• OT: Goatherder alert

    From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Thu Jan 8 14:18:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my u25 of business [gross profit around u16] elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array
    of cards.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Thu Jan 8 15:18:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] elsewhere, to a nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to
    see.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Thu Jan 8 15:36:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my u25 of business [gross profit around u16] elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Thu Jan 8 16:30:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] elsewhere, to a >>> nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the
    case these days.
    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the supermarket.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Thu Jan 8 17:17:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous >>>> passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] elsewhere, to a >>>> nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array >>>> of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to >>> see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the >case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is successfully getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential
    customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of crisps.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Thu Jan 8 17:34:46 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous >>>>> passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash. >>>>>
    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] elsewhere, to a >>>>> nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array >>>>> of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to >>>> see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is successfully getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they
    need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their customers will choose card. Of course, they also need to sell a
    product/service that people are willing to go to the trouble of using cash, rather than going elsewhere (as you did). A decent fish and chip shop can probably manage this, as ones that consistently provide a good product are
    few and far between.

    I try to avoid cash only establishments because of the feeling that
    something untoward is occurring.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Thu Jan 8 18:23:05 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous >>>>>> passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash. >>>>>>
    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the >>>>>> contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] elsewhere, to a >>>>>> nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array >>>>>> of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to >>>>> see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and >>>> cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the >>> case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential
    customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the supermarket. >>
    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they
    need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their >customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the
    Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    Of course, they also need to sell a product/service that people are
    willing to go to the trouble of using cash, rather than going elsewhere
    (as you did). A decent fish and chip shop can probably manage this, as
    ones that consistently provide a good product are few and far between.

    It's an independent shop, but quite close is a franchise fish and chip
    shop which is also highly rated.

    I try to avoid cash only establishments because of the feeling that
    something untoward is occurring.

    Yes, for certain trades, but a long established family business, not so
    much.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Thu Jan 8 18:54:26 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous >>>>>>> passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash. >>>>>>>
    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the >>>>>>> contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array >>>>>>> of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to >>>>>> see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and >>>>> cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the >>>> case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential
    customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they
    need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their
    customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the
    Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well their cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.
    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile phone.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand
    out offering, or is losing trade.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Thu Jan 8 21:07:29 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 08/01/2026 17:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous >>>>> passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash. >>>>>
    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] elsewhere, to a >>>>> nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array >>>>> of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for
    others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is successfully getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the supermarket.


    If their card receipts are too high, it cuts down the amount of extra
    (or undeclared) cash they can declare and keep it seeming reasonable.
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 06:39:22 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jp6ah$1rb9i$1@dont-email.me>, at 21:07:29 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 08/01/2026 17:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous >>>>>> passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash. >>>>>>
    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the >>>>>> contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] elsewhere, to a >>>>>> nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array >>>>>> of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and >>>> cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the >>> case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is
    successfully getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly
    fewer potential customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the >>>supermarket.

    If their card receipts are too high, it cuts down the amount of extra
    (or undeclared) cash they can declare and keep it seeming reasonable.

    It's pretty obvious looking at the demographic of that fish-and-chip
    shop (during the day, anyway) that they'll probably mainly be wanting to
    pay by cash anyway.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 06:45:31 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous >>>>>>>> passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash. >>>>>>>>
    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the >>>>>>>> contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] >>>>>>>>elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array >>>>>>>> of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and >>>>>> cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the >>>>> case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is successfully >>>> getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential
    customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the >>>>>supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of crisps. >>>
    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they
    need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their
    customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the
    Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well their >cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.

    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they are
    simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by folk >who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile >phone.

    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2,
    which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand
    out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a
    minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills
    linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 08:45:53 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 >>>>>>> Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to >>>>>>>>> numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes >>>>>>>>> cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim >>>>>>>>> the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission). >>>>>>>>>
    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16]
    elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a
    mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>>>> others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of
    cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is
    increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is
    successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential
    customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the
    supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of
    crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they >>>> need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their >>>> customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the
    Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well
    their
    cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.

    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they are simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by
    folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile >> phone.

    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2,
    which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand
    out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 08:59:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 >>>>>>>> Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to >>>>>>>>>> numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes >>>>>>>>>> cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim >>>>>>>>>> the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission). >>>>>>>>>>
    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16]
    elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a
    mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>>>>> others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of >>>>>>>> cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is
    increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is
    successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential >>>>>> customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the
    supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of
    crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they >>>>> need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their >>>>> customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the
    Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well
    their
    cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.

    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they are
    simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by
    folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile >>> phone.

    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2,
    which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand >>> out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a
    minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills
    linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    My observation too. At several such markets IrCOve asked if they prefer cash
    or card, and the response is either they donrCOt care or they want card. IrCOm not a militant anti cash type, but IrCOve noticed my own use of cash has
    fallen to almost nothing. The last time I had to use cash was at the start
    of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards.
    EasyJet wonrCOt take cash for onboard purchases. The only mystery to me is at our local Tesco petrol station. About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump
    and go to the kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are cash in hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Andy Burns@usenet@andyburns.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 09:18:17 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Tweed wrote:

    The last time I had to use cash was at the start
    of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards.

    For me it was when my bank flagged-up some rejected transactions on my
    debit card, when I confirmed it wasn't me they cancelled the card and
    said they would send out a new one. Having a couple of hundred in my
    wallet meant it was only a minor inconvenience for a few days, not a
    major one ...
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Marland@gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 10:51:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 >>>>>>>> Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to >>>>>>>>>> numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes >>>>>>>>>> cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim >>>>>>>>>> the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission). >>>>>>>>>>
    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16]
    elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a
    mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>>>>> others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of >>>>>>>> cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is
    increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is
    successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential >>>>>> customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the
    supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of
    crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they >>>>> need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their >>>>> customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the
    Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well
    their
    cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.

    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they are
    simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by
    folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile >>> phone.

    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2,
    which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand >>> out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a
    minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills
    linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    Also has the benefit with some products like a loaf of bread isnrCOt handled
    by hands that have also touched coins that have been rattling around in
    various trouser pockets next to sweaty genitals,
    though many better traders do sometimes wear gloves they donrCOt change them for every transaction.

    GH
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Bevan Price@bevanprice666@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 10:51:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 08:59, Tweed wrote:
    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 >>>>>>>>> Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to >>>>>>>>>>> numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes >>>>>>>>>>> cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim >>>>>>>>>>> the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission). >>>>>>>>>>>
    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] >>>>>>>>>>> elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a
    mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>>>>>> others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of >>>>>>>>> cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is
    increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is
    successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential >>>>>>> customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the >>>>>>>> supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of >>>>>>> crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they >>>>>> need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their >>>>>> customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the >>>>> Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well >>>> their
    cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.

    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they are
    simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by
    folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile >>>> phone.

    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2,
    which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand >>>> out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a
    minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills
    linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    My observation too. At several such markets IrCOve asked if they prefer cash or card, and the response is either they donrCOt care or they want card. IrCOm
    not a militant anti cash type, but IrCOve noticed my own use of cash has fallen to almost nothing. The last time I had to use cash was at the start
    of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards. EasyJet wonrCOt take cash for onboard purchases. The only mystery to me is at our local Tesco petrol station. About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump and go to the kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are cash in hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the
    risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 10:46:09 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqf81$27t7i$1@dont-email.me>, at 08:45:53 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan >>2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, >>>>>>>>8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to >>>>>>>>>>numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only >>>>>>>>>>takes cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who >>>>>>>>>>claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission). >>>>>>>>>>
    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] >>>>>>>>>>elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a >>>>>>>>>>mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>>>>>others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of >>>>>>>>cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is >>>>>>>increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is >>>>>>successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential >>>>>> customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the >>>>>>>supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of >>>>>>crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they >>>>> need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their >>>>> customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the
    Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as
    well their
    cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.
    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they
    are simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run
    by folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile >>> phone.
    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2, >>which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a >>>stand
    out offering, or is losing trade.
    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds,
    not a minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't
    have tills linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises
    tend to. They add up the bill in their head, then would have to go
    find the gadget, take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    I think it takes just as long to type the amount into a reader, and wait
    while the customer works out which side of it to tap, waiting to see if
    it was refused** than doling some change from one of those big leather pockets.

