Yes... but the people it would make "stop and think" are the vulnerable people with low incomes (including but not limited to elderly people on tiny pensions, disabled people on benefit, people in risky but minimum-wage jobs) who would then not call an ambulance for anything short of a major car crash or actual death, for fear of being charged money they can't afford for having misjudged the extent of "emergency" for their chest pain, blood loss, tumble down the stairs, etc. Introducing a means-tested system or help with paying the fees for people with low incomes won't do the trick either. It just means the same number of time wasters will be split into one group of "I won't have to pay it, so who cares?" and another group of "I can afford it, so I'll pay it, and I will have Righeous Anger at every member of NHS staff I encounter because I'm paying to be here dammit." :(