Lifeskill Eight
CONSUMERS AND THE LAW (G) (T) (E)
CONSUMERS' RIGHTS UNDER THE CONSUMER LAW
WAYS THAT STORES AND AGENCIES IN YOUR COMMUNITY CAN DEFRAUD YOU
AGENCIES THAT CAN HELP CONSUMERS
1. Using the Internet for research purposes, look up the Consumer Law in Massachusetts.
2. Write a paragraph for each way agencies and stores can defaud customers.
3. List the agencies in Massachusetts that can help consumers if they have been defrauded.
4. Have you or anyone you know ever been tricked or defrauded by a store or agency?
5. What is the "Lemon Law"?
6. Have you or anyone you know ever used the Lemon Law to get justice?
7. Describe a situation in which you or someone you know has been tricked or defrauded by a store or agency?
8. Could the situation have been avoided?
9. How did your situation turn out? Did you get justice?
10. Have you changed your attitude or way of doing business because of this situation.
Read the case below.
Two women over 60 years old, went to a new restaurant in Quincy. One was blind from macular degeneration, but she was not carrying a cane. The restaurant was very crowded and there were quite a few people waiting to be seated. There were also no seats at the bar.
The maitr'd found a window sill for the two women to sit on. He privately told them that he would be calling two people from the bar and that they should go to the bar and take the two seats there when the people got up. The two women went to the bar and waited.
In ten minutes, the young man came over to the bar and motioned for a couple to come with him as he now had a table for them. Immediately, the two women tried to sit down. There was a middle-aged man and his wife who tried to grab the seats away from the women. Finally, the man's wife told him to stop and to let them have the barstools. Then, the two women and the couple continued to wait for about 45 minutes to be seated.
Once again, the young man came over to the two women and told them quietly that he had a table for them and to follow him. The blind lady stopped to get her jacket and did not move immediately toward the table. People with macular degeneration can see shadows and they have some periphery vision. She turned her head to see where she should be going and her friend called out to her. Suddenly, the man who tried to get the bar seats earlier rushed over and stood in her way. She stepped to the side and tried to walk around him. He turned around quickly and threw his drink at the woman. The entire restaurant gasped. Several people jumped up to help the woman.
The couple disappeared. Ten minutes later, the manager came to the table to discuss the situation with the women. They told him what happened and he said that the couple had a different story and he didn't believe the women. The women asked the man if he had video cameras. He said that he did but refused to show them to the women.
Answer the following questions:
1. Did the man break any laws?
2. What should the women have done?
3. Who is responsible, the owner or the man?
4. Is there anything unique about the situation because the women were over 60?
5. What would you have done?
6. What agencies could help this woman?
In a well-constructed paragraph, describe the best possible outcome to this situation.
What should have happened?
Evaluate the owner's reaction to the situation.
Apply the consumer law to this situation. Does it cover some of the aspects of it?
(Epilogue: This actually occurred in a restaurant in Quincy, Massachusetts)
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