Money Moral Dilemma: Would you pay a parking back hander?

McBirdie

You know, I'm all for saving money, but the reasons people are giving for taking this swindle are just insane. Let's look at some logic:

--Saying that you don't mind cheating because you "resent paying to park your car" is nonsensical. You paid for your car. You have to pay for upkeep and use. Who do you think is going to pay to build and maintain the parking structures you want to use? It isn't a right to park your car conveniently.

--Whether or not you felt cheated by previous car parks actually has NO implication for this situation. One car park != other car parks.

--Those of you who say you would do it because you feel bad about the poor parking attendant making so little money...come on. Seriously. If you felt that bad, you would be offering him a TIP of £5.

--This idea that the companies account for theft in their financial projections is the worst justification for stealing I've heard in a long time. I may as well go and steal anything I like from the shops, since their projections apparently equal full morality cleansing for my actions.

--OF COURSE the guy who owns the parking lot bought the land to make money. Don't hate someone for doing something you didn't have the gumption or wherewithal to do. Making money is actually a good thing--so long as you don't do it by stealing from your boss by doing underhanded parking deals.

And quick note to the person who mocked holier-than-thous for turning someone in--we're not in school any more. We're not tattling to teacher; we're trying to keep our society from turning into a free-for-all. If you dislike people with morals because they are more likely to rain on your parade, then admit that; don't pretend that you just find them disloyal to the fun-loving criminals. Because, seriously, I don't owe some random thieving parking attendant anything.

You're darned straight I would turn away and turn him in. Someone who will blatantly steal from their employer is capable of a whole lot more. There is zero chance that I would trust him to not damage my car OR to let me back out of the parking garage without gouging me for more money. Turning him in is a service to the community. Or at least the parts of the community that don't think that £9 is a fair price for stealing.

vidalibre

Have done similar situation already, I was happy 'n he was happy!

Jambala

I would drive through the barrier! ;-)

Sami_Bee

I'd do it! I'd have no morals but I'd be £9 better off :A

wsdante

I'd pay the £5 with the fervent wish that everyone who came after me would do the same.
In this way, the unethical extortionists who run these places might go out of business and be replaced by someone less profiteering and morally bankrupt.

mymatebob

Sheepster wrote: »

After being ripped off recently by a bloated car park company, too right I'd take this offer.

Can't believe some of the "holier than thou's" on here, especially the creeps who say they'd go off, no doubt brimming with self righteous importance, and report him. Bet some of those were the snotty nosed kids at school with no friends, who would go running off to teacher at the least chance of telling on other kids.

How were you ripped off?
Were the charges higher than those displayed or that you expected?

No need to call people creeps just because you happen to disagree with them.
Some people do not want to defraud anyone and you are happy to do so.

mymatebob

Stray_Stig wrote: »

Pay the attendant. The car parks at hospitals con everyone so it would be a little payback

What have hospital car parks got to do with this?
Con everyone in what way?
I didn't think the hypothetical car park was meant to be at a hospital?

There is a cap on charges at most (but not all) hospitals in Scotland and there will be no charge from the end of the year.

selimap

To all the people who would pay the £5. And assuming some of you aren't habitual burglars, muggers, junkies and shoplifters etc in which case you'd obviously do it.

1) If you are in a shop and the assistant said you could give them a fiver for an item costing £14, they won't put it through the till - assuming you are certain you won't be caught - would you do it? Would it be different if the shop was a multiple or owned by a local family that you know?

2) You know someone who works in a hospital pharmacy. He offers to get you drugs for a small cost, no questions asked. Yes or no?

3) A frtend at the tax office says he can recalculate your tax bill in a way that will save you £1000, if you split it with him. What do you do?

4) You find a purse in the street with money inside. It has name and address of owner. Do you return it intact? Return it having rmeovee the untracable money which you say was never in it when you saw it? Keep the lot?

jgriggle

A.Jones wrote: »

Leave a camera on the dashboard, start it recording and ask him to clarify his offer. Then let him know you want £50 or you grass him up to his boss.

Not as silly as it sounds - almost everyone has a voice recorder on their mobile phone, which will work in a pocket, and can normally be set up to be activated with one button press rather than navigating menus.

dobefan

I still see and apprecate the opinions of both sides ... but I feel the british gov have the working man screwed into the ground so badly that people are rebelling at every opportunity ... the gov are going to be the cause of making us a third world country not the poor folks that have been worked and taxed to death in order to line the pockets of the upper classes.

You really need to have experienced it from both sides ... I used to have it all, now I have very little and I really see it differently now. I even had better morals at one time, but then at that time I could afford them :rolleyes:

Cheers