Computer Opens Unmanned Store For Holiday

tomhudson writes "The Walkato Times in New Zealand is reporting that someone forgot to tell the computer not to unlock the supermarket on the Friday holiday. 'About half of the 24 people who came into the supermarket paid for their groceries using the self-scan service. The service stopped working after alcohol was scanned, requiring a staff member to check a customer's age before the system is unlocked.' The owner, Mr Miller, was quoted as saying 'I can certainly see the funny side of it... but I'd rather not have the publicity to be honest. It makes me look a bit of a dickhead.' Rather than take legal action, Mr Miller is hoping that the people who didn't pay will do the right thing."

Only in NZ

[kozmonaut]

What a fantastic official response. If only managers in America would openly admit to being the dickheads they are...

Re:It's Surprising

[gnick]

Just because it's in New Zealand doesn't mean that the people who paid weren't American. After all, we're known world round for honesty and contributing to the less fortunate. That's why our prison rate is so amazingly low. Umm, right?

Re:Half Honest

[vlm]

1/2 of the people in the USA make money, the other 1/2 spend whatever they can get from the productive half. I'm guessing the numbers are not all that different in .nz so I'm not surprised the ratio worked out that way.

The non-productive half who sponge off the productive half probably see it as getting the middleman out of they way ... From each according to their ability, to each according to their need, etc.

Alternately it might be a mapping of peer pressure, 1/2 will zombie like copy whatever they see other people doing, and the half who are actually alive will think about what they're doing.

Then you get into weird religious interpretations, that non-adherents are more honest than the general population, thus the high 50% payment rate (doesn't matter if they're celebrating the good friday religion or the earth day religion?)

Re:Be careful to not misinterpret

[camperdave]

If this were Canada, the other twelve people would still be waiting in line for the checkout clerk to come back.