What I am really most interested in is how in the world this got into the OPs craw so much?
Calling this theft is quite silly, and hardly worth mentioning.
My problem with it is that it gets close to double dipping a chip. Once you lay your mouth on something, I don’t want to see that something get close to anything to do with my stuff. No, I don’t honestly think there’s much chance at all of transmitting any of your junk to me through this process, and I don’t get worked up about it.
It just violates certain illusions that I would prefer to maintain when it comes to food dispensing areas.
I have no idea of number of the number of prosecutions and even less interest infinding out. Frankly it has nothing to do with the subject at hand.
Instead of looking up uses of gold on spacecraft you might have though to look up Theft
or
By the way, I was recently told that the term for the syrup-to-carbonated-water ratio is “BRIX.”
While I am sure some of the people who take that sip do it to STICK IT TO THE MAN and GET MY DAMNED MONIES WORTH, my guess is that these many of these supposedly immoral blackguards are tasting the brix (as indicated above, although I confess I usually do this before my cup is anywhere near full). I suspect the remainder never thought of this as them sneaking a fast one or stealing anything. Maybe because (a) they know how variable the ice/soda ratio can be, as already mentioned; or (b) they are thinking about the fast food model of self-serve drinks, where you’re often sitting and eating and have greater opportunity to top up your drink (with the restaurants’ blessing as long as it is during the same visit).
As for (b): this may be wrong on their part. Convenience stores ARE different in that they presumably don’t expect patrons to get (or need) a top-up. Around here, the prices for a convenience store fountain soda are cheaper than those at fast food restaurants. Is it because of the refill issue? I doubt it, especially given the cost information provided upthread, but who knows?
In any event, I don’t think this is an issue to get excited about. I don’t usually subscribe to the idea that “stealing SMALL amounts isn’t really stealing” (I get moderately crabby about people munching grapes in grocery stores) but fountain soda is a commodity that seems especially trivial when you’re getting down to the level of sips.
To address some posts: No, I don’t own a convenience store. Too bad if you feel this is a lame pitting. The mindset displayed by many posters to this thread is indicative of a societal problem. Let’s rationalize our way out of this. How in hell does the profit margin on a product justify the theft thereof? Oh-he’s marked this up way more than I think he should have, so fuck him, I’ll take it. :rolleyes:
Is this the kind of shit you teach your kids? Seriously. Think about it-your values will likely be adopted in part by your offspring. When little Billy and Suzie see you steal, it becomes okay in their minds because Mommy or Daddy did it. My parents advised that honesty is like pregnancy-either you are or you aren’t.
Well, how do you respond to the arguments that theft is defined by what the putative victim says it is?
danceswithcats, I think people are saying it’s not a big deal, because it simply isn’t. Taking a few extra ounces of pop isn’t going to bring about the downfall of society. The convience store owners don’t mind, their peons don’t mind, and the other customers who frequent the stores don’t mind. It’s like when I steal a fry off my friend’s plate at lunch. I’m taking something that does not belong to me, but if the person I am “stealing” from doesn’t make a fuss, why should the guy sitting at the next table be concerned about it?
Oh, I do love moral absolutism combined with recreational outrage (kudos to Excalibre for that handy phrase, by the way). Stealing a penny is exactly as wrong as stealing a car! If your kids see you drive over the speed limit, they’ll know that all laws can be disregarded at all times and will grow up to be serial killing jay-walkers!
Ugh. I assume the follow-up thread, “People who eat grapes in the grocery store are worse than Hitler!” will be along shortly?
I tried, and I had a couple of problems with that:
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His feet are really small.
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I got arrested for assault. (He didn’t want to let me borrow his shoes so that I could comment on the OP.)
Why would you feel bad for testing the soda before the cup is full?
I only fill part way (1/4 full) before giving it the official taste test. This is out of consideration for the store since if the mix is off, I’ll just dump out what’s in the cup and try the next choice. I actually feel bad dumping soda, so I try to avoid having to toss a cupful.
I don’t think anyone here is saying that. What I’m saying is, the product is so incredibly cheap that convenience store owners DON’T CARE if you get a little more than you pay for. How much you get is so variable anyway, one guy may want more ice and get less soda than the next guy who didn’t want any ice, and it doesn’t matter, it all pretty much evens itself out.