    ** There's a bug in the pay-by-phone app I use, which is it doesn't automatically update the amount of funds available. So yesterday when I
    loaded it up there appeared to be enough to pay for my fish and chips at
    shop #2, but having tried the transaction, it was refused, and only then
    went down to the true value of about -u1.50

    Of course I was able to transfer some funds from a different account to
    that one fairly easily, and it didn't hold up the server because they'd wandered of to put my fish in the fryer. But in different circumstances
    it could build up a queue.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 10:59:17 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 08:59, Tweed wrote:
    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 >>>>>>>>>> Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to >>>>>>>>>>>> numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes >>>>>>>>>>>> cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim >>>>>>>>>>>> the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission). >>>>>>>>>>>>
    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] >>>>>>>>>>>> elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a
    mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>>>>>>> others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of >>>>>>>>>> cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is
    increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is
    successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential >>>>>>>> customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the >>>>>>>>> supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of >>>>>>>> crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they >>>>>>> need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their >>>>>>> customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the >>>>>> Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well >>>>> their
    cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.

    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they are >>>> simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by >>>>> folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile
    phone.

    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2,
    which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand >>>>> out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a >>>> minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills >>>> linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    My observation too. At several such markets IrCOve asked if they prefer cash >> or card, and the response is either they donrCOt care or they want card. IrCOm
    not a militant anti cash type, but IrCOve noticed my own use of cash has
    fallen to almost nothing. The last time I had to use cash was at the start >> of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards.
    EasyJet wonrCOt take cash for onboard purchases. The only mystery to me is at
    our local Tesco petrol station. About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump >> and go to the kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are
    cash in hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the
    risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    ItrCOs a nice area :)

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 10:57:13 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqg12$288n1$1@dont-email.me>, at 08:59:14 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 >>>>>>>>> Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to >>>>>>>>>>> numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes >>>>>>>>>>> cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim >>>>>>>>>>> the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission). >>>>>>>>>>>
    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] >>>>>>>>>>> elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a
    mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>>>>>> others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of >>>>>>>>> cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is
    increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is
    successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential >>>>>>> customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the >>>>>>>> supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of >>>>>>> crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they >>>>>> need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their >>>>>> customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the >>>>> Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well >>>> their
    cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.

    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they are
    simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by
    folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile >>>> phone.

    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2,
    which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand >>>> out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a
    minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills
    linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    My observation too. At several such markets IrCOve asked if they prefer cash >or card, and the response is either they donrCOt care or they want card. IrCOm >not a militant anti cash type, but IrCOve noticed my own use of cash has >fallen to almost nothing. The last time I had to use cash was at the start
    of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards.

    On the other hand, I find places which are cash-only quite frequently.
    Maybe people who live in large metropolitan areas find it's different.

    EasyJet wonrCOt take cash for onboard purchases. The only mystery to me is at >our local Tesco petrol station. About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump >and go to the kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are >cash in hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    I'm pretty sure they are people who have read the scare stories about
    the pumps taking (in the case of Tesco) -u120 off the card immediately,
    and only refunding the balance later. That and those holding Tesco
    Loyalty Cards, which the readers on the pumps are extremely
    temperamental about.

    Also, and especially for ladies (who unless of the nocturnal sort are
    often cash tradespeople), they are avoiding:

    Get out of car and go to pump
    Remember they need a card
    Go back inside the car and retrieve their handbag, rummage around for
    their purse, and find one.
    Return to the pumps and wait for quite a while as it authorises the
    transaction.
    Wonder what to do with the card now - shall I hold it in teeth, or shove
    it down my bra?
    Goes back to the car, finds the handbag again, finds the purse again,
    and stores the card.
    Returns to the pump to dispense the fuel.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 11:11:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.


    Also possibly easier to adjust the portion size fish and chips so that
    the price is a nice round figure so reducing time spent giving change.

    I don't visit fish and chip shops often but they mostly seem to be still
    run by local British people?




    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 11:13:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 08:59, Tweed wrote:
    The only mystery to me is at
    our local Tesco petrol station. About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump and go to the kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are cash in hand trades people offloading some of their cash.



    I am not in any of those categories but I never pay at the pump, always
    by card inside the 'kiosk'.





    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 11:15:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqh52$28j2u$1@andyburns.eternal-september.org>, at
    09:18:17 on Fri, 9 Jan 2026, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> remarked:
    Tweed wrote:

    The last time I had to use cash was at the start
    of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards.

    For me it was when my bank flagged-up some rejected transactions on my
    debit card, when I confirmed it wasn't me they cancelled the card and
    said they would send out a new one. Having a couple of hundred in my
    wallet

    The first time I read that I thought "my, that must be a big wallet for
    that many cards".

    meant it was only a minor inconvenience for a few days, not a major one

    I never leave the house with fewer than about five cards. Although the
    number is decreasing, and I've resisted the temptation to get a Tesco
    branded one for extra features. Somewhere one of my cards has enough
    points to get a free flight to Australia and back, but I'm not rushing
    to redeem them.

    Back in the day, British Rail only took Amex, and John Lewis only took
    their own card. Several international hotel chains had links with cards
    which again got you extra privileges as well as points.

    My most recent card is because that was the only UK bank I could find
    prepared to link** directly to my wearable, something they forgot to mention*** in the sales blurb. In other countries, more banks have been
    signed up, but only if they issue Mastercards, not Visa.

    It also means I can limit my exposure to lost/stolen wearable by only
    topping up about -u100 into the account.

    ** I think this is because the transactions are marked as e-money, which
    like crypto-currency purchases, gambling and so on, many banks simply
    refuse to allow because there are what they consider significant issues
    with payment protection.

    *** I had a long conversation with their customer service people about
    this, and their attitude was "you are lucky we even agree to ship them
    to UK, and nobody forced you to buy it".
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 11:21:08 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <msc4uaF1freU1@mid.individual.net>, at 10:51:55 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> remarked:

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand >>>> out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a
    minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills
    linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    Also has the benefit with some products like a loaf of bread isnrCOt handled >by hands that have also touched coins that have been rattling around in >various trouser pockets next to sweaty genitals,
    though many better traders do sometimes wear gloves they donrCOt change them >for every transaction.

    Some of the traders in our market get around that (if selling fresh
    food, which is a minority of them) by having one designated person take
    the money, having had the amount shouted across to them. Still only
    taking cash, of course.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 11:17:19 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump and go to the kiosk to
    pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are cash in hand >>trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the
    risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 11:18:23 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqn25$2aam4$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:59:17 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump
    and go to the kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are
    cash in hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the
    risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    ItrCOs a nice area :)

    People are either at-pump payers, or not. They don't do a risk analysis
    on a garage by garage basis.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From ColinR@rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 11:41:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to
    pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand
    trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the
    risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!
    --
    Colin

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From ColinR@rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 11:42:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to
    pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand
    trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the
    risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!
    --
    Colin

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 11:34:09 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqnoc$2aj0t$1@dont-email.me>, at 11:11:06 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds,
    not a minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't
    have tills linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises
    tend to. They add up the bill in their head, then would have to go
    find the gadget, take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Also possibly easier to adjust the portion size fish and chips so that
    the price is a nice round figure so reducing time spent giving change.

    To some extent. My purchase yesterday was u10.50 a portion, which also
    fails the uxx.99 test. Looking at their price list just now, many are
    uxx.30

    I don't visit fish and chip shops often but they mostly seem to be
    still run by local British people?

    The fish and chip shop I use the most (which is near a friends house,
    not here) is run by Turkish/Greek/??? staff. I couldn't exactly place
    the accent.

    The one I bought from yesterday, had a server of similar nationality,
    and the fact they are closed Tuesdays makes me think the proprietors
    could be oriental. rumblesely.co.uk
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Recliner@recliner.usenet@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:17:10 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqnoc$2aj0t$1@dont-email.me>, at 11:11:06 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds,
    not a minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't
    have tills linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises
    tend to. They add up the bill in their head, then would have to go
    find the gadget, take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Also possibly easier to adjust the portion size fish and chips so that
    the price is a nice round figure so reducing time spent giving change.

    To some extent. My purchase yesterday was -u10.50 a portion, which also fails the -uxx.99 test. Looking at their price list just now, many are -uxx.30

    I don't visit fish and chip shops often but they mostly seem to be
    still run by local British people?

