I saw someone's RV getting repossessed over $50 in 2019. They were clearly living in it. I walked over and handed the repo guy $60. He wouldn't take it. This was in a cul de sac. I parked my truck across the way so that it would not be possible to enter or leave the cul de sac. Someone called the cops. The cops showed up after a few minutes, good response time. The lady living in the RV was told that she could not park there anymore. The repo guy said he was taking the RV. I repeated my offer to pay in front of the cop. The repo guy took the $60. I was told to move my truck afterwards. The lady living in the RV never paid me back. I am overall OK with that. These things happen. This was in northern California. Random acts of angry kindness should not be relied upon.
Aren't repo guys usually just contracted out to do the job and pull the vehicle by the lender? They don't usually have the authority or facilities to take a payment on site.
There was a piece of paper involved that the woman living in the RV had to sign. Much to my annoyance at the time, it took a police officer showing up for that to happen.
Why did you feel the need to give the working class guy a hard time for doing his job? He probably makes an hourly wage or a commission on the vehicles he returns to rightful owners and now he’s facing not making any money for the day or possibly being fired.
He was operating lawfully and you decided it was your job to enforce your justice. I don’t know, just seems wrong. I think it would have been more noble to take her in for the night or take her to a shelter where they can help.
But leave regular guys just trying to put food on their tables alone.
Zeroth, there really is no substitute for losing your home. Not being taken in for the night, not a shelter.
First, morality and legality are not identical.
Second, not doing something is a choice. Not acting and acting both have moral implications.
Third, systems are at times very good at pitting individuals against other. An employee can say "they are just doing their job"; meanwhile it is the organization structure that might strictly limit what authority the employee has. This can put the customer in the unfortunate position of having to raise issues with multiple layers of people, which takes away from their normal duties, before getting an issue resolved. A considerate customer might feel bad for "taking up" the first tier employee's time. This is by design. Think of car dealerships. I feel terrible for the dynamic of almost everyone involved there.
I haven't really laid out the specific connection, but I think you can see what I'm getting at. The car companies that hire repo companies probably don't empower the repo companies to exercise discretion. The people that build these corporate structures tend to understand human psychology and use it to their advantage.
I think the moral thing is to let the guy do his job that he is lawfully doing. Buying him off night buy the person a night but doesn’t solve any problems and only lets someone feel good for doing the minimum - bribing.
If you really want to help then take the person in or get them a hotel or take them to a shelter. Help them get their vehicle back by paying fines and the payment. It’s a lot more work but solves the problem better than hassling a guy, involving police, and then bribing the guy to go away for a night.
The only person to benefit from this is the guy who gets to feel morally superior while bragging about it on the internet.
Not particularly out to brag. Annoyed at the lack of a systemic solution. Random lady in a RV should not have to depend on random angry italian immigrant having cash in wallet, being more angry than tired that day, and having been made aware of a situation by loud shouting.
I may be a fat bastard these days but I grew up with "If someone big is harassing someone little, let the small person hide behind you". Probably old fashioned these days. Got me in trouble a couple of times in my life but at least I sleep well at night.
