't them.

 

[TerryMathews]

I wonder how many of these re-fill tickets have been handed out or this the first one?

Also $525?

Punishment is supposed to fit the crime.

Does $525 fit?

Seems pretty low for theft.

I wonder how many of these re-fill tickets have been handed out or this the first one?

Also $525?

Punishment is supposed to fit the crime.

Does $525 fit?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally Posted by dmcowen674
I wonder how many of these re-fill tickets have been handed out or this the first one?

Also $525?

Punishment is supposed to fit the crime.

Does $525 fit?

Seems pretty low for theft.

Really. OK what do you think it should be?

$1,000

$10,000