    The fish and chip shop I use the most (which is near a friends house,
    not here) is run by Turkish/Greek/??? staff. I couldn't exactly place
    the accent.

    The one I bought from yesterday, had a server of similar nationality,
    and the fact they are closed Tuesdays makes me think the proprietors
    could be oriental. rumblesely.co.uk

    Almost certainly Turkish. Could be mainland Turkey or Turkish Cypriot, but
    I think the latter is more likely.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Coffee@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:25:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 10:57, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqg12$288n1$1@dont-email.me>, at 08:59:14 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, >>>>>>>> 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 >>>>>>>>>> Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to >>>>>>>>>>>> numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes >>>>>>>>>>>> cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim >>>>>>>>>>>> the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission). >>>>>>>>>>>>
    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] >>>>>>>>>>>> elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a
    mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>>>>>>> others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of >>>>>>>>>> cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is
    increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is
    successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential >>>>>>>> customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the >>>>>>>>> supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of >>>>>>>> crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible
    scale they
    need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of >>>>>>> their
    customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the >>>>>> Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well >>>>> their
    cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.

    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they are >>>> simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by >>>>> folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a >>>>> mobile
    phone.

    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2,
    which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a >>>>> stand
    out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a >>>> minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills >>>> linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    My observation too. At several such markets IrCOve asked if they prefer
    cash
    or card, and the response is either they donrCOt care or they want card.
    IrCOm
    not a militant anti cash type, but IrCOve noticed my own use of cash has
    fallen to almost nothing. The last time I had to use cash was at the
    start
    of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards.

    On the other hand, I find places which are cash-only quite frequently.
    Maybe people who live in large metropolitan areas find it's different.

    EasyJet wonrCOt take cash for onboard purchases. The only mystery to me
    is at
    our local Tesco petrol station. About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump >> and go to the kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes
    or are
    cash in hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    I'm pretty sure they are people who have read the scare stories about
    the pumps taking (in the case of Tesco) -u120 off the card immediately,
    and only refunding the balance later. That and those holding Tesco
    Loyalty Cards, which the readers on the pumps are extremely
    temperamental about.

    Also, and especially for ladies (who unless of the nocturnal sort are
    often cash tradespeople), they are avoiding:

    Get out of car and go to pump
    Remember they need a card
    Go back inside the car and retrieve their handbag, rummage around for
    -a their purse, and find one.
    Return to the pumps and wait for quite a while as it authorises the
    -a transaction.
    Wonder what to do with the card now - shall I hold it in teeth, or shove
    -a it down my bra?
    Goes back to the car, finds the handbag again, finds the purse again,
    -a and stores the card.
    Returns to the pump to dispense the fuel.


    I refuel at Bristol Costco whenever I'm able. Fuel is card only with a membership so the transaction is simple and repetitive.

    I find it amazing that many members have to carefully read and follow
    follow the instructions and don't even remove their cards from their
    wallet until instructed.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Coffee@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:27:41 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 11:11, JMB99 wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not
    a minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have
    tills linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to.
    They add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the
    gadget, take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.


    Also possibly easier to adjust the portion size fish and chips so that
    the price is a nice round figure so reducing time spent giving change.

    I don't visit fish and chip shops often but they mostly seem to be still
    run by local British people?

    My favourite fish and chips here comes from a Chinese.

    There is a "proper" fish and chip shop nearby but they seem incapable of properly battering their fish.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Coffee@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:33:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 11:15, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqh52$28j2u$1@andyburns.eternal-september.org>, at
    09:18:17 on Fri, 9 Jan 2026, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> remarked:
    Tweed wrote:

    The last time I had to use cash was at the start
    of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards.

    For me it was when my bank flagged-up some rejected transactions on my
    debit card, when I confirmed it wasn't me they cancelled the card and
    said they would send out a new one.-a Having a couple of hundred in my
    wallet

    The first time I read that I thought "my, that must be a big wallet for
    that many cards".

    meant it was only a minor inconvenience for a few days, not a major one

    I never leave the house with fewer than about five cards. Although the number is decreasing, and I've resisted the temptation to get a Tesco branded one for extra features. Somewhere one of my cards has enough
    points to get a free flight to Australia and back, but I'm not rushing
    to redeem them.

    Back in the day, British Rail only took Amex, and John Lewis only took
    their own card. Several international hotel chains had links with cards which again got you extra privileges as well as points.

    My most recent card is because that was the only UK bank I could find prepared to link** directly to my wearable, something they forgot to mention*** in the sales blurb. In other countries, more banks have been signed up, but only if they issue Mastercards, not Visa.

    It also means I can limit my exposure to lost/stolen wearable by only topping up about -u100 into the account.

    ** I think this is because the transactions are marked as e-money, which like crypto-currency purchases, gambling and so on, many banks simply
    refuse to allow because there are what they consider significant issues
    with payment protection.

    *** I had a long conversation with their customer service people about
    this, and their attitude was "you are lucky we even agree to ship them
    to UK, and nobody forced you to buy it".

    Locally I only take the cards I need for my outing. Which in town or
    for ice hockey is only a membership card (for drink discount) and a
    credit card, without cash.

    However I do keep a second well hidden card for emergencies.

    I can also obtain cash from some ATMs using my banker's app.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Coffee@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:36:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to
    pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand
    trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the
    risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:44:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 10:46, Roland Perry wrote:
    ** There's a bug in the pay-by-phone app I use,

    Somehow I am not surprisedrCa
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:45:20 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 08:59, Tweed wrote:
    The only mystery to me is at
    our local Tesco petrol station. About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump >> and go to the kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are
    cash in hand trades people offloading some of their cash.



    I am not in any of those categories but I never pay at the pump, always
    by card inside the 'kiosk'.


    Why?

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:48:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to
    pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the
    risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.


    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is remarkable.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:48:41 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 11:41, ColinR wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to
    pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing
    the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!


    Use the blunt end of a pen.
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Coffee@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 12:56:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 12:48, Tweed wrote:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.


    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is remarkable.


    Now they knew about "smart gloves" this is no longer a problem.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 13:07:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous >>>> passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] elsewhere, to a >>>> nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array >>>> of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to >>> see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the case these days.
    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the supermarket.

    Paying by cash doesnrCOt seem to fluster the checkout operators at my local large supermarket, even when itrCOs combined with various vouchers and money back offers. I watched one such transaction a week or two back.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From ColinR@rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 13:40:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 12:48, Graeme Wall wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:41, ColinR wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing
    the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!


    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Of course this is all theoretical - no such pumps up here yet (that I
    know of).
    --
    Colin

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 13:41:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqtf9$2c974$2@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:41 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 11:41, ColinR wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9
    Jan 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk >>>>>to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in >>>>>hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing >>>>the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle
    of winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 13:49:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqtug$2bmqg$6@dont-email.me>, at 12:56:48 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:
    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.

    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons
    is remarkable.

    Now they knew about "smart gloves" this is no longer a problem.

    Only if they always wear them when driving, so should they decide to
    fill up, they can use that special feature.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 13:42:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqsp6$2bmqg$5@dont-email.me>, at 12:36:54 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan >>2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk
    to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in >>>>hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing
    the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle
    of winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.

    How many people wear those when driving their car?
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 13:43:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqtf5$2cd2l$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:38 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.

    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is >remarkable.

    It all takes time, and to put them back on again. And where do you put
    the gloves when you've taken them off?

    The whole thing is such a palaver, people just go into the kiosk to pay instead. Remember, that's what we are discussing.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 13:50:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jqt87$2c974$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:44:55 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 10:46, Roland Perry wrote:

    ** There's a bug in the pay-by-phone app I use,

    Somehow I am not surprised

    What, that I'm observant enough to notice it, and then concerned enough
    to post about it?
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 14:18:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqtf5$2cd2l$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:38 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.

    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is
    remarkable.

    It all takes time, and to put them back on again. And where do you put
    the gloves when you've taken them off?

    The whole thing is such a palaver, people just go into the kiosk to pay instead. Remember, that's what we are discussing.

    Taking a glove off and shoving it in your coat pocket really isnrCOt a
    palaver. ItrCOs less of an effort than wandering off to the kiosk and potentially waiting to be served.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rolf Mantel@news@hartig-mantel.de to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 15:18:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Am 09.01.2026 um 14:42 schrieb Roland Perry:
    In message <10jqsp6$2bmqg$5@dont-email.me>, at 12:36:54 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing
    the-a risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    -aAnd then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle
    of-a winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them.-a They're called "smart gloves" and similar.

