Walking away without paying

[Reiper]

So I had a bad experience at an optometrists office a while back, and I was considering walking away without paying.

The situation: So I needed to get an eye exam done for a job, and the employer had given me a sheet that an optometrist had to fill out. I went to a place in a mall, and gave them the sheet. I asked if they could perform all of the tests on the sheet and they said yes. So they did the tests and directed me to the front to pay. It came to $100, and then they told me that they actually were not able to perform the "field of view" test, because there machine didn't have the 160degree field required by the test. They said they would need to refer me to another place across town where I could finish the test, for an additional fee of course.

So I got a little irate and confronted them, and they said that there was no way to know until after the test was done. This sounded like a load of horsecrap to me, and I strongly considered walking out without paying. Ultimately, I paid, partially because they had my name and address and also because I didn't want to deal with potential consequences.

Of course I never went to the place they referred me to, I simply put a checkmark in the "passed fov test" box. So in the end they signed for me anyways.

Would I have been right to not pay or demand a discount when they were not able to sign my sheet? What do you think the consequences would have been if I had simply walked out?

 

[Lionsfan]

They probably would have notified authorities. Gotten you in trouble.

I guess maybe you would have been right to want a discount, but not to just walk out

 

[Reiper]

They probably would have notified authorities. Gotten you in trouble.

I guess maybe you would have been right to want a discount, but not to just walk out

Why not though? I asked if they could do the test, they said yes. They then wanted to bill me without the services having been rendered.

Its like paying a contractor for only painting half the house.

 

[Little Woodsman]

So I had a bad experience at an optometrists office a while back, and I was considering walking away without paying.

The situation: So I needed to get an eye exam done for a job, and the employer had given me a sheet that an optometrist had to fill out. I went to a place in a mall, and gave them the sheet. I asked if they could perform all of the tests on the sheet and they said yes. So they did the tests and directed me to the front to pay. It came to $100, and then they told me that they actually were not able to perform the "field of view" test, because there machine didn't have the 160degree field required by the test. They said they would need to refer me to another place across town where I could finish the test, for an additional fee of course.

So I got a little irate and confronted them, and they said that there was no way to know until after the test was done. This sounded like a load of horsecrap to me, and I strongly considered walking out without paying. Ultimately, I paid, partially because they had my name and address and also because I didn't want to deal with potential consequences.

Of course I never went to the place they referred me to, I simply put a checkmark in the "passed fov test" box. So in the end they signed for me anyways.

Would I have been right to not pay or demand a discount when they were not able to sign my sheet? What do you think the consequences would have been if I had simply walked out?

That one is a tough call, but I'd definitely ask to speak to a manager, ask for a *substantial* discount, ask why I wasn't informed that the test might not be done, ask how much I would be charged at the place referred to etc....
And do all of that asking politely. Possibly hit the 'record' feature of your cell phone if it has one before starting to speak with everyone. If you feel that management did not resolve your issue...well since this was in a mall I assume it was a chain store and you could actually call the company with a complaint or refund request. As a final resort take them to court for your refund.
Just walking away without paying is pretty darn questionable as they did provide services to you. Also might get you banned from the mall or end with them being the ones taking you to court.

 

[McMullen]

Is there someone you can file a complaint with? I'm pretty sure you should have been able to make the case that they were asking you to pay for a service that they did not provide.

 

[Don't taze me bro]

You've never had to get medical tests done for a job before have you? You payed the money to have a Doctor do the tests, not the actual number of tests themselves.

It being something medical related will always cost big bucks. I once had to pay 400 bucks on 2 different specialist I knew I didn't need to be cleared by but the employer saying I had to.It's not like that at all, you're over-exaggerating now. You got the tests done and passed them all. Stop being so cheap, you were not entitled to a discount at all.

I disagree. He had the required tests written down. He showed the Optometrist the list. They said they could do 'all' of them. It was only after the other tests were completed, they told him otherwise. It's poor / deceptive customer service.

 

[Something Amyss]

It's not like that at all, you're over-exaggerating now. You got the tests done and passed them all.

Actually, isn't it exactly the opposite? He didn't get all the tests he was told he would, and therefore couldn't pass them all?

 

[Deshin]

Did they tell you *before* you did the tests that it would cost the 100 or afterwards? You probably only got billed for the tests they did perform, not theoretical tests they could have performed. If you handed the paper in and they said "oh yeah we can do all those for you, whole thing will cost 100" THEN said "sorry can't do one of those, that'll be 100 please" then you could ask for a refund. As is it's more a case of "yeah sorry, we actually can't do that last one there, but here's the bill for the stuff we did do"

 

[Rednog]

You got billed for the tests performed...so what's the problem here?
Unfortunately they made a mistake and couldn't do the entire set of tests and you have to put up with the annoyance of going somewhere else to complete the test, but the bill reflects the tests performed. Walking out is absolutely wrong in this case.

