A moral question

[catnapper]

Picture it..... a gas station, July 2006. You go to the gas station, you pull up to the pump, swipe your credit card and run into the store for a drink. Meanwhile, your passenger pumps the gas while you're in the store.

As you are standing in line, you hear a woman tell the clerk that she paid cash for her gas and left without pumping it because she forgot since she was busy talking to someone on her cell (meanwhile, as she tells the clerk this, she is still on the cell phone). The cell phone person is told that someone else got their gas and there's nothing he can do.... cell person storms out of store complaining into their phone about how someone stole her gas. You pay for your drink return to your car.

Upon getting back to your car, you notice the gas tank is only a little above a 1/4 tank even after pumping... you ask your passenger how much gas they pumped for you. They tell you that the pump simply stopped at $10.00. Hmmm... odd. So you get out of the car and swipe the credit card again, this time for another $20 worth of gas. As you get back into the car, you realize YOU stole the cell phone person's gas. You didn't mean to and didn't realize it until after the cell phone person was long gone.

Did you "steal" the gas?

[shais_mom]

no
If the idiot woman is on her phone while pumping gas which is a huge NO NO and could have caused the friggin block to blow up she's too stupid and the person who got the gas just had a stroke of luck.

There was one day I went to the car was pulled in and when I went to put my quarters in there was about $3 or more in quarters sitting there. Yup I used them - then some people that had been mudding pulled up into the bay when I left my thoughts were they had left their quarters there so they could go get the next vehicle to wash. But if they are stupid enough to leave money around thinking noone else was going to pull in there before they came back they deserved having me use $1.25 to was my car!

[moosmom]

I totally agree with Staci. I work in retail and the biggest pet peeve I have is trying to wait on someone who's busy chatting on their cellphone. If the dumb broad didn't have the common courtesy to hang up during the transaction, she DESERVED to lose the gas. So, no Kim, you didn't steal the gas. She was an idiot.

[jackie]

Oops, but i don't think it is stealing, not like you did it on purpose.

[finn's mom]

You didn't do it intentionally. I don't consider that stealing.

[cloverfdx]

Kim it was not intentional so i would not call it stealing. And i know here in Australia you are not allowed to talk on mobiles/ cell phones whilst pumping gas.. so what did the women think she was doing.

[Dorothy39]

:D :D :D Thanks for the tip!!!!! :D :D :D

I will now seek out" idiots" talking on their cell phones when I stop for GAS!!!

Sorry, I couldn't resist typing this reply.!!!

No you are not a stealer at all, I'd say, LUCKY!!!!! :eek:

[Laura's Babies]

Maybe that woman will learn to pay attention the next time.. How could she PAY for the gas and then forget to pump it? :rolleyes:

[lizbud]

If you are talking morals, yes it's wrong to take something that does not
belong to you.Whether it's money found on the street, or someone elses
gas at the pump. Since it was unintentional it's not a serious breach of
ethics. What if you are given back more change then you were due, would
you correct the clerk & return the extra money?

[kuhio98]

I think stealing would mean that you had the intention of causing harm. There was no intention here. This was just an accident.

But, it doesn't matter that she was on a cell phone. It wouldn't matter if she was doing a strip tease in public. Both are stupid things to do, but she didn't deserve to have something bad happen to her. But, you didn't steal.

[BOBS DAD]

Ok... I'll weigh in here. It's a tweener... I mean, it's certainly not stealing, but I wouldn't say it was "good fortune" either. I guess i would call it bad luck on the cell phone talking person's part - and as others have suggested, largely due to her addiction to the phone.

I think most people's "its her fault" response is due to their understandable irritation over those "people who seemed to have the cell phone glued to their ear" and can't get off - even to complete a task which might require their undivided attention.

I think if given the chance (which doesn't seem to be the case here - it happened to fast and too coincidentally for you), most people will make an effort to right a wrong. Given the wrong change - they will give it back.

Not long ago, I pulled into an ATM drive through. The woman in front of me was taking forever - which really was beginning to irritate me because she obviously was engrossed in her "CELL PHONE" conversation and couldn't focus long enough to complete her transaction.