    How many people wear those when driving their car?

    When I use gloves while driving in winter, I use "smart gloves" but I
    bought them for cycling in winter; the only nonsmart gloves I (or my
    children) have are skiing gloves, which I only use for skiing and for
    cycling in sub-zero temperatures.

    The more relevant question is "how many people use gloves while driving
    in winter, and what proportion of the gloves used is of type 'smart'?",
    of if you wish, "what proportion of gloves lying around in cars for the off-chance are 'smart'?"
    Given that most non-woolen general purpose gloves these days are
    'smart', you can expect that this problem will have an answer of "over
    90%" by 2030 - but who will still be so old-fashioned as to drive a car
    that needs re-fuelling then?

    Rolf "in winter weather, I try to do the necessary smart phone actions
    for charging sitting inside the car"

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Marland@gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 14:42:10 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of
    winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.


    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is remarkable.



    For me It comes and goes sometimes with years in between but Raynauds
    disease when it strikes
    and makes the fingers dead can make pushing those buttons or touching their equivalent on a touchscreen extremely difficult. Contactless became a blessing in such circumstances.
    I did though give up on wearing thick gloves as I found thin cotton ones
    were just as effective at keeping wind off which seemed to set it off in my case. They can be bought cheap enough in quantity
    that cutting the finger tips off means you can still use your finger tips
    and keep the wind off.
    Other wise I do have some thick gloves made with half fingers, ironically considering what are talking about I grew up knowing these as Petrol
    Attendants Gloves or Mittens but that names is likely extinct
    for most as are most petrol attendants. Some pairs are convertible and
    have a flap that will cover the finger tops if required but that can become nuisance if it doesnrCOt stay folded in and flops around.

    GH
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 14:48:41 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan >>>> 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of >>>> winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.


    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is
    remarkable.



    For me It comes and goes sometimes with years in between but Raynauds disease when it strikes
    and makes the fingers dead can make pushing those buttons or touching their equivalent on a touchscreen extremely difficult. Contactless became a blessing in such circumstances.
    I did though give up on wearing thick gloves as I found thin cotton ones were just as effective at keeping wind off which seemed to set it off in my case. They can be bought cheap enough in quantity
    that cutting the finger tips off means you can still use your finger tips
    and keep the wind off.
    Other wise I do have some thick gloves made with half fingers, ironically considering what are talking about I grew up knowing these as Petrol Attendants Gloves or Mittens but that names is likely extinct
    for most as are most petrol attendants. Some pairs are convertible and
    have a flap that will cover the finger tops if required but that can become nuisance if it doesnrCOt stay folded in and flops around.

    GH


    You have my sympathy as I suffer the same problem, but only once IrCOve let
    my fingers or toes get cold.
    My main gripe with the kiosk payers is they block up the pump for other
    people whilst they go off to pay. At busy supermarket filling stations it
    leads to additional queues.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 14:49:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jr2n7$2e3p8$1@dont-email.me>, at 14:18:15 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqtf5$2cd2l$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:38 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan >>>>> 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of >>>>> winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.

    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is
    remarkable.

    It all takes time, and to put them back on again. And where do you put
    the gloves when you've taken them off?

    The whole thing is such a palaver, people just go into the kiosk to pay
    instead. Remember, that's what we are discussing.

    Taking a glove off and shoving it in your coat pocket

    Assuming you have on a coat with a suitable pocket.

    really isnrCOt a palaver.

    It's one of a series of palavers.

    ItrCOs less of an effort than wandering off to the kiosk and
    potentially waiting to be served.

    Clearly a substantial number of people disagree with you.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 14:54:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jr2o8$235o8$4@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:48 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Rolf Mantel <news@hartig-mantel.de> remarked:
    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk >>>>>>pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in >>>>>>trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing >>>>>the-a risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    -aAnd then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the
    middle of-a winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens >>>without removing them.-a They're called "smart gloves" and similar.

    How many people wear those when driving their car?

    When I use gloves while driving in winter, I use "smart gloves" but I
    bought them for cycling in winter; the only nonsmart gloves I (or my >children) have are skiing gloves, which I only use for skiing and for >cycling in sub-zero temperatures.

    The more relevant question is "how many people use gloves while driving
    in winter, and what proportion of the gloves used is of type 'smart'?",
    of if you wish, "what proportion of gloves lying around in cars for the >off-chance are 'smart'?"

    Given that most non-woolen general purpose gloves these days are
    'smart',

    I really don't think that's true.

    you can expect that this problem will have an answer of "over 90%" by
    2030 - but who will still be so old-fashioned as to drive a car that
    needs re-fuelling then?

    Are you going to scrap the 77% of new cars bought in 2025 which need refuelling, when only 5yrs old, by the year 2030; plus larger numbers
    dating back to perhaps 2018 (12yr old cars are not uncommon).
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From nib@news@ingram-bromley.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 15:08:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 2026-01-09 14:48, Tweed wrote:
    Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan >>>>> 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of >>>>> winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.


    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is
    remarkable.



    For me It comes and goes sometimes with years in between but Raynauds
    disease when it strikes
    and makes the fingers dead can make pushing those buttons or touching their >> equivalent on a touchscreen extremely difficult. Contactless became a
    blessing in such circumstances.
    I did though give up on wearing thick gloves as I found thin cotton ones
    were just as effective at keeping wind off which seemed to set it off in my >> case. They can be bought cheap enough in quantity
    that cutting the finger tips off means you can still use your finger tips
    and keep the wind off.
    Other wise I do have some thick gloves made with half fingers, ironically
    considering what are talking about I grew up knowing these as Petrol
    Attendants Gloves or Mittens but that names is likely extinct
    for most as are most petrol attendants. Some pairs are convertible and
    have a flap that will cover the finger tops if required but that can become >> nuisance if it doesnrCOt stay folded in and flops around.

    GH


    You have my sympathy as I suffer the same problem, but only once IrCOve let my fingers or toes get cold.
    My main gripe with the kiosk payers is they block up the pump for other people whilst they go off to pay. At busy supermarket filling stations it leads to additional queues.


    My main complaint about pay-at-pump is when it gives you fuel but then
    refuses to give a receipt. Yes it's all recorded electronically, but I
    like to have a tangible record that I have paid before I drive off!

    Obviously no problem on unattended pumps where you cannot accidentally
    press the wrong button.

    nib

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 15:20:33 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <mscjuhF3v26U1@mid.individual.net>, at 15:08:01 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk> remarked:

    My main complaint about pay-at-pump is when it gives you fuel but then >refuses to give a receipt. Yes it's all recorded electronically, but I
    like to have a tangible record that I have paid before I drive off!

    Tesco, one of the worst offenders, have fixed that now. And you can go
    to any other pump and put in your payment card (no PIN required) and get
    a copy receipt. They must have had lots of complaints.

    It's compounded by the way that if the Loyalty Card reader refuses to
    work (which I find is about half of the time) you need a paper receipt
    to take to a cashier (not necessarily same day) to get the points
    logged.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 15:32:20 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jr2n7$2e3p8$1@dont-email.me>, at 14:18:15 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqtf5$2cd2l$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:38 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan >>>>>> 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>>>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of >>>>>> winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens >>>>> without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.

    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is >>>> remarkable.

    It all takes time, and to put them back on again. And where do you put
    the gloves when you've taken them off?

    The whole thing is such a palaver, people just go into the kiosk to pay
    instead. Remember, that's what we are discussing.

    Taking a glove off and shoving it in your coat pocket

    Assuming you have on a coat with a suitable pocket.

    really isnrCOt a palaver.

    It's one of a series of palavers.

    ItrCOs less of an effort than wandering off to the kiosk and
    potentially waiting to be served.

    Clearly a substantial number of people disagree with you.

    Well clearly they do. IrCOm attempting to understand their motivation. IrCOm sure that taking a glove off isnrCOt one of them.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Marland@gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 15:35:20 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan >>>>> 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of >>>>> winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens
    without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.


    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is
    remarkable.



