Years ago my mum called an ambulance for some reason which escapes me right now and the ambulance service did charge her (£40.00) as she could have made her own way to hospital. She paid up after much wrangling and legal advice. I am the complete opposite to my mum in this respect. I will not call an ambulance if I can help it for myself even though I have asthma and have suffered 2 spontaneous pneumothorax. My family think i'm mad but I would hate for some paramedic to think I wasted their time. My first pneumothorax was actually diagnosed by a paramedic much to his amazement as he thought it highly unlikely that a slim,fairly fit 28 year old woman would have one for no apparent reason.lol.Sadly the same paramedic now drives a taxi for a living :-( due to compulsory retirement. I vote for taking the time-wasters round back and beating them senseless.