FINALLY... FINALLY, she took her money... removed the car from Park and drove away. When I pulled into bay, the ATM was blinking the mesage, "Would you like another transaction?" Her card was still in the machine with PIN already entered and every opportunity for me to extract as much money as the machine might allow.

"SHIT" I said. Cause now I gotta say "NO". The card will spit out and then I gotta track her down as I could still see her at the light at first intersection from ATM (still jabbering away). So I said NO, got the card and had to track her down almost a mile later (several traffic lights). Even then, I had a hard time distracting her and getting attention cause she was laughing and head bobbing and really into her talk. Finally got alongside, got her attention... she rolled down the window and gave her her card.

As I was explaining, she realized what she had done and was truly thankful for my efforts... and she even told the other person on the phone that she "had to go".

[catnapper]

LOL... how is it everyone assumes it was me in the story? :p

Of course it was. I felt a bit guilty, but it was rather nice getting a "freebie" for once. I seem to have had one bacd run of financial luck... and part of me wonders what's going to happen next to make me "pay" for the gas I accidentally got for "free"

[Dorothy39]

Please , get off the guilt train. !!!! ( hee hee hee)

God works in mysterious ways!!!!! :eek:

You have earned a reprive for once in a blue moon!!!!

Now, if this cell user had pre-paid over $20.00 worth of gas, I'd be humbled myself. But, as it stands, she is only out of $10.00 worth.

You have just re-checked your morals---I see you as a decent person who was just lucky!!!! :D Hey, decent people never get a break, right? We abide by the law, pay our taxes, or bills, etc. Sometimes we get an even break!!!

[catnapper]

Hey, decent people never get a break, right? We abide by the law, pay our taxes, or bills, etc. Sometimes we get an even break!!!
I keep saying something like that. I don't steal, I don't cheat. I don't lie. I try to treat everyone with respect and dignity. I work hard and no matter how much I try, I never seem to come out ahead.... all the while I watch liars, backstabbers, and generally horrible people get ahead and enjoy good bank accounts. Its all very frustrating. I keep wondering when my luck will turn and I'll start to lead a charmed life. Well, not neccesarily a charmed life, but one where I'm not being knocked down financially every two days.

PS: I also had another good luck thing happen this week: I won a radio at work! I have NO CLUE what I'm going to do with it since I can listen to radio on the computer or through my digital cable service... but I have this cool new EXPENSIVE radio. I sure wish they gave me the cash equivallent instead! :p

[Ginger's Mom]

PS: I also had another good luck thing happen this week: I won a radio at work! I have NO CLUE what I'm going to do with it since I can listen to radio on the computer or through my digital cable service... but I have this cool new EXPENSIVE radio. I sure wish they gave me the cash equivallent instead! :p
Hmm...you could always take it to the consignment shop, and see what they will give you for it. :D

[jenluckenbach]

Personally I believe this was God's way of helping you through this financial crisis.

PS. the radio??? EBAY :p

[Dorothy39]

Count your blessings!!!!

I have dabbled a little on E-bay, just a few things here and there, and I have contempated selling items on e-bay for extra income.

Keep the box that this radio came in.

You are in a lucky streak .

[wolfsoul]

I don't think you stole it --- be happy, free gas! :p

And just a question to anyone who knows --- why is it that we can't talk on a cell phone near the pumps? I know we aren't supposed to but I still see people doing it all the time. Are they worried about the radiation causing an explosion?

[Uabassoon]

That actually happened to me about a week ago! I swiped my card then I noticed that it stopped pumping at $7. When the reciept came out it had said that it was paid inside with cash and my credit card number was never charged! I went inside to see if anyone had any problems the emplyee told me not to worry about it, so I didn't!

[GreyhoundGirl]

Maybe it's Karma. ;) She didn't sound like a very nice person. You probably deserved it more than she did.

