a morality question?

Question

If you have a $50 gas station/convenience store gift card and you use it at the pump to pay for $42 of gasoline for your car and then later find that the pump malfunctioned and did not deduct the $42 from your gift card, leaving you with still $50, would you say something or keep the $50? Why would you make your decision and how would you feel about it afterwards?

Answer 1

If you just took someone's property for nothing when you were supposed to give them money for it, then I don't see your problem. You go back and point out the mistake. It isn't theft until you decide that you will just take advantage of the gas station owner and keep his earnings for yourself. You got what you paid for, and if it was a gift card, you even got it for free, right? What kind of a grinch tries to weasel more than that? Every decision you make, makes you the person you are. What kind of person are you, and what kind of person do you suppose God wants you to be?

Answer 2

Since I'm an honest person (dammit), I would probably tell the clerk the card malfunctioned. However, given the disgusting profit oil companies are making these days, and the fact that the last time I filled my gas tank I actually thought bitterly about when I was a kid and my parents were outraged that gas had jumped to $0.99 a gallon, if I was able to squelch my honest nature I wouldn't feel guilty about keeping the $42 in free gas.

Because I drive a very fuel efficient Prizm, and it's clear the days of filling my tank on $20 are long gone. $20 buys me half a tank of gas. It's ridiculous.

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Answer 3

Everyone who has this false sense of moral superiority is going to tell you that they wouldn't steal it but the REALITY is that most everyone (except for a few people who are always doing the right thing and getting screwed over) is going to keep the $50. Let's be honest folks. Money doesn't grow on trees and if you're really hurting for cash (especially in this crappy economy) - $50 is nothing to sneeze at.

Personally, while I still consider myself a good person, I have to be honest and say that I would keep it. I would make that decision based on how much profit the large corporate gas companies are making off us poor working folks. I would feel just fine about doing it, too. I'm not going to lose any sleep over some fat necked corporate president who's making six figures a year (if not more) not getting his $50 million dollar bonus because of a malfunctioning gas pump. We should all have those kinds of problems.

Answer 4

someone has to pay for that $42 worth of gas and since you used the gas it should be you. otherwise it is stealing. If you say something and the clerk decides it is more work to fix it then to just let you have the gas then that would be another issue and it would then fall on the clerk as being dishonest. But by not saying anything you would be breaking 2 commandments I'm sorry my response was a little assuming please replace the word "you" with "me" God Bless and peace be with you and I hope "I" make the right decision

Answer 5

The way we get ripped off at the gas pump, I'd keep it be extremely happy, And I'd go to the same pump with that card the next time i needed gas, and hope for the same results!!! Did you know over in Saudi Arabia they pay 20 cents a galon for gas?

Answer 6

I once received a gift card at work for $50. I went shopping and the card overdrafted by $13. I went to cust service and told them what I had done and told them I wanted to pay the $13 back, but they told me not to worry about it. Try it, they may not make you pay it but if they do, it was the right thing to do.

Answer 7

They would find their mistake eventually and make you pay for it--like you were the one who did it. So I would be honest.

A bank teller gave me $80 too much once--I took the money back to the bank about a week later b/c it wasn't until then that I noticed. They did not say "thank you," (I didn't expect a thanks, but still) they hustled me to a little dark room and interrogated me and I found out later that they had fired the teller (of course.) But they still got their money back. I feel neutral about it--it wasn't my money, so it wasn't any big loss.

ps--I do agree with the folks who say that the big gas corporations prey on us little folks. But we still have to be honest and hope that they get theirs soon.

Answer 8

I would definitely, no question, take it back to be deducted. About two years ago, my husband and I went to the car wash to wash our car and I found a purse. I looked inside to find a name so I could return it and saw a big wad of money folded over. I thought about how frantic the woman must be who lost it. Thankfully I found her cell phone and called a number that said "mom". Her mom answered and sure enough, her daughter was hystericaly trying to find where she'd left her purse. I met the woman to give her purse back and she was so happy!!! She told me that she had just cashed her tax refund and had over $5,000 in that wad of money I saw. She had been on her way to trade in her piece of junk car for a new one with that money! It really made my day to help her that way! =)

Answer 9

I would only use the remaining $8. I would do that because that is the sort of person that I want to be. I would feel good about it.

I couple of people, in answering this question made reference to their opinions of oil companies. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but it is not important to what I choose to do. I am not responsible for how big oil companies behave. But I am responsible for what I choose to do.

Answer 10

I have always come out ahead by telling the truth, and I liked the "thou shalt not steal" answer.

I ordered a pair of pants, the ordered size was correct, but the size sent was wrong. They credited my card, and ordered me a new pair for free. I said, "but I haven't then paid for the pants, they said, That's okay, have a nice day". So I got them free anyway.