This story is almost a year old, but I still found it interesting.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/penny-offense-man-fined-paying-fee-pennies-210854889.html

Quote :

Penny offense: Man fined for paying fee in pennies
By Claudine Zap | The Upshot – Mon, Jun 6, 2011



No lucky pennies here: Police have charged Jason West, an aggrieved medical patient in Vernal, Utah, with disorderly conduct. His alleged crime? Attempting to pay a disputed medical bill of $25 entirely in pennies.

The story, reported in the Salt Lake City Deseret News, describes the "penny offense" this way: West, 38, did not believe he owed the medical clinic $25 but came in to pay the fee in person. He first asked the clinic staff if the facility accepted cash payments, and then dumped 2,500 pennies onto the counter and demanded that they be counted.

But West apparently hadn't counted on the clinic calling the police; the arresting officer contended that West's protest served "no legitimate purpose." The charge carries a fine that can go as high as $140--and there's no word as yet on what currency West will use to pay it.

West isn't alone in the ranks of penny protesters. A wise guy in Frederick, Maryland, showed up at the county clerk's office last summer with bags of cash to pay off his tax bill with $966.86 in change.

And a New Jersey school district a few years back punished 29 students who paid for their $2 school lunches in pennies--possibly as a prank--with two-day detentions. After parents protested, the students were pardoned. The school explained that the use of the small change slowed down the lunch line.

You mean, someone didn't want to bother counting $25 in pennies??? Y'know, I realize that he should have taken his pennies to the bank first, but honestly, $25, to me, does not merit jail space. I pretty much think this is bullshit.

So how is paying in coins a crime? Last I checked pennies were still legal tender.

Too bad the cops aren't out catching the real criminals, and I'd like to see a print copy of the law that says you can't pay in coins. Pennies are legal currency, and unless it's posted somewhere at places of business that payment in coins only, is not accepted, then there's really no arguement other than than someone had a bug up their ass, sideways to have called the cops for that.

Personally, I would have the sense to not do something so ridiculous like the man in question--there are also unspoken rules of etiquette, but those, too, get cancelled out when you get an asshole clerk at a store who really needs to be paid in all coins, just to let them know how pleasant the world is with them around.

Bluesmama wrote:

You mean, someone didn't want to bother counting $25 in pennies??? Y'know, I realize that he should have taken his pennies to the bank first, but honestly, $25, to me, does not merit jail space. I pretty much think this is bullshit.

You're right. And it doesn't, just a max fine of $140. Sure it seems ridiculous on the face of it but he was charged as a disorderly person because he just dumped 2,500 pennies on the counter and demanded they be counted. That didn't cause any disruption or inconvenience to at least the people waiting their turn behind him? Maybe if he had said "well I have the cash right here, but we need to go someplace to count it."

^^Not sure about other parts of the country, but around here, coin machines are popping up in banks and grocery stores, so you don't even have to roll them anymore--just dump your load in the hopper, and the machine counts it up, gives you a ticket, and you turn that in at the service desk for dollar bills.

Alan Smithee wrote:

You're right. And it doesn't, just a max fine of $140. Sure it seems ridiculous on the face of it but he was charged as a disorderly person because he just dumped 2,500 pennies on the counter and demanded they be counted. That didn't cause any disruption or inconvenience to at least the people waiting their turn behind him? Maybe if he had said "well I have the cash right here, but we need to go someplace to count it."

Well, he definitely did not make it any easier on himself with his attitude, either. You are certainly correct there.

People!

I have to admit, I've thought about doing my taxes in Roman Numerals.

Bluesmama wrote:

I have to admit, I've thought about doing my taxes in Roman Numerals.

That might make TurboTax blow up, but great idea! LOL

It reminds me of back in junior high, I had an English teacher who made us keep journals, and write out most deepest, personal thoughts in them. She'd collect them weekly, read and comment on them. The creative writing aspect of it, I could understand, but the divulging of personal info--sorry honey.

I pushed the definition of "write" and wrote my entire journal, jumping between French and Latin. . .. the teacher wasn't too pleased, and made an addendum to the assignment, that it had to be written in English. Somehow I got away with it for 1/2 the year--maybe she was waiting to see if I'd crack and switch back to English on my own. LOL

Hyacinth Girl wrote:

That might make TurboTax blow up, but great idea! LOL

It reminds me of back in junior high, I had an English teacher who made us keep journals, and write out most deepest, personal thoughts in them. She'd collect them weekly, read and comment on them. The creative writing aspect of it, I could understand, but the divulging of personal info--sorry honey.

