Money Moral Dilemma: You broke it, would you pay to fix it?

Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on:
MMD: You broke it, would you pay to fix it?

You’re just bought a cup of hot coffee in McDonalds. As you get back to your seat, you trip over your own bag, which you’d left on the floor. The coffee flys right over the person next to you, they’re unhurt but drenched; worse still they were there using the wireless internet on a laptop. The laptops soaked, the screen flitters and dies and the computer is now kaput. What would you do? Enter the money moral maze. You broke it, would you pay to fix it?

Click reply to have your say
Previous MMDs:

Should Wayne protect his finances from Coleen?
Should Howard & Marion replace Richie's Tenner?
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Comments

  • I couldn't afford it but if it was my fault I guess it is my responsability to pay to have it fixed /buy a new one.
    I would ask myself how I would feel if someone had done that to me.

    Anyway it couldn't happen to me as wouldn't eat in McDonalds and don't own a laptop:p
  • scotsbob
    scotsbob Posts: 4,632 Forumite
    Just bought my first car and returned to find a man there waiting to apologise for accidentally breaking my headlight. Drove with me to nearest garage and paid for repairs.Yes I would pay for the laptop. Do unto others etc.
  • Smiley_Mum
    Smiley_Mum Posts: 3,836
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    I would offer to make a contribution to get it repaired or towards a new one. I wouldn't be able to afford to pay for a new one. Never go near McDonalds and I certainly wouldn't take a laptop anywhere near the place either. :p
    “Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.” - Oscar Wilde
  • Tigsteroonie
    Tigsteroonie Posts: 24,954
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    I'd be praying that they can claim for accidental damage on their contents insurance, and I'd offer to pay the excess.
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  • fablad75
    fablad75 Posts: 326 Forumite
    Not that big a dilemma really - you obviously wouldn't WANT to pay, but there's just no way out of it. If somebody did it to you, you'd be expecting compensation.
  • Pound
    Pound Posts: 2,784
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    Anyway it couldn't happen to me as wouldn't eat in McDonalds and don't own a laptop:p

    They sell coffee in other places as well, you know
  • moneysaver12
    moneysaver12 Posts: 2,027
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    i wouldn't be able to afford it, would say sorry and leave
    Married 09/09/09
  • shellsuit
    shellsuit Posts: 24,749
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    I wouldn't be so silly as to leave my bag on the floor unattended, next to a stranger, while I buy a drink at the counter ;)

    Joking aside, I don't know what I'd do. I'd feel awful, but it would have been an accident and there would be no way I could afford to replace a laptop.

    I'd hope, like tigster said, they would have the laptop insured so would be able to make a claim for accidental damage.
    Tank fly boss walk jam nitty gritty...
  • teeb
    teeb Posts: 392 Forumite
    Sue McDonalds!

    I joke
  • Sooler
    Sooler Posts: 3,108
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    MSE_Andrea wrote: »
    You broke it, would you pay to fix it?

    Absolutely not, they chose to use their laptop in a shop where people go to buy hot coffee so they accept the associated risks of doing so. Such risks of someone tripping and spilling hot coffee.

    They'd have to take it up with McDonalds as they supplied the wireless internet connection so they invited the person to use their laptop. I'd suspect McDonalds would have use at your own risk clause.

    If you accepted responsibility for repaitring the laptop where would it end, they'd want you to pay for the lost data - don't go there - nip it in the bud. NO. :D
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