The Consumerist links to a story of a California military family who have been given their marching orders to move to Virginia Beach. Upon canceling their gym membership, the twats at Gold’s Gym tried to make them pay the early cancellation fee:
On Tuesday, Angie Calhoun went to the gym’s corporate offices to cancel her family’s memberships. She said she brought with her the government orders to transfer her husband, Petty Officer 2nd Class Zahir Calhoun, to Virginia.
A woman in the gym’s office said she would handle the cancellation, but later called to say her supervisor said the family would have to pay $200 in cancellation fees.
“I told her we’re not paying it,” said Calhoun, who is leaving with her family Monday. “This is ridiculous. We have orders. We’re moving all the way to Virginia Beach.”
Uh, no. Military personnel who are under orders to relocate or deploy are exempt from many – most – civil contracts. Leases, membership, etc can all be broken without penalty. Not to mention, does any one business want to go out of its way to alienate military personnel during war time? Americans remember that kind of thing, and they don’t much care to patronize such establishments.
Hmmm,
i going back into the military as a resercvst to train cadets. Wonder if i can get a discount?
maybe….If I improve my spelling?
On Tuesday, Angie Calhoun went to the gym