 

[CriticalMiss]

Whoah, $100 for eye tests? That sounds extortionate, though it's the USA so I shouldn't be so suprised I guess. Since they actually did some of the tests it would probably be unfair to walk out without paying, but since they promised they could do everything on the list and didn't then you could have asked for a discount or for the second place to do the test for free.

When I get my eyes tested I always get an appointment at a laser eye surgery place that do free tests to see how much they can milk out of you for the surgery, ask them for the results then bugger off without booking the actual surgery. Saves me the £20 or so that some places charge and gives me some free kindling for the fireplace.

 

[Lilani]

-snip-

Of course you should pay for the services rendered. Yes it's an inconvenience to track down someplace else to do that last test, and you could probably have worked something out based on the fact that you had been told they could do all the tests when that wasn't the case, but that doesn't make it okay to just up and leave. Apart from the fact that it's illegal, they didn't cheat you of anything. As long as they only charged you for the tests they performed, they did everything right. The only error was that there was one test they couldn't (and didn't) perform. No offense, but I think you're being very petty. So you have to go someplace else for the final test, big fucking whoop. If that's the only inconvenience to come from your experience, consider yourself lucky. In the way of "things that can go wrong when getting tests done," this is right up there with "stubbed toe in the waiting room" and "didn't quite make that really log stoplight on the way to the doctor's office."

You don't get to steal stuff just because you've been inconvenienced. If I take my car into the shop to get my tires rotated and oil changed, and when I go back later I learn they couldn't change my oil for whatever reason I don't get to just drive away with a free tire rotation. At least not without working something out first. That would be stealing, just the same as you wanted to do.

 

[Something Amyss]

I didn't say he got them all done, I said he passed them all. Even if one was ticked by himself.

Except he didn't pass it, even if you try and play the semantics game.

 

[Something Amyss]

Whoah, $100 for eye tests? That sounds extortionate, though it's the USA so I shouldn't be so suprised I guess. Since they actually did some of the tests it would probably be unfair to walk out without paying, but since they promised they could do everything on the list and didn't then you could have asked for a discount or for the second place to do the test for free.

When I get my eyes tested I always get an appointment at a laser eye surgery place that do free tests to see how much they can milk out of you for the surgery, ask them for the results then bugger off without booking the actual surgery. Saves me the £20 or so that some places charge and gives me some free kindling for the fireplace.

It's America, so by our standards, he got off light.

I pay more than that for my eye exams with insurance.

It does suck, for the record, and I'm not defending the system. But yeah. American standards.

I should remember this thread for the next time someone complains about US game prices.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

So I had a bad experience at an optometrists office a while back, and I was considering walking away without paying.

The situation: So I needed to get an eye exam done for a job, and the employer had given me a sheet that an optometrist had to fill out. I went to a place in a mall, and gave them the sheet. I asked if they could perform all of the tests on the sheet and they said yes. So they did the tests and directed me to the front to pay. It came to $100, and then they told me that they actually were not able to perform the "field of view" test, because there machine didn't have the 160degree field required by the test. They said they would need to refer me to another place across town where I could finish the test, for an additional fee of course.

So I got a little irate and confronted them, and they said that there was no way to know until after the test was done. This sounded like a load of horsecrap to me, and I strongly considered walking out without paying. Ultimately, I paid, partially because they had my name and address and also because I didn't want to deal with potential consequences.

Of course I never went to the place they referred me to, I simply put a checkmark in the "passed fov test" box. So in the end they signed for me anyways.

Would I have been right to not pay or demand a discount when they were not able to sign my sheet? What do you think the consequences would have been if I had simply walked out?

I work in a business where we have to deal with customers who don't want to pay on a relatively frequent basis, it basically comes down to a 'risk vs. reward' thing.

You probably could have said "you lied to me and didn't provide me the service you said you would. I'm not paying' and walked out, and I can almost guarantee you that the Optometrist's office wouldn't drag you to small claims court over $100. But then again, technically, if they wanted to, they could do it over $1.

Even if it does go to small claims court, there is no guarantee they'll win, but it's one of those things of "do you really want to have to deal with this?". In your situation I'll admit that on principal I would not want to pay, but if I applied some thought to it I'd probably just bite the bullet and deal with it and pay the money.

Sometimes spending money to make your life easier is worth it.

 

[Abomination]

I wouldn't have walked out, but I would have demanded a discount equal to that which the other specialist would have charged for the extra tests they quoted me on.

If they said they were going to perform all the tests and then quoted you $100 for those tests then didn't provide one of the tests they need to ensure you receive all of the tests for the $100 you paid them.

If they refuse to do that THEN you walk out without paying and without your script.

 

[Jamash]

So rather than complete the required test, you committed fraud and falsified your medical records in order to get the job?

You better hope that your field of view is OK and you're not involved in an accident or fail a task that could be due to you not seeing something that should have been in your FOV, because that could end up costing you a lot of money, a lot more money than the cost of taking the extra test.

What exactly is this job you needed the eye test for? I pray to God isn't nothing involving vehicles or heavy machinery.

 

[MetalDooley]

How many testes was there?

Depends on how many males were in the room at the time