Seemingly trivial things that annoy you

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  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    Pross wrote:
    The thing that annoys me more in the States is prices being shown without the tax. It's caught me out a few times when getting to the till. I'm never sure what to offer in a hotel when the bellhop shows you around your room so I generally just take my own bags up to avoid the awkwardness.
    Yeah, there's the slight awkwardness about services you don't get a direct bill for like bellhops and stuff.

    On this trip we've been between washington and oregon multiple times and the sales tax keeps catching me out (Oregon has no sales tax at all, Washington does and they add it on at the till).
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    keef66 wrote:
    Isn't part of the whole travelling to other countries thing to do with getting to grips with different customs etc? It'd be a tedious world if everywhere was the same as the UK...

    yep was thinking the exact same thing, its when in Rome do as...its all about travelling and thats the custom in the states so roll with it :)
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    awavey wrote:
    keef66 wrote:
    Isn't part of the whole travelling to other countries thing to do with getting to grips with different customs etc? It'd be a tedious world if everywhere was the same as the UK...

    yep was thinking the exact same thing, its when in Rome do as...its all about travelling and thats the custom in the states so roll with it :)
    Yeah, there is an element of that, which is fair enough.

    This thread is supposed to be seemingly trivial things which annoy you though... it never ruins my holiday.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    Another thing I would add here is that the place we are in now advertises having 12 wineries within walking distance but it is actually impossible to walk between them because there are no sidewalks. And you have to get past a freeway to access 2 of them.

    What's the point in wine tastings that you have to drive to...
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    Another thing I would add here is that the place we are in now advertises having 12 wineries within walking distance but it is actually impossible to walk between them because there are no sidewalks. And you have to get past a freeway to access 2 of them.

    What's the point in wine tastings that you have to drive to...
    Team car.
  • cowsham
    cowsham Posts: 1,399
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    Another thing I would add here is that the place we are in now advertises having 12 wineries within walking distance but it is actually impossible to walk between them because there are no sidewalks. And you have to get past a freeway to access 2 of them.

    What's the point in wine tastings that you have to drive to...
    Team car.

    Taxi -- remember to tip the driver
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    I just walked down the road. Was fine. Got through 4 tastings then went to see a bluegrass band.

    People love english accents here. Got loads of free shit.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,642
    edited September 2019
    On the topic of complaints about the US, I'd like to complain about the money. Who thought that having the same colour and shape for the nickel, dime and quarter was a good idea? Ditto, the notes? And who thought a quarter would ever be useful and easy to use amount? It's not like they have a $25 note.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,642
    edited September 2019
    And border crossings you can't cross because the US side is an interstate.
  • cowsham
    cowsham Posts: 1,399
    Big bean -- you need glasses or spell check
  • robert88
    robert88 Posts: 2,696
    TheBigBean wrote:
    On the topic of complaints about the US, I'd like to complain about the money. Who thought that having the same colour and shape for the nickel, dime and quarter was a good idea? Ditto, the notes? And who thought a quarter would ever be useful and easy to use amount? It's not like they that a $25 note.

    Use plastic?
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,642
    edited September 2019
    Cowsham wrote:
    Big bean -- you need glasses or spell check

    Better? Note interstate = US motorway
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    Robert88 wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    On the topic of complaints about the US, I'd like to complain about the money. Who thought that having the same colour and shape for the nickel, dime and quarter was a good idea? Ditto, the notes? And who thought a quarter would ever be useful and easy to use amount? It's not like they that a $25 note.

    Use plastic?

    Bahahaha.

    Then you'd have to sign for everything. Swipe and sign, every time.

    Cash is still king over there
    _
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    I just walked down the road. Was fine. Got through 4 tastings then went to see a bluegrass band.

    People love english accents here. Got loads of free shoot.
    My last visit to Washington I had to do "Austin Powers" impressions. Reasonable ice breaker for free drinks and stuff.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,642
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    Cash is still king over there

    Quite right too. I've already posted about the card only places in the UK.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    Cash is still king over there

    Quite right too. I've already posted about the card only places in the UK.

    Oh man you're a cash guy?

    I am as cashless as I can be tbh. Find cash a PITA. How come you prefer using cash?
    _
  • robert88
    robert88 Posts: 2,696
    edited September 2019
    Never carry any cash I can't fold and only for emergencies.
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    Cash is still king over there

    Quite right too. I've already posted about the card only places in the UK.

    Oh man you're a cash guy?

    I am as cashless as I can be tbh. Find cash a PITA. How come you prefer using cash?
    Barford farmhouse icecream are cash only. It's on a cycle route and probably the best icecream in the south of england.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Robert88 wrote:
    Never carry any cash I can't fold and only for emergencies.
    Folding-50p.jpg
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,866
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    Cash is still king over there

    Quite right too. I've already posted about the card only places in the UK.

    Oh man you're a cash guy?

    I am as cashless as I can be tbh. Find cash a PITA. How come you prefer using cash?
    Barford farmhouse icecream are cash only. It's on a cycle route and probably the best icecream in the south of england.

    my local butcher is cash only, evenly more bizarrely the cafe next door is card only.
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Surrey Commuter wrote:
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    Cash is still king over there

    Quite right too. I've already posted about the card only places in the UK.

    Oh man you're a cash guy?

    I am as cashless as I can be tbh. Find cash a PITA. How come you prefer using cash?
    Barford farmhouse icecream are cash only. It's on a cycle route and probably the best icecream in the south of england.

    my local butcher is cash only, evenly more bizarrely the cafe next door is card only.
    off book, tax dodgers.
  • robert88
    robert88 Posts: 2,696
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    Surrey Commuter wrote:
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    Cash is still king over there

    Quite right too. I've already posted about the card only places in the UK.