    For me It comes and goes sometimes with years in between but Raynauds
    disease when it strikes
    and makes the fingers dead can make pushing those buttons or touching their >> equivalent on a touchscreen extremely difficult. Contactless became a
    blessing in such circumstances.
    I did though give up on wearing thick gloves as I found thin cotton ones
    were just as effective at keeping wind off which seemed to set it off in my >> case. They can be bought cheap enough in quantity
    that cutting the finger tips off means you can still use your finger tips
    and keep the wind off.
    Other wise I do have some thick gloves made with half fingers, ironically
    considering what are talking about I grew up knowing these as Petrol
    Attendants Gloves or Mittens but that names is likely extinct
    for most as are most petrol attendants. Some pairs are convertible and
    have a flap that will cover the finger tops if required but that can become >> nuisance if it doesnrCOt stay folded in and flops around.

    GH


    You have my sympathy as I suffer the same problem, but only once IrCOve let my fingers or toes get cold.
    My main gripe with the kiosk payers is they block up the pump for other people whilst they go off to pay. At busy supermarket filling stations it leads to additional queues.



    IrCOm with you there, but then most filling stations encourage blocking by being mini supermarkets as well, in fact in some cases not so mini. They
    also donrCOt like you leaving the pump and parking to one side or in a shoppers bay before you pay to clear a pump and may have notices requesting
    you donrCOt do so. Coupled with minimal staffing it doesnrCOt take long before a couple of people with baskets of shopping some of which at the moment of paying then decide they want to purchase a lottery scratch card to create a long delay.
    Our family owned local filling station is a halfway house, no pay at pump
    and only some shopping basics and they do seem to have two on the tills if
    it gets busy. My missis and I usually work it that one fills while the
    other goes inside to pay , the one filling does a thumbs up when finished
    and the one inside then pays comes out jumps in and we are away clearing
    the pump.
    Often there is no queue but if there is joining at no earlier than being
    the 4th person ensures you donrCOt reach the till too soon. We alternate
    the roles depending on the car for two reasons, one she finds one of the
    fuel fillers too awkward and cannot get the knack , the other is she is
    really worried about miss fuelling, so she only fills the Petrol car and I
    fill the Diesel.

    GH
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 15:36:43 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk> wrote:
    On 2026-01-09 14:48, Tweed wrote:
    Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
    Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
    Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 Jan >>>>>> 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing the >>>>>>> risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle of >>>>>> winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    There are such things as gloves which allow you to use touch screens >>>>> without removing them. They're called "smart gloves" and similar.


    That someone finds it hard to remove their glove to press 6 buttons is >>>> remarkable.



    For me It comes and goes sometimes with years in between but Raynauds
    disease when it strikes
    and makes the fingers dead can make pushing those buttons or touching their >>> equivalent on a touchscreen extremely difficult. Contactless became a >>> blessing in such circumstances.
    I did though give up on wearing thick gloves as I found thin cotton ones >>> were just as effective at keeping wind off which seemed to set it off in my >>> case. They can be bought cheap enough in quantity
    that cutting the finger tips off means you can still use your finger tips >>> and keep the wind off.
    Other wise I do have some thick gloves made with half fingers, ironically >>> considering what are talking about I grew up knowing these as Petrol
    Attendants Gloves or Mittens but that names is likely extinct
    for most as are most petrol attendants. Some pairs are convertible and
    have a flap that will cover the finger tops if required but that can become >>> nuisance if it doesnrCOt stay folded in and flops around.

    GH


    You have my sympathy as I suffer the same problem, but only once IrCOve let >> my fingers or toes get cold.
    My main gripe with the kiosk payers is they block up the pump for other
    people whilst they go off to pay. At busy supermarket filling stations it
    leads to additional queues.


    My main complaint about pay-at-pump is when it gives you fuel but then refuses to give a receipt. Yes it's all recorded electronically, but I
    like to have a tangible record that I have paid before I drive off!

    Obviously no problem on unattended pumps where you cannot accidentally
    press the wrong button.

    nib


    If you press the pay at kiosk button then you donrCOt get to enter your card pin. Entering that pin is sufficient to know you are going to pay by card.
    If the pin or card are refused you donrCOt get any fuel.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 15:47:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqt87$2c974$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:44:55 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 10:46, Roland Perry wrote:

    ** There's a bug in the pay-by-phone app I use,

    Somehow I am not surprised

    What, that I'm observant enough to notice it, and then concerned enough
    to post about it?


    <stare strength=rCLhardrCY/>

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 15:56:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jr724$2fhal$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:32:20 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    It's one of a series of palavers.

    ItrCOs less of an effort than wandering off to the kiosk and
    potentially waiting to be served.

    Clearly a substantial number of people disagree with you.

    Well clearly they do. IrCOm attempting to understand their motivation. IrCOm >sure that taking a glove off isnrCOt one of them.

    If you read back up the thread I've mentioned four or five different, disjoint, reasons.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 15:58:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jr7ab$2fk3j$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:36:43 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    My main complaint about pay-at-pump is when it gives you fuel but then
    refuses to give a receipt. Yes it's all recorded electronically, but I
    like to have a tangible record that I have paid before I drive off!

    Obviously no problem on unattended pumps where you cannot accidentally
    press the wrong button.

    nib

    If you press the pay at kiosk button then you donrCOt get to enter your card >pin. Entering that pin is sufficient to know you are going to pay by card.
    If the pin or card are refused you donrCOt get any fuel.

    I don't follow that at all. Press "pay at kiosk", then you mention
    things which are pay-at-pump.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 16:09:25 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jr7u2$2fr3p$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:47:14 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:

    In message <10jqt87$2c974$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:44:55 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:

    On 09/01/2026 10:46, Roland Perry wrote:

    ** There's a bug in the pay-by-phone app I use,

    Somehow I am not surprised

    What, that I'm observant enough to notice it, and then concerned enough
    to post about it?

    <stare strength=rCLhardrCY/>

    What's your problem? My personal stalker often accuses me of skimping
    with cheap phones, but I have an almost new Pixel which are the gold
    standard (& Android 16, November 1st). My SIM has recently been upgraded
    to 5G. The pay-by-phone app is from one of those newfangled banks, which currently has 600k customers. So it can't be any of those.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 17:00:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jr7ab$2fk3j$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:36:43 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    My main complaint about pay-at-pump is when it gives you fuel but then
    refuses to give a receipt. Yes it's all recorded electronically, but I
    like to have a tangible record that I have paid before I drive off!

    Obviously no problem on unattended pumps where you cannot accidentally
    press the wrong button.

    nib

    If you press the pay at kiosk button then you donrCOt get to enter your card >> pin. Entering that pin is sufficient to know you are going to pay by card. >> If the pin or card are refused you donrCOt get any fuel.

    I don't follow that at all. Press "pay at kiosk", then you mention
    things which are pay-at-pump.

    IrCOd assumed that nib was worried that without a receipt he couldnrCOt prove he had paid. He then mentioned pressing the wrong button. I assumed this
    meant he was worried that at a pump where you can choose to pay at kiosk or
    at pump he was worried he might have selected kiosk accidentally rather
    than pay at pump. I was pointing out that if you select pay at kiosk you donrCOt get to enter your pin.
    If my assumptions are wrong then I apologise to nib.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From nib@news@ingram-bromley.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 17:21:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 2026-01-09 17:00, Tweed wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jr7ab$2fk3j$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:36:43 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    My main complaint about pay-at-pump is when it gives you fuel but then >>>> refuses to give a receipt. Yes it's all recorded electronically, but I >>>> like to have a tangible record that I have paid before I drive off!

    Obviously no problem on unattended pumps where you cannot accidentally >>>> press the wrong button.

    nib

    If you press the pay at kiosk button then you donrCOt get to enter your card
    pin. Entering that pin is sufficient to know you are going to pay by card. >>> If the pin or card are refused you donrCOt get any fuel.

    I don't follow that at all. Press "pay at kiosk", then you mention
    things which are pay-at-pump.

    IrCOd assumed that nib was worried that without a receipt he couldnrCOt prove he had paid. He then mentioned pressing the wrong button. I assumed this meant he was worried that at a pump where you can choose to pay at kiosk or at pump he was worried he might have selected kiosk accidentally rather
    than pay at pump. I was pointing out that if you select pay at kiosk you donrCOt get to enter your pin.
    If my assumptions are wrong then I apologise to nib.


    Yes what you say is true. It's the same sort of anxiety that I can get
    when I'm about 5 minutes out from home: Am I sure I locked the front door?