I pushed the definition of "write" and wrote my entire journal, jumping between French and Latin. . .. the teacher wasn't too pleased, and made an addendum to the assignment, that it had to be written in English. Somehow I got away with it for 1/2 the year--maybe she was waiting to see if I'd crack and switch back to English on my own. LOL

Now that's just stupid, and creepy. It reminds me of my mother said one factor that made her decide to homeschool us, she found out that at the school here, one of the teachers had the kids, and not high school but I think grade school, kids, keep journals, and it had to be a secret, don't tell your parents, they have no right to know about this, and keep them at school, don't take them home. One kid forgot, and took his home and his mother found a note from the kid to his teacher in it saying he was sorry to hear that her husband was impotent and going on and on about her talking about her sex life to I guess 8 and 9 year olds. And when confronted with it, the only thing the school said was the kids weren't supposed to take the journals home.

^^Yeah, I never could quite figure out why that teacher had us do the journals, but I never put anything personal in mine--just stupid stuff that she had to get translated! LOL

If I'd ever had to do that, I think it would be like confessing to a priest, just make shit up and see how they respond to that.

Supernova wrote:

If I'd ever had to do that, I think it would be like confessing to a priest, just make shit up and see how they respond to that.

I think things are watched much more in schools nowadays, though some stuff gets through the cracks--we're talking 1979 when I was in junior high, and the rules were far different back then!

Hyacinth Girl wrote:

^^Not sure about other parts of the country, but around here, coin machines are popping up in banks and grocery stores, so you don't even have to roll them anymore--just dump your load in the hopper, and the machine counts it up, gives you a ticket, and you turn that in at the service desk for dollar bills.

Probably would of been easier for him to do that first if they had the machines in the area. But still, I think that the hospital employees overreacted a bit..


(Just had to do that a couple weeks ago due to the fact that I had over 100 bucks in change lying around.)

LOL.

Canada

Canadian dollar banknotes issued by the Bank of Canada are legal tender in Canada. However, commercial transactions may legally be settled in any manner agreed by the parties involved with the transactions. For example, convenience stores may refuse $100 bank notes if they feel that would put them at risk of being counterfeit victims; however, official policy suggests that the retailers should evaluate the impact of that approach. In the case that no mutually acceptable form of payment can be found for the tender, the parties involved should seek legal advice.[8]

As outlined in the Currency Act, there is a limit the value of a transaction for which you can use only coins.[9] A payment in coins is legal tender for no more than the following amounts for the following denominations of coins:

forty dollars if the denomination is two dollars or greater but does not exceed ten dollars;
twenty-five dollars if the denomination is one dollar;
ten dollars if the denomination is ten cents or greater but less than one dollar;
five dollars if the denomination is five cents; and
twenty-five cents if the denomination is one cent.

Hyacinth Girl wrote:

^^Not sure about other parts of the country, but around here, coin machines are popping up in banks and grocery stores, so you don't even have to roll them anymore--just dump your load in the hopper, and the machine counts it up, gives you a ticket, and you turn that in at the service desk for dollar bills.

I think the point was he was wanted to use loose change in protest of the disputed bill.

we had an envelope come thru the mail going to comcast that was filled with coins. On the outside it said, "This is all i F#@$ing owe you bastards". The problem was that he only attached a 44 cent first class stamp on it and it was WAY heavy... so it was returned to him

The guy was being a tool, but this does not warrant a fine. In such a situation, the money should have been taken, then the CUSTOMER told his bill will reflect the cash payment after counted.

wants2laugh wrote:

we had an envelope come thru the mail going to comcast that was filled with coins. On the outside it said, "This is all i F#@$ing owe you bastards". The problem was that he only attached a 44 cent first class stamp on it and it was WAY heavy... so it was returned to him

Somehow I doubt the post office here ever sees anything that colorful.

That is so annoying and disruptive. I hate it when people try so hard to make a point that they completely disregard how unrelated people will be affected. There's a time and place for everything. Folks are so emboldened nowadays by the thought of YouTube fame that they don't pick and choose their battles wisely, and any damn thing becomes a reason to march.

I remember seeing something like this on "Parking Wars" and they refused to take the payment as well. Of course the argument to this is, "I'm trying to pay you and you are refusing payment?" F*CK yeah, nobody wants to lug that shyt around but crazy azzholes trying to make idiotic points!

What was so hard about taking his azz to Coinstar? Who just throws money on the counter and demands for someone to count it? If I'm a cashier, you just took my job description WAY too far.

He should have rolled them & then they should have taken them. I understand him being upset. The cost of some things is just absurdly high & the people can get an attitude with the customers or patients. He was wrong to just dump them like that but a fine that high is wrong too.