    Oh man you're a cash guy?

    I am as cashless as I can be tbh. Find cash a PITA. How come you prefer using cash?
    Barford farmhouse icecream are cash only. It's on a cycle route and probably the best icecream in the south of england.

    my local butcher is cash only, evenly more bizarrely the cafe next door is card only.
    off book, tax dodgers.

    In one country I visited (can't recall which) it is illegal to leave the premises of a business after a transaction without having a receipt for your payment. I always ask for receipts anyway, altho' they can send it to an email address if they have wifi.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,699
    Surrey Commuter wrote:
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    Cash is still king over there

    Quite right too. I've already posted about the card only places in the UK.

    Oh man you're a cash guy?

    I am as cashless as I can be tbh. Find cash a PITA. How come you prefer using cash?
    Barford farmhouse icecream are cash only. It's on a cycle route and probably the best icecream in the south of england.

    my local butcher is cash only, evenly more bizarrely the cafe next door is card only.

    Makes sense. Both have their pros and cons and it's cheaper to offer one or the other rather than both.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,589
    Pross wrote:
    The old chestnut of deliveries. Working from home today waiting for a sofa to be delivered and we were given an initial time slot of 8am to 9pm that would be made more reasonable on the day. I got up this morning to move various bits of furniture in order to clear the easiest path for it to be carried through the house and cleaned the floors that had been under the old sofa and moved furniture ready for a potential 8am delivery. 9.45 I got a message saying it will be delivered between 10am and midday. 11.45am I get a message saying they are unable to make the delivery, no further explanation or alternative date so I now need to decide whether I move everything back or not. At least if I knew it was going to come tomorrow I could leave stuff as it is and work around it for a day.

    Well, it was second time lucky and the sofa turned up on time. However, the delivery guys had a quick look and decided pretty much that they wouldn't be able to get it into the living room but they'd try. The got it into the hall and gave it a cursory go at getting it through the living room door but decided it couldn't be done. I'd already told them that the easiest way was to go on into the kitchen which then gave more room to manoeuvre and take it through the dining room door but instead of listening they got a tape measure on the door and the sofa and decided it wouldn't fit, totally ignoring the way that you get furniture through doors by adjusting angles etc. In the end I was told I could either get them to return it and order a different one or they could leave it in my hall for me to sort out. They did offer the interesting advice that I could get a glazier to pop the window out and take it through that instead though.

    I told them to leave it and eventually, 45 minutes later, with lots of swearing and having to climb over the sofa several times to change my angle of attack I had single handedly moved all 63kg of it into its correct position by going the way I had said but if they'd just hung around it could have been done in 10 minutes. I'm now sitting down, drenched in sweat and nursing a sore back due to their laziness.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,589
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Robert88 wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    On the topic of complaints about the US, I'd like to complain about the money. Who thought that having the same colour and shape for the nickel, dime and quarter was a good idea? Ditto, the notes? And who thought a quarter would ever be useful and easy to use amount? It's not like they that a $25 note.

    Use plastic?

    Bahahaha.

    Then you'd have to sign for everything. Swipe and sign, every time.

    Cash is still king over there

    Quite ironic really as Yanks used to use credit cards far more than us (the first time I ever saw anyone try to pay for a coffee by card it was an American).
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,642
    edited September 2019
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:

    Cash is still king over there

    Quite right too. I've already posted about the card only places in the UK.

    Oh man you're a cash guy?

    I am as cashless as I can be tbh. Find cash a PITA. How come you prefer using cash?

    Quite a few reasons:
    - Civil liberties
    - Card only places don't work so well for those with less money. Either through a need to carefully budget or a poor credit history e.g. I watched a father and son queue up for a drink at the football. When he found out it was card only, it meant no drink. My assumption was that he had budgeted carefully and withdrawn a small amount of cash just for the match.
    - I like to be able to see the wood through the trees on my bank statement.
    - It's nice to be able to pay other people e.g. someone pops out and buys you lunch.
    - When cards go wrong, life becomes a real pain e.g. I have been fighting for two months to get a refund due to a card reader error. No one questions that it is owed, but the company is useless, it wouldn't have happened with cash.

    I realise I am fighting a losing battle though.

    Edited for the pedantic.
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    Losing*
  • surfercyclist
    surfercyclist Posts: 894
    Cards are convenient. Nipping into local supermarket for a few items and whizzing through self checkout using contactless is sweet. However, cash still useful and for some a necessity as some won't have credit cards.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    SurferCyclist wrote:
    Cards are convenient. Nipping into local supermarket for a few items and whizzing through self checkout using contactless is sweet. However, cash still useful and for some a necessity as some won't have credit cards.
    Debit cards work just as well.

    It's only people without bank accounts then. Which must be an extremely small percentage of the adult population although it would be very difficult for those people if it was card only.
  • surfercyclist
    surfercyclist Posts: 894
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    SurferCyclist wrote:
    Cards are convenient. Nipping into local supermarket for a few items and whizzing through self checkout using contactless is sweet. However, cash still useful and for some a necessity as some won't have credit cards.
    Debit cards work just as well.

    It's only people without bank accounts then. Which must be an extremely small percentage of the adult population although it would be very difficult for those people if it was card only.

    I don't know figures but it must be 1000s maybe 100ks who don't have bank accounts in UK? So yes % of population small but still quite a few individuals who would be affected by card only society. Personally it'd be fine by me but thinking of others maybe not so.

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