    The solution in both cases is to make sure you're paying attention and positively recording that the door is locked or that you did see the
    display saying you've paid (or entered the PIN). But sometimes I'm
    distracted and forget to positively record. The receipt solves one case, sometimes going back to check solves the other!

    nib

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Andy Burns@usenet@andyburns.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 18:03:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Marland wrote:

    Also has the benefit with some products like a loaf of bread isnrCOt handled by hands that have also touched coins that have been rattling around in various trouser pockets next to sweaty genitals,
    though many better traders do sometimes wear gloves they donrCOt change them for every transaction.

    Better trained staff use one hand for touching the produce, the other
    one for handling the coins ...

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Andy Burns@usenet@andyburns.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 18:20:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry wrote:

    Tesco Loyalty Cards, which the readers on the pumps are extremely temperamental about.

    They used to [appear to] be very temperamental last time they updated
    the pumps here, either they've fixed them, or I was holding the card wrong!
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 18:38:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jrgtk$2j0km$1@andyburns.eternal-september.org>, at
    18:20:35 on Fri, 9 Jan 2026, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> remarked:
    Roland Perry wrote:

    Tesco Loyalty Cards, which the readers on the pumps are extremely >>temperamental about.

    They used to [appear to] be very temperamental last time they updated
    the pumps here, either they've fixed them, or I was holding the card
    wrong!

    I've noticed they've got better, but still only about three times out of
    four. I use a keyfob.

    However, once the average person was convinced they are terrible they'll
    use the kiosk for ever after.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Tweed@usenet.tweed@gmail.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 18:44:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:
    Roland Perry wrote:

    Tesco Loyalty Cards, which the readers on the pumps are extremely
    temperamental about.

    They used to [appear to] be very temperamental last time they updated
    the pumps here, either they've fixed them, or I was holding the card wrong!


    Is it even worth the effort. 50 litres of petrol costs around -u65. That
    gets you a whole 25p worth of club card points. 0.4% rebate.
    ItrCOs amazing how the retailers have us trained.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 18:58:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 13:41, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqtf9$2c974$2@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:41 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 11:41, ColinR wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9
    Jan-a 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk to >>>>>> pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in hand >>>>>> trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing
    the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle
    of-a winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    -aVery good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car.

    You are a certified geek, you mean you don't have a pocket full?
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 19:00:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 09/01/2026 13:50, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqt87$2c974$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:44:55 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 10:46, Roland Perry wrote:

    ** There's a bug in the pay-by-phone app I use,

    Somehow I am not surprised

    What, that I'm observant enough to notice it, and then concerned enough
    to post about it?


    Strangely enough, no. How observant do you have to be to notice a
    transaction has failed?
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 19:08:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jria8$2jfcb$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:44:24 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:
    Roland Perry wrote:

    Tesco Loyalty Cards, which the readers on the pumps are extremely
    temperamental about.

    They used to [appear to] be very temperamental last time they updated
    the pumps here, either they've fixed them, or I was holding the card wrong!

    Is it even worth the effort. 50 litres of petrol costs around -u65. That
    gets you a whole 25p worth of club card points. 0.4% rebate.
    ItrCOs amazing how the retailers have us trained.

    Admittedly, the rebate has reduced over the years. But it all adds up.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 19:09:46 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jrj80$2jmbt$2@dont-email.me>, at 19:00:16 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 13:50, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqt87$2c974$1@dont-email.me>, at 12:44:55 on Fri, 9 Jan >>2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 10:46, Roland Perry wrote:

    ** There's a bug in the pay-by-phone app I use,

    Somehow I am not surprised

    What, that I'm observant enough to notice it, and then concerned
    enough to post about it?

    Strangely enough, no. How observant do you have to be to notice a >transaction has failed?

    What I am observant about is *why* it's failed. To try to avoid it
    happening again.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 19:08:52 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jrj48$2jmbt$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:58:16 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 13:41, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqtf9$2c974$2@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:41 on Fri, 9 Jan >>2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 11:41, ColinR wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 >>>>>Jan-a 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the >>>>>>>kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a >>>>>>>cash in hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, >>>>>>reducing the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle >>>>>of-a winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    -aVery good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the
    car.

    You are a certified geek, you mean you don't have a pocket full?

    Last time I looked I wasn't a lady, with or without a handbag.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Charles Ellson@charlesellson@btinternet.com to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 19:36:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 16:30:56 -0000 (UTC), Tweed
    <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous >>>> passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission).

    So I took my u25 of business [gross profit around u16] elsewhere, to a >>>> nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a mind-boggling array >>>> of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for others to >>> see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is increasingly the >case these days.
    ItAs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the supermarket.

    Mot the ones I use (e.g. Tesco Extra in Neasden) where a significant
    proportion of the customers are unable to use the "card only"
    machines.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger@usenet@rilynn.me.uk to uk.railway on Fri Jan 9 22:22:34 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 08/01/2026 14:18, Roland Perry wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash.

    That seems to be common at fish and chip shops. I don't see a problem with it. --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sat Jan 10 06:23:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <amb83m-ahs.ln1@castle-combe.rilynn.me.uk>, at 22:22:34 on
    Fri, 9 Jan 2026, Roger <usenet@rilynn.me.uk> remarked:

    On 08/01/2026 14:18, Roland Perry wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes cash.

    That seems to be common at fish and chip shops. I don't see a problem with it.

    I realise they need some cash to pay for their supplies (I expect the
    delivery drivers each morning demand cash) but that's less than a third
    of their turnover. Meanwhile almost every other business wants to go card-only, complaining about the cost of banking cash.

    The shop in question is likely to get quite a lot of cash anyway, due to
    the demographic, so I see no reason to refuse those customers who want
    to pay by card. If you believe some of the comments in this thread,
    taking cards is even quicker and easier than cash.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Ulf Kutzner@user2991@newsgrouper.org.invalid to uk.railway on Sat Jan 10 07:37:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway


    Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> posted:

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqnoc$2aj0t$1@dont-email.me>, at 11:11:06 on Fri, 9 Jan 2026, JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds,
    not a minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't
    have tills linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises
    tend to. They add up the bill in their head, then would have to go
    find the gadget, take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Also possibly easier to adjust the portion size fish and chips so that
    the price is a nice round figure so reducing time spent giving change.

    To some extent. My purchase yesterday was -u10.50 a portion, which also fails the -uxx.99 test. Looking at their price list just now, many are -uxx.30

    I don't visit fish and chip shops often but they mostly seem to be
    still run by local British people?

    The fish and chip shop I use the most (which is near a friends house,
    not here) is run by Turkish/Greek/??? staff. I couldn't exactly place
    the accent.

    The one I bought from yesterday, had a server of similar nationality,
    and the fact they are closed Tuesdays makes me think the proprietors
    could be oriental. rumblesely.co.uk

    Almost certainly Turkish. Could be mainland Turkey or Turkish Cypriot, but
    I think the latter is more likely.

    Or Turkish Greeks.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Jan 10 20:17:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqg12$288n1$1@dont-email.me>, at 08:59:14 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 06:45, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jouh2$1opca$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:54:26 on Thu, 8 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joprm$1n4mo$1@dont-email.me>, at 17:34:46 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jom40$1lkt8$1@dont-email.me>, at 16:30:56 on Thu, 8 Jan >>>>>>>> 2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10joht0$1j8m4$1@dont-email.me>, at 15:18:56 on Thu, 8 >>>>>>>>>> Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    It seems the busiest fish and chip shop in town (according to >>>>>>>>>>>> numerous
    passive aggressive signs ranting about commissions) only takes >>>>>>>>>>>> cash.

    Which somewhat invalidates the militant cashless pubs who claim >>>>>>>>>>>> the
    contrary (that banking cash costs more than card commission). >>>>>>>>>>>>
    So I took my -u25 of business [gross profit around -u16] >>>>>>>>>>>> elsewhere, to a
    nearby but quieter fish and chip shop that takes a
    mind-boggling array
    of cards.

    Depends what the owner of the establishment wants recorded for >>>>>>>>>>> others to
    see.

    That is sometimes alleged too, but if they take a *mixture* of >>>>>>>>>> cash and
    cards, they can still run that fiddle.

    Not if the bulk of their customers pay by card, which is
    increasingly the
    case these days.

    Given that the very busy fish and chip shop in question is
    successfully
    getting cash off 100% of its customers (if slightly fewer potential >>>>>>>> customers) I don't think that's an issue.

    ItrCOs a bit of an event when someone tries to pay cash at the >>>>>>>>> supermarket.

