What would you do...

[maxbailey]

I was at work a couple of weeks back (I drive trains) and some woman accused me of stealing something that she had left on my train earlier on in the day.

It turns out she had left a plastic carrier bag on my train with almost 2,000 pounds in it (just over 3,200 dollars for all you fuckers that are too lazy to convert it) and no-one had handed it in, surprise surprise.

In all honesty, I never touched it, in fact I never even saw it, but it got me thinking. What would you do if you found something similar while travelling on public transport?

[Randal Graves]

Fuck it. If you aren't smart enough to hold onto that much money it's your own fault. I'm not saying rob the bitch but if she leaves an envelope stuffed with cash behind, it's gone. She'll probably learn from her mistake.

[Goat Gosselin]

i think id get some hookers and blow to celebrate

[Pobs]

If you're that fucking stupid to have that much cash in a bag on a fricking train and then leave it there, then you deserve to lose it!

[TheSNakE]

If someone claims it and proves it's theirs I'll give it back, but if no one claims it, I ain't saying nothing.

[Mr Handlebars]

I've gotta a cynical attitude as of late when it comes to doing the honest thing. Some months ago I found 2 cell phones on 2 different occasions. I tracked down the owners using the last calls on the phones and refused the one that even offered me a reward of $20. I was just doing how I was raised.

About a month later, I lost my cell phone. Now mine is a cheap prepaid cell phone that had only 39 minutes left on it. After back tracking my steps, which took less than an hour, I called the cell phone company to put a hold on the remaining minutes. I was told that there wasn't any minutes left on my phone that someone had used them all up in less than the hour it took me to discover the lose and call the company. It pisses me off that people are like that especially after I just returned 2 phones to their rightful own. Neither by the way, knew that they had lost their phones.

At this point, I don't know what I would do. I believe strongly in karma, that you get what you give, but I don't go looking for it. I returned those phones because it's just the way I am. Thing do come back to you in tenfold, but I've also learned never to turn money over to a second party. You'll never see it if no one claims it.

So I do agree with Snake at this point with one exception. I do let someone in authority know about the find minus any descriptive details. That way I did my best and have a clear conscience if no one claims it.

[DontSnatch]

you gotta give it back to the lady. if you snatch it with the "fuck.. its her fault" attitude. your no better than that common criminal who breaks into a car/house because "its their fault they dont have an alarm"

[strommsarnac]

Many times I've found money. Plain cash, nothing fancy. I've not turned it in to the police. However, anytime it was more than five dollars, I have found the person who lost it and gave it back. But, I was smart about figuring out who lost it. Too many times I've had people act like they lost money and couldn't say how much, where, when, etc.

I guess it comes down to upbringing. Nothing is free. Not even money found laying on the sidewalk. There's always a price. As a kid I was taught to not say or do anything you won't feel comfortable about others knowing you said/did. If there's one rule I live by, it's that. In everything I do. Not that my thoughts haven't been contrary at times, but I think about what I might be affecting years down the line. And boy, I have been very glad, many time of the choices I've made.

I can't speak for others, it's just not my place. I can only say that just because others don't do right, doesn't give me the right not to. Sadly, the world is forgetting that too often nowadays.

[ThatHaole]

It is easy to sit at your pc and say what you would do in the hypothetical situation but what would really happen when confronted with the choice? I don't think that I am the only one that would be tempted. I would like to say I would give it back, but a couple grand makes the next few mortgage payments pretty easy so....I guess I won't know until it happens.

Of course I could just take the money and go to Jersey and give Amy the best 15 seconds of her life

[strommsarnac]

Anymore you have to be very careful. You never know who's watching, especially with a vidcam. In Ohio, it's illegal to keep anything you find. You're supposed to turn it in to the police. They'll hold it for a period (differs depending on what you found). If no one claims it, than you get it.

I found $1913.54 in a plain envelope laying on a sidewalk in my neighborhood. Turned out it belonged to an old lady who dropped it getting into her son's car. The were leaving for a family gathering in another state and were gone for a week. Also turned out that she had a vid cam looking out her front window because punk kids liked to trash her yard. I asked around ("did you lose anything on Friday", don't just ask people if they lost money or be specific as to how much) and no one could get close enough for me to feel good about giving it to them. I spent over a week checking around and keep thinking it odd that this lady never answered. I left a note and a few days later she called me and told me exactly how much was in it. She said after we talked she rewound her camera and found me picking it up. She was retired and I'd found her monthly retirement payment. She offered a reward, but I didn't feel right about taking it.

I think the worst would be to get caught on a TV show. I've seen many where they leave a wallet, watch, cash, whatever sitting out in the open and film people who either just walk by or actually take it. Sad how many never said anything afterwards or even said they didn't see anything. Funny though when the video was shown to them.