Man cited after paying bill with 2,500 pennies

AP ^ | June 5, 2011

[PROCON]

VERNAL, Utah (AP) - A Utah man has been cited on a charge of disorderly conduct after paying for a disputed medical bill with 2,500 pennies. The Deseret News of Salt Lake City reports Jason West went to Basin Clinic in Vernal on May 27 prepared to dispute an outstanding $25 bill.

[Kirkwood]

The disorderly conduct wasn’t for paying with pennies, but for throwing loose pennies all over the office and demanding the staff count them. I would have kicked his butt if he pulled that stunt at my business.

[Jonty30]

A business has the right to decide if it will take how you wish to pay.

[dfwgator]

The man time associated with counting the pennies would probably wind up costing them more than the 25 dollars he paid.

[Jonty30]

I’d be happy to count it for him, in the least efficient way possible, and he could not help me count it, for I would have to confirm his count anyway.

And it would be a pleasure doing it.

[theDentist]

Pay the fine in pennies. DON’T use penny wrappers. make them count it out one cent at a time, then take your bag or pail or container that you stored them in back home with you.

[Sacajaweau]

Big deal...that’s 50 rolls. It occupies a medium tupper ware container.

[Sacajaweau]

Yup..about 3” x 5” x 10”-—big whoop

[dfwgator]

They weren’t in rolls, he threw the pennies on the ground.

[shelterguy]

I recall reading somewhere that a penny is legal tender for a debt of up to ten dollars. Could be wrong though since I,ve only been to 50 states and it might be different in the other seven.

[goat granny]

Years back I saved pennies....ended up with over 100.00 in pennies...the bank would only take them if I rolled them and each roll had to have my name on it....did 50 dollars and gave the rest to charity...I now throw pennies in the parking lot if I am given one in the store. hate those buggers.....10,000 pennies is heavy also..

[count-your-change]

It wasn't the pennies, it was the lack of proper humility before his betters.
Had he said, “Aye, Yer Worship, and Lardship, I sold me eldest daughter to a Turkish brothel for the $25.”, he would have been deemed an honest man.

[nerdwithagun]

Anybody else remember that WB cartoon where the woman goes to the bank and the lady in front of her is counting out pennies?

[PROCON]

I,ve only been to 50 states and it might be different in the other seven.

Yup, here in Oreganistan if you pay with pennies, it's a public flogging, you can only pay with food stamps.

[citizen]

I agree, West appears to have been in an agitated state. Perhaps he had good reason but dumping the pennies all over the counter and floor was just asking for it. If he had paid with the $25 box of rolled pennies shown in post #5, I suspect there would have been no problem.

[Sacajaweau]

I think we need the big picture. Was he charged unfairly in the first place?? I had a mark on my credit record because the doctor had filled out the paper incorrectly.

No one would do anything UNTIL...I told them that I got turned down for a loan. Then everyone started talking to each other and straightened the damn thing out. The CREDIT BUREAU even called the loan company!!

[Delta 21]

I would have just left them in the wheelbarrow I bought just for the occasion.

[MaxMax]

If they were boxed and rolled up the same point would have been made over the dispute.

I still cannot wrap my brain about a legal charge though.
Awe heck, they should have charged him with littering.

[Brandonmark]

Manufacturer specs: 8.13” Height x 4.13” Width x 3.75” Depth

[Blood of Tyrants]

He went too far when he dumped the pennies all over the counter. He should have just left them in a box and said they could count them when they had time.

[PROCON]

Anybody else remember that WB cartoon

Sir/Madam,

I only read the Classics, you know, William Shakespere, John Milton, Hugh Hefner, (just read the articles, mind you..)