    People are often buying more than a pint of beer and a packet of >>>>>>>> crisps.

    My point was that if a shop wishes to fiddle on any sensible scale they >>>>>>> need to only accept cash. If they also accept cards then most of their >>>>>>> customers will choose card.

    In this instance I disagree with you. The shop in question is on the >>>>>> Market Square, and several market traders (including a regulalr
    burger-bar) only take cash.

    IsnrCOt that my point? They take only cash. If they take cards as well >>>>> their
    cash take will plummet and make fiddling harder.

    I don't think the majority of those traders are on the fiddle, they are >>>> simply goatherders.

    That said, there are some honest cash only businesses, largely run by >>>>> folk
    who donrCOt understand how easy it is to hook a card reader up to a mobile
    phone.

    Part of the problem is that most of the card-taking gadgets use O2,
    which has little or no coverage in the Market Sqaure. Crazy, I know,
    but it's been like that for ever.

    Anyone shop/trader these days who is cash only either has to have a stand >>>>> out offering, or is losing trade.

    Or simply wants to conduct transactions in cash in a few seconds, not a >>>> minute or more using a card-taking gadget. The traders don't have tills >>>> linked to expensive C&P like bricks and mortar premises tend to. They
    add up the bill in their head, then would have to go find the gadget,
    take off their gloves, type in the amount, etc etc.

    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular
    two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    My observation too. At several such markets IrCOve asked if they prefer cash >> or card, and the response is either they donrCOt care or they want card. IrCOm
    not a militant anti cash type, but IrCOve noticed my own use of cash has
    fallen to almost nothing. The last time I had to use cash was at the start >> of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards.

    On the other hand, I find places which are cash-only quite frequently.
    Maybe people who live in large metropolitan areas find it's different.

    I live in a small metropolis (Edinburgh, pop ~500k) and I come across a smattering of small businesses that take card only and a similar smattering which take cash only. I havenrCOt done a rigorous survey.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Jan 10 20:20:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jria8$2jfcb$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:44:24 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:
    Roland Perry wrote:

    Tesco Loyalty Cards, which the readers on the pumps are extremely
    temperamental about.

    They used to [appear to] be very temperamental last time they updated
    the pumps here, either they've fixed them, or I was holding the card wrong! >>
    Is it even worth the effort. 50 litres of petrol costs around -u65. That
    gets you a whole 25p worth of club card points. 0.4% rebate.
    ItrCOs amazing how the retailers have us trained.

    Admittedly, the rebate has reduced over the years. But it all adds up.

    Every little helps!

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Jan 10 20:20:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqtf9$2c974$2@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:41 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 11:41, ColinR wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9
    Jan 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk >>>>>> to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in >>>>>> hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing
    the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle
    of winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car.

    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box. It is, however, a clicky pen so
    not ideal for pressing buttons.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Coffee@martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk to uk.railway on Sat Jan 10 20:22:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 10/01/2026 20:20, Sam Wilson wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqtf9$2c974$2@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:41 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 11:41, ColinR wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9
    Jan 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk >>>>>>> to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in >>>>>>> hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing >>>>>> the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle
    of winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car.

    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box. It is, however, a clicky pen so not ideal for pressing buttons.

    B&M sell suitable pens for -u1.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Graeme Wall@rail@greywall.demon.co.uk to uk.railway on Sat Jan 10 21:09:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 10/01/2026 20:22, Coffee wrote:
    On 10/01/2026 20:20, Sam Wilson wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqtf9$2c974$2@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:41 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 11:41, ColinR wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9
    Jan-a 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk >>>>>>>> to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in >>>>>>>> hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing >>>>>>> the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle >>>>>> of-a winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car.

    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box.-a It is, however, a clicky pen so >> not ideal for pressing buttons.

    B&M sell suitable pens for -u1.

    So do Flying Tiger
    --
    Graeme Wall
    This account not read.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Nobody@jock@soccer.com to uk.railway on Sat Jan 10 17:10:48 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 2026-01-09 11:37 p.m., Ulf Kutzner wrote:

    <uncushioned>

    Or Turkish Greeks.

    Only if proven to be relaxing on an ottoman.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 08:58:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10juca0$3e49p$2@dont-email.me>, at 20:20:16 on Sat, 10 Jan
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle
    of winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car.

    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box. It is, however, a clicky pen so >not ideal for pressing buttons.

    And of course retrieving that, and putting it back afterwards, lengthens
    the entire process.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 09:01:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10juc9v$3e49p$1@dont-email.me>, at 20:20:15 on Sat, 10 Jan
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jria8$2jfcb$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:44:24 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
    Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:
    Roland Perry wrote:

    Tesco Loyalty Cards, which the readers on the pumps are extremely
    temperamental about.

    They used to [appear to] be very temperamental last time they updated
    the pumps here, either they've fixed them, or I was holding the card wrong!

    Is it even worth the effort. 50 litres of petrol costs around -u65. That >>> gets you a whole 25p worth of club card points. 0.4% rebate.
    ItrCOs amazing how the retailers have us trained.

    Admittedly, the rebate has reduced over the years. But it all adds up.

    Every little helps!

    It does. What with fuel, a Tesco Mobile PAYG SIM (which I really ought
    to get around to cancelling), car insurance, and not as many groceries
    as I used to buy from them, I get about -u10 worth of vouchers, I think quarterly.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 09:11:42 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10juc52$3e2g3$1@dont-email.me>, at 20:17:38 on Sat, 10 Jan
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Doesn't seem to worry them in my local markets. We have two, a regular >>>> two day market every week and a Farmers market once a month.
    Transactions seem just as quick or quicker using a card. The
    stallholders have a reader in their pockets and don't have to fiddle
    about making change.

    My observation too. At several such markets IrCOve asked if they prefer cash
    or card, and the response is either they donrCOt care or they want card. IrCOm
    not a militant anti cash type, but IrCOve noticed my own use of cash has >>> fallen to almost nothing. The last time I had to use cash was at the start >>> of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped taking cards.

    On the other hand, I find places which are cash-only quite frequently.
    Maybe people who live in large metropolitan areas find it's different.

    I live in a small metropolis (Edinburgh, pop ~500k) and I come across a >smattering of small businesses that take card only and a similar smattering >which take cash only. I havenrCOt done a rigorous survey.

    In the southeast, it's extremely common for so-called hospitality
    outlets to take card-only. Very many supermarket self-checkout tills
    are as well.

    I bought some groceries from a sub post office yesterday (or is it "from
    an inconvenience store with a closed-at-the-time PO counter at the
    back"), and they had a sign saying 'Minimum card payment -u2' which I
    think is a breach of their merchant agreement.

    The local Garden Centre has a 'Minimum card payment -u10', and takes
    cash-only at their stall at the weekly charter market.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 10:22:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    I have a couple of pairs of fingerless gloves that I keep in my camera
    bag, also used to have a pair silk gloves which are a nice tight fit
    (they are worn underneath heavy mittens or gloves in cold conditions but
    can be useful for something needing more 'feel' than thick gloves).

    There are also mittens which allow the fingers to poke out when needed
    then quickly pulled back into the mitten.



    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From boltar@boltar@caprica.universe to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 10:30:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:22:03 +0000
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> gabbled:
    I have a couple of pairs of fingerless gloves that I keep in my camera
    bag, also used to have a pair silk gloves which are a nice tight fit
    (they are worn underneath heavy mittens or gloves in cold conditions but
    can be useful for something needing more 'feel' than thick gloves).

    Fingerless gloves were fashionable amongst the 'ard lads when I was at school in the 80s then they disappeared. What goes around...

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 11:49:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10jvtkd$3qq6r$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:22:03 on Sun, 11 Jan
    2026, JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> remarked:
    I have a couple of pairs of fingerless gloves that I keep in my camera
    bag, also used to have a pair silk gloves which are a nice tight fit
    (they are worn underneath heavy mittens or gloves in cold conditions
    but can be useful for something needing more 'feel' than thick gloves).

    There are also mittens which allow the fingers to poke out when needed
    then quickly pulled back into the mitten.

    Jolly good. And are they in the car when you decide to pull up and fill
    the tank? How long does it take to get them out and put them on.

