alguien Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 In Chicago, I'm fairly certain all cabs are now required to take cards. Some of them have very nice electronic systems now, where you can just run your card through the slot attached to the back of the shotgun seat and type in your tip. Even so, if I have no cash, I always make sure to check with the cabbie up front that this is OK, because you never know when his card reader might not be working. I also try to tip a bit more when I pay with a card, since I know they're getting a portion of the fee taken off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightning Lord Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Hmm. I worked at a grocer for years, but I never heard of a plastic surcharge. I wasn't paying close attention for most of that time, though. Considering the profit margins though, it just seems kind of unlikely.Here, it kind of makes sense. A lot of small shops offer cash vs plastic discounts.Anyone in the US feel like heading to Target and buying something, get some closure on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WrathOfTinyKittens Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 It is supposedly illegal for companies in the US to have a minimum purchase for cards - it violates their agreements with the credit card companies - but many of them do it anyway, for two reasons:1. They can, nobody knows or cares that it's a violation of a contract to do so.2. If they are going to have to pay a $2 or whatever surcharge to the CC companies, they are damn sure not gonna do it over a $.62 tab.It's also illegal for sales associates at non-membership stores (pretty much anywhere that's not CostCo, Sam's, or BJ's) to ask to look at your receipt; they have to have probably cause to suspect that you are stealing something to do so.Anywho... I try to carry cash, but I fail. I am torn between the personal cost-saving benefits of carrying cash, plus the personal pleasure that I derive from paying tabs in cash, and the fact that I am anal about my finances and would prefer to see three dozen charges on my online statement, which I can check every night, than a single lump sum of cash. Plus, I use mint.com (free online Quicken), and I like to track my spending in the various categories... can't well do that if I use cash.**** - actually on mint you can do exactly that by splitting and custom labeling transactions, but I'm too lazy to split a $100 transaction into 14 random payouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Walder Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Arizona is 15 days in jail on a first offense for regular (above .08%) DUI. Beat that.I acknowledge that some states are even more harsh, and support anybody who'd like to make it that way here as well. I didn't know cabbies themselves got less money if it were a card transaction. Why isn't it set up to be a surcharge? (I've only paid in cash in cabs, didn't even know cards were possible until a year ago) The company that I contract with won't allow us to charge extra for plastic because they're afraid it'd cause issues with the government entity that regulates the rates or offend customers or something, and none of the others in my area will either. I make myself feel slightly better by throwing on all the normal bullshit charges that I am allowed to hit people with for various things like extra passengers, but I'd be doing that anyway if I wasn't reluctant to look like a douchebag so I still lose. Ahh yes, Walder actually chewed my ass for this when i met him in person.I will now never ask a cabbie to take plastic.... ever. Oh, it was just a nibble. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztemhead Posted September 16, 2010 Author Share Posted September 16, 2010 The company that I contract with won't allow us to charge extra for plastic because they're afraid it'd cause issues with the government entity that regulates the rates or offend customers or something, and none of the others in my area will either. I make myself feel slightly better by throwing on all the normal bullshit charges that I am allowed to hit people with for various things like extra passengers, but I'd be doing that anyway if I wasn't reluctant to look like a douchebag so I still lose. heh, we couldn't charge for extra passengers in Phoenix. Meter on at pickup, meter off at dropoff, and that's all she wrote. I did tell people there was a $100 surcharge for vomiting in the cab, though I never had to use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztemhead Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 I revive this thread to make a prediction: Even though the GF knows it annoys holy fuck out of me, and even though the event was her idea, and even though I sent her a text message reminding her about it, I bet by the time we get to the Renaissance Festival tomorrow (where anyone with an ounce of sense knows they might not take Visa) I will be the only one who remembers to bring any money, forcing me to either pay for the whole day, or lend the money and give obnoxious reminders every day that I need it paid back. Why can no one be bothered to stop at the motherfucking goddamn ATM anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Progressive Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I remember going to a renfair some years ago and they had an atm machine there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raids Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Yesterday, I observed the clusterfuck of 12 people trying to pay for a bill when 6 of them had debit cards. In an incredibly crowded bar. WTF, either order your drinks from the bar on a separate tab, or bring cash to happy hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixodes Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I revive this thread to make a prediction: Even though the GF knows it annoys holy fuck out of me, and even though the event was her idea, and even though I sent her a text message reminding her about it, I bet by the time we get to the Renaissance Festival tomorrow (where anyone with an ounce of sense knows they might not take Visa) I will be the only one who remembers to bring any money, forcing me to either pay for the whole day, or lend the money and give obnoxious reminders every day that I need it paid back. Why can no one be bothered to stop at the motherfucking goddamn ATM anymore?It's a ren fest -- you can always barter with weed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S John Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 It's a ren fest -- you can always barter with weed.Hmmm, it seems I have completely misjudged these events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Raids Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Wow, same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixodes Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Wasn't bartering a major part of the renaissance economy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S John Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Well, I just meant that I'd never been to one and in my mind it didn't seem like a stoner type affair. Though I'm always happy to be proven wrong in that department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexia Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Well, I just meant that I'd never been to one and in my mind it didn't seem like a stoner type affair. Though I'm always happy to be proven wrong in that department.In September, there will be one out in Annapolis. Go find out for yourself! ;)Edit: and in my experience, there are ATM's everywhere and just about everyone accepts cards anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S John Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 In September, there will be one out in Annapolis. Go find out for yourself! ;)Can I wear a bear pelt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexia Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Can I wear a bear pelt?I don't see why not! Just dry-clean it first. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-ahrairah Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 What really annoys me, though, are coins. I want to bite you.Gold dollars especially are such a beautiful thing. Unlike ugly wads of parchment. I'd say we should abolish paper money entirely - leaving just coins and purely virtual payment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixodes Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Well, I just meant that I'd never been to one and in my mind it didn't seem like a stoner type affair. Though I'm always happy to be proven wrong in that department.My experiences may be unfairly biased but the few times I have visited the Minnesota renfest there were wandering minstrels that appeared to be baked out of their gourds. I don't mean to imply it's a stoner affair by any means (my kids love the renfest), it's just the staff may be amenable to other sources of currency besides cash. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraPrime Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I revive this thread to make a prediction: Even though the GF knows it annoys holy fuck out of me, and even though the event was her idea, and even though I sent her a text message reminding her about it, I bet by the time we get to the Renaissance Festival tomorrow (where anyone with an ounce of sense knows they might not take Visa) I will be the only one who remembers to bring any money, forcing me to either pay for the whole day, or lend the money and give obnoxious reminders every day that I need it paid back. Why can no one be bothered to stop at the motherfucking goddamn ATM anymore?So just bring enough cash for yourself. Problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywolf2375 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Why can no one be bothered to stop at the motherfucking goddamn ATM anymore?Just bring enough for yourself.Also, most decent sized ren faires now do have both ATM's and have cendors taking credit cards. Not for nothing - most folks aren't going to buy a sword or axe on cash when they could be rolling out $500. Visa, it's everywhere you want to be, incliuding the Middle Ages.spelling & yeah, what TP said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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