[sparks19]

Perhaps God was trying to teach her a lesson. Life is just passing her by because she is too busy on the phone to notice anyone or anything around her. Perhaps God used THIS as a lesson to "pay attention" before she causes an accident because of that phone. I guess the best way to teach a lesson is to do it in a way that they will take notice. In other words she paid for something she did not receive and it was no one's fault but her own.

In the meantime you got a little break. don't feel bad about it. You did not pump the gas :D so technically your passenger stole the gas ;) hehe

[K9karen]

no!

[cyber-sibes]

No, I wouldn't say it's stealing because you didn't intend to take her gas.

[Pam]

Perhaps God used THIS as a lesson to "pay attention" before she causes an accident because of that phone.

Very good point! Talking on cell phones while driving is illegal here in NJ, although I wish I had $1.00 for every person I drive past who is talking on a cell phone. I'd have a nice little bundle. :rolleyes: Hopefully this person will have learned that her cell is taking away her ability to concentrate. Some people only learn lessons when they involve their *pocketbook.* Kim, I would not feel guilty at all. You did NOT steal.

I have given back too much change and told the cashier, and once at the bank the teller gave me WAY too much money back. I told her about it and I thought she was going to kiss me. :) This situation at the pump is totally different in my opinion. :)

[Vela]

There was one day I went to the car was pulled in and when I went to put my quarters in there was about $3 or more in quarters sitting there. Yup I used them - then some people that had been mudding pulled up into the bay when I left my thoughts were they had left their quarters there so they could go get the next vehicle to wash. But if they are stupid enough to leave money around thinking noone else was going to pull in there before they came back they deserved having me use $1.25 to was my car!

I find that a bit disturbing actually. Maybe it was an accident they forgot it and not intentional. Don't really think it's fair to call them stupid. I once accidentally left my entire wallet in a bathroom stall, I wasn't on a cell phone either. So by that logic I guess I could be called stupid for accidentally doing that with 500 dollars in it an somebody should have just taken it. I think the right thing to do would have been to leave it there, whether it was their money or not. But that's just me. Yes it's only 3 dollars, but it's the principal, but that's just my opinion.

As far as the gas goes, since you didn't do it intentionally, and the person was already gone, then nothing you can do about it. Had she still been there, they it would have been right to offer her the 10 dollars back. No need to feel guilty for an accident when it wasn't intentional and she was already gone.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Gosh.....if she had been distracted because.....the baby was crying in the back seat...as she was on her way to visit her sick grandmother in the hospital....after tending to her disabled husband...would that be acceptable reasons for her to make a mistake????

So many are ready to judge her...and "punish" her for her sin!

What if the situation were reversed? And someone else pumped gas YOU had paid for?

[Pam]

Gosh.....if she had been distracted because.....the baby was crying in the back seat...as she was on her way to visit her sick grandmother in the hospital....after tending to her disabled husband...would that be acceptable reasons for her to make a mistake????

So many are ready to judge her...and "punish" her for her sin!

What if the situation were reversed? And someone else pumped gas YOU had paid for?

No one would doubt that she would have been excused that *sin* if the unbelievable circumstances that you describe had been the cause of her distraction. Unfortunately many people on cells are not able to multi-task, or even *dual task.* :rolleyes: I am glad that the only thing that was lost in this incident was money.

I am sure we have all lost money at one time or another, be it from dropping it on the ground or a purchase that turned out to be a disappointment. Life goes on and we learn.....or should. :rolleyes:

[Edwina's Secretary]

I just think if someone else loses something....even if I think the reason they lost it was being "stupid".... I should try and return it.... :)

It has happened to me...when someone tried to return something I lost though my own stupidity and I sure did appreciate it!

I, too, find people talking on cell phones and not paying attention annoying. But if I felt everyone should suffer for what I consider annoying behavior....well...it would be a mighty suffering world! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Muddy4paws]

Am i stupid for thinking that even being in a petrol station with a mobile phone on is just dangerous?

We got signs all over our stations saying phones are not to be used because I think there is a way of blowing the whole thing up?

Anyway sounds like you haven't had much luck with the break- in a read about so maybe its karma :D and if she is dumb enough to put herself and others a risk over a phone call then I think she deserves to miss out