    Sufficient that you might decide it's easier just to pay at the kiosk.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 16:33:01 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
    On 10/01/2026 20:22, Coffee wrote:
    On 10/01/2026 20:20, Sam Wilson wrote:
    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10jqtf9$2c974$2@dont-email.me>, at 12:48:41 on Fri, 9 Jan
    2026, Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> remarked:
    On 09/01/2026 11:41, ColinR wrote:
    On 09/01/2026 11:17, Roland Perry wrote:
    In message <10jqmke$29e9m$1@dont-email.me>, at 10:51:59 on Fri, 9 >>>>>>> Jan-a 2026, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

    About half of all users wonrCOt pay at pump-a and go to the kiosk >>>>>>>>> to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are-a cash in >>>>>>>>> hand trades people offloading some of their cash.

    Maybe they feel it is safer to pay indoors than outdoors, reducing >>>>>>>> the risk of being mugged and having their card stolen...

    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle >>>>>>> of-a winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car.

    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box.-a It is, however, a clicky pen so
    not ideal for pressing buttons.

    B&M sell suitable pens for -u1.

    So do Flying Tiger

    I expect Poundland would sell you a whole pack of3 (or 5 or 10!) for -u1.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 16:33:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10juca0$3e49p$2@dont-email.me>, at 20:20:16 on Sat, 10 Jan
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle >>>>>> of winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car.

    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box. It is, however, a clicky pen so >> not ideal for pressing buttons.

    And of course retrieving that, and putting it back afterwards, lengthens
    the entire process.

    ThatrCOs OK, I donrCOt use it for pressing buttons, just for writing the trip milage on the receipt so I can calculate the mpg when I get home.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 16:40:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    <boltar@caprica.universe> wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:22:03 +0000
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> gabbled:
    I have a couple of pairs of fingerless gloves that I keep in my camera
    bag, also used to have a pair silk gloves which are a nice tight fit
    (they are worn underneath heavy mittens or gloves in cold conditions but
    can be useful for something needing more 'feel' than thick gloves).

    Fingerless gloves were fashionable amongst the 'ard lads when I was at school in the 80s then they disappeared. What goes around...

    Also favoured by Albert Steptoe, ISTR.

    Though IrCOm not sure that would count as fashionable.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From boltar@boltar@caprica.universe to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 16:42:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 16:40:04 -0000 (UTC)
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> gabbled: ><boltar@caprica.universe> wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:22:03 +0000
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> gabbled:
    I have a couple of pairs of fingerless gloves that I keep in my camera
    bag, also used to have a pair silk gloves which are a nice tight fit
    (they are worn underneath heavy mittens or gloves in cold conditions but >>> can be useful for something needing more 'feel' than thick gloves).

    Fingerless gloves were fashionable amongst the 'ard lads when I was at school

    in the 80s then they disappeared. What goes around...

    Also favoured by Albert Steptoe, ISTR.

    Though IrCOm not sure that would count as fashionable.

    More that salt-o-the-earth riff that (mostlY) middle class wannabe toughs were aiming for. At my school anyway.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 16:56:11 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10k0jbv$1gtn$2@dont-email.me>, at 16:33:03 on Sun, 11 Jan
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle >>>>>>> of winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car.

    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box. It is, however, a clicky pen so >>> not ideal for pressing buttons.

    And of course retrieving that, and putting it back afterwards, lengthens
    the entire process.

    ThatrCOs OK, I donrCOt use it for pressing buttons, just for writing the trip >milage on the receipt so I can calculate the mpg when I get home.

    Doesn't matter what *you* do. It's the *other* people choosing to use
    the kiosk (rather than the pump) to pay, we are discussing.
    --
    Roland Perry
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mike Humphrey@mail@michaelhumphrey.me.uk to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 19:14:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 08:59:14 -0000 (UTC), Tweed wrote:
    My observation too. At several such markets IrCOve asked if they prefer
    cash or card, and the response is either they donrCOt care or they want
    card. IrCOm not a militant anti cash type, but IrCOve noticed my own use of cash has fallen to almost nothing. The last time I had to use cash was
    at the start of M&SrCOs cyber attack when their tills suddenly stopped
    taking cards. EasyJet wonrCOt take cash for onboard purchases. The only mystery to me is at our local Tesco petrol station. About half of all
    users wonrCOt pay at pump and go to the kiosk to pay. IrCOm assuming they either want cigarettes or are cash in hand trades people offloading some
    of their cash.

    Unless it's changed recently, Tesco's pay at pump won't take fuel cards.
    So if I'm in a company vehicle I've no option but to pay inside.

    Mike
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From JMB99@mb@nospam.net to uk.railway on Sun Jan 11 20:03:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    On 11/01/2026 11:49, Roland Perry wrote:

    Sufficient that you might decide it's easier just to pay at the kiosk.



    I always do pay at the kiosk.

    They are in case I need with the camera mainly.




    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Mon Jan 12 11:51:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    <boltar@caprica.universe> wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 16:40:04 -0000 (UTC)
    Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> gabbled:
    <boltar@caprica.universe> wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:22:03 +0000
    JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> gabbled:
    I have a couple of pairs of fingerless gloves that I keep in my camera >>>> bag, also used to have a pair silk gloves which are a nice tight fit
    (they are worn underneath heavy mittens or gloves in cold conditions but >>>> can be useful for something needing more 'feel' than thick gloves).

    Fingerless gloves were fashionable amongst the 'ard lads when I was at school

    in the 80s then they disappeared. What goes around...

    Also favoured by Albert Steptoe, ISTR.

    Though IrCOm not sure that would count as fashionable.

    More that salt-o-the-earth riff that (mostlY) middle class wannabe toughs were
    aiming for. At my school anyway.

    The dirty old man look? <shrug> OK.

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Mon Jan 12 11:51:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10k0jbv$1gtn$2@dont-email.me>, at 16:33:03 on Sun, 11 Jan
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    And then there's the issue of taking your gloves off in the middle >>>>>>>> of winter to press the buttons on the petrol pump.

    Very good point, especially in the last few days!

    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car. >>>>
    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box. It is, however, a clicky pen so
    not ideal for pressing buttons.

    And of course retrieving that, and putting it back afterwards, lengthens >>> the entire process.

    ThatrCOs OK, I donrCOt use it for pressing buttons, just for writing the trip
    milage on the receipt so I can calculate the mpg when I get home.

    Doesn't matter what *you* do. It's the *other* people choosing to use
    the kiosk (rather than the pump) to pay, we are discussing.

    You were saying there might be a pen in a handbag in the car. IrCOm just saying thererCOs one permanently in our car, but not in a handbag (and I
    happen not to use it for pressing buttons).

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roland Perry@roland@perry.uk to uk.railway on Mon Jan 12 12:02:00 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    In message <10k2n8i$2acs4$2@dont-email.me>, at 11:51:47 on Mon, 12 Jan
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car. >>>>>
    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box. It is, however, a clicky pen so
    not ideal for pressing buttons.

    And of course retrieving that, and putting it back afterwards, lengthens >>>> the entire process.

    ThatrCOs OK, I donrCOt use it for pressing buttons, just for writing the trip
    milage on the receipt so I can calculate the mpg when I get home.

    Doesn't matter what *you* do. It's the *other* people choosing to use
    the kiosk (rather than the pump) to pay, we are discussing.

    You were saying there might be a pen in a handbag in the car. IrCOm just >saying thererCOs one permanently in our car, but not in a handbag (and I >happen not to use it for pressing buttons).

    Again, it doesn't matter what *you* do.
    --
    Roland Perry
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  • From Sam Wilson@ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk to uk.railway on Mon Jan 12 13:28:46 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.railway

    Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
    In message <10k2n8i$2acs4$2@dont-email.me>, at 11:51:47 on Mon, 12 Jan
    2026, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
    Use the blunt end of a pen.

    Great idea. There might be one in the lady's handbag, inside the car. >>>>>>
    In our car thererCOs one in the glove box. It is, however, a clicky pen so
    not ideal for pressing buttons.

    And of course retrieving that, and putting it back afterwards, lengthens >>>>> the entire process.

    ThatrCOs OK, I donrCOt use it for pressing buttons, just for writing the trip
    milage on the receipt so I can calculate the mpg when I get home.

    Doesn't matter what *you* do. It's the *other* people choosing to use
    the kiosk (rather than the pump) to pay, we are discussing.

    You were saying there might be a pen in a handbag in the car. IrCOm just
    saying thererCOs one permanently in our car, but not in a handbag (and I
    happen not to use it for pressing buttons).

    Again, it doesn't matter what *you* do.

    It matters to me! :-)

    Sam
    --
    The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
    Spit the dummy to reply
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