TerribleTom <SilverEightynine@aol.com> wrote:
: I feel I did the right thing - but I thought I would get some other
: opinions from the rest of the List.
On the one hand, I don't really like it when I go into a parts
store and get into the 20 questions routine, but thats usually
because I already know exactly what I want. Plus, I would guess
that almost a quarter to half the stuff I go into Autozone for is
not even automotive related. :-) I work on a lot of strange projects
and also I'm not exactly what you might call a "people person" :-)
I don't like to explain to people what I'm doing; partly because
I'm basically the loner hermit type who shuns human contact, ;-)
partially because explaining would take too long, partially because
it is probably something really strange that I'd rather not get
into, and partially because I'm usually not even certain that
whatever idea I am working on at the time will even work. Unless I
specifically ask for help on something, I generally just want to go
in, buy the stuff and leave, preferably with little more said than
"thanks" and "have a nice day". :-)
On the other hand, I think its good to have a conscience and a
genuine concern for your fellow man. I think its admirable to try
and help out someone whose skill/knowledge level might not necessarily
be up to the task they are about to undertake. Since this guy came
right up and asked for compression fittings "for brake lines", IMHO,
you are certainly well within your rights to refuse to sell them to
him. If it were me, I would explain that compression fittings are not
safe to use on a brake line, and offer him the correct components
(which you did). At that point, if he still wants to go the unsafe
route, its your call. If you personally cannot in good concience sell
the parts to him knowing what he was going to do with them, then
you could either refuse to sell them to him outright, or possibly
have another employee assist the customer. The consumer doesn't have
a right to purchase items from a store (although its generally good
business practice to allow them to do so) ;-) a customer is certainly
able to go elsewhere if they can't find satisfaction at your
establishment.
If Tom were working in a sporting goods store and somebody came
in saying he needed to buy a shotgun so he could shoot his wife,
should he sell it to him? Not only would most people probably
refuse to do so, but I know I'd probably try and get some ID or
at the very least get the license number of the car he drives off
in and immediately file a police report. An extreme analogy
perhaps, but basically applicable I think, to show that although
people are responsible for their own actions, it isn't exactly
black and white once enough information is exchanged to determine
that said actions are going to put people's lives at risk.
Anyway, I would say that Tom did everything right up through
the point where he showed the guy the correct pieces to use, and
everything beyond that point moves from "professional obligation"
territory into "personal convictions", and wether refusing to
sell the parts was right or wrong isn't a matter of fact but of
personal opinion. In my personal opinion, I have no problem with
the way Tom handled the situation. Its not like the guy couldn't
go to a million other places to buy the parts, so he's not prevented
from doing this if he actually wants to, and Tom gets to sleep
at night. Chances are this guy is going to do it wrong anyway,
but at least Tom knows he alerted the guy to the danger, and if
something does happen because this guy botched up his brakes, at
least Tom can rest assured that he had no part in it.
--
-Jon-
.-- Jon Steiger ---- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com --.
| 1970 Barracuda - 1990 Dakota 'vert - 1992 Ram 4x4 - 1996 Dakota |
| 1996 Intruder 1400 - 1996 Kolb FireFly - 2001 Ram QC 3500 CTD |
`------------------------------------ http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Jun 01 2005 - 05:44:45 EDT