I was raised to be honest too. My mom HATES thieves, stealing was like the cardinal sin in my house when I was a kid. Thieves cost her money, if there’s too many gas drive offs or too much shoplifting, she doesn’t get her monthly bonus. But yet, she laughed (a lot) when I told her about this thread, because it’s such a complete nonissue.
It’s implied in just about all restaurants that soda = free refill. You name it, Applebee’s, Fazoli’s, Wendy’s, hell even Ruth’s Chris will give you a free refill when you order soda. Even if it’s at a place where there’s not a self-serve station, you bring your cup up to the counter and ask for a refill and you’ll get it 99% of the time. Some people even butt in line to ask for a refill. If people incorrectly assume that this is true of convenience stores, then they should certainly let consumers know.
On a tangent: the local movie theatres will give you free refills on both popcorn AND soda. When the lady told me this, I looked at her incredulously because the soda container qualified as a bucket. I guess if you’re looking to save a buck, you could order one small soda and one small popcorn for the whole family and just keep exiting the movie in order to fill your face. But I digress.
In any event, count me in as saying that’s it’s not illegal to refill as long as it’s the same trip. In other words, you can’t mosey in after a week with a cup and expect a free refill. THAT’s stealing.
-1 on this pitting. Going 31 mph in a 30 mph zone is against the law. So is jaywalking. I think we can agree there are degrees of severity when it comes to running afoul of societal conventions, right? It must be very difficult to live life within the exactitudes of what is morally right.
Yes, I suppose in a very abstract way, it’s stealing. So is using the free air pumps at a gas station if you haven’t purchased it. But surely we can be reasonable and say that these are examples of mildly abusing hospitality… not theft?
Furthermore it stands to reason that it’s possible to commit these malfeasances because there is some advantage to the shopkeeper. I’ve been known to use the local gas station’s air to inflate my bike tires… but I go to that gas station all of the time. Presumably I could take air each time I stop by… but I don’t. Shopkeepers probably figure out they are encouraging business by making customers think they’re getting a freebie, when in reality they’re doing very little to dent profits by allowing this “theft” to continue.
Now if the patron in the OP was repeatedly topping off a 64 ouncer of Diet Pepsi Jazz, I’d ask for a rimjob.
I’d be interested in hearing some examples of other behaviors dwc considers crimes or offenses.
I suspect she’s got herself quite a little list…
Oh fuck you, you stupid absolutist. What are you, eight years old?
You know what’s indicative of a societal problem? Nanny-ass shitheads like you getting OCD over someone taking an extra sugar packet, swig out of their soda, doing .5 miles an hour over the speed limit, having a cigarette outside near your precious fucking lungs, having a cold beer, listening to music louder than you like, or doing any number of any other tiny little fucking things that only bother dustcunted schoolmarms.
Nice way to play the “OMG t3h children!!!11!” card, too. Dipshit.
Wow. You managed to that exactly wrong. In this thread, danceswithcats is complaining about behavior that a lot of people do, and few people think is wrong. Excalibre used “recreational outrage” to describe pit threads about things that not one in 10 million people do, and that everyone agrees is wrong. You must have had to really work at it to get it that screwed up.
It doesn’t. But the attitude of the shop owner does.
On Saturday I took my kids for breakfast at a bagel place. When I got my change, I realized that the cashier had given me 20 cents too much. Being a scrupulous guy about such things, I let him know that he’d made a mistake and gave him his 20 cents back.
This same bagel shop also has serve-yourself sodas. No refill policy is posted, so I assume what I assume anywhere there’s serve-yourself sodas: They don’t care if you get a refill! Which, I did, later, in the full sight of the staff who did nothing to suggest that my assumption was in error!
If a place has a no-refill policy, I’ll honor it. If they don’t, I assume they don’t care. If they don’t care, it’s not stealing!
Well, I’m not that smart. I blame all the stolen soda.
I dunno man. I think it’s an okay form of stealing. I mean, I don’t think you could get arrested for doing something so minor. Also, if there’s a long line at the check out, the clerk won’t see you. He will be to busy to pay attention to you.
What **Uvula Donor ** said.
I rarely post in the Pit since I’m not one to pile on the abuse knowing there is an actual, living-breathing humanoid on the receiving end of it.
But I have to add that this OP and DWC’s one follow-up, in my time here, in all seriousness, qualifies as the absolute stupidest thing I’ve ever read on this message board.