People who don’t carry their bank cards with them

[Auburngal]

I was in Sainsbury’s this morning and systems are down. No contactless, chip n pin taking ages to go through. Unable to buy gift cards, mobile top up vouchers.

Systems going down like this happen not very often but when they do it’s awful.

On the self scan next to me a woman screamed at the manager on why she can’t pay on her mobile.

Why do many people don’t carry their bank cards anymore? The cards don’t weigh much. Plus if the contactless payment system goes down, hopefully their card will go through via chip n pin. Also they won’t look like idiots either. No sympathy for these.

Regarding contactless payments- sometimes your bank, NOT the retailer etc asks you to do a CnP payment as part of security. “I dunno my PIN”. You can change your PIN to any number you want (not 1234, 1111) at any ATM under PIN services.

The post I quoted is quite literally about store cards

Even store cards I carry physically on me so that I just tap them at the checkout.

But yes, there are some apps that I don't even bother logging into now as the process of logging is so long and cumbersome.

I work for TFL and daily have to deal with people who’s phone has run out of battery , there’s a problem with contactless payment or the bank has stopped the payment for security reasons that we can’t help with. They often don’t have a physical card or any other way of paying. It’s a nightmare for them ( and usually us ! ) as often they are stranded in London with no access to money. I agree with the OP …is it that hard to tuck a card away with you as a back up ?

This is absolutely the reason I take my cheque book wherever I go.
And my portable fax machine.
I keep a horse too.

Which you also add to your wallet… you don’t need to login to the apps.

Fair enough, it just feels like the thread has been derailed from the original point.

No one cares if others want to use bank cards, and card users don’t need to care if some people use their phones to pay. It’s only slow if the user is incompetent or inconsiderate, so that would be the same regardless of how they pay.

The side of loyalty cards etc applies to everyone including card users so is a bit irrelevant.

You do if you want to use coupons. I have the apps in my wallet but it only lets you scan for points.

I always keep a wad of cash in my purse and avoid paying by card. Ironically, when I was in my 20s (in the 1990s) I always paid by card. Now, I use cash and avoid card only places.

My clients in China have their lives controlled by digital means. I do not want that.

But you just said your problems are also with contactless (therefore also cards) and banks rejecting payment. So only the battery issue would actually apply to phones in your example.

If the system is so poor then TFL need to rethink and go back to physical tickets only.

FWIW when I lived in London I never had an issue using apply pay on phone or watch. I never even set up an Oyster card, far more inconvenient.

Which would be the same problem for everyone, no matter how they're paying.

If you have the app, surely you add the coupons to your account BEFORE you go to shop / or BEFORE you join the queue rather than hold it up at the actual checkout itself and discover you need to find the coupons and login? At least that’s what I do with M&S / Boots / Tesco etc?

And then you can use the wallet when you get to the checkout? To be fair I use Face ID or autopasswords so I don’t actually ever have to type in login details to get into apps and it takes 2 seconds so I have no idea what the fuss is all about if even you did have to log in, but I appreciate not everyone actually knows how to make the most of their phones.

No idea how paying with clubcard coupons works in Tesco but some fucker in the queue in front of me yesterday used 20 different coupons and had to keep scrolling to find them. Plus his screen was so badly cracked it took ages for them to actually be scanned. Totally fumming 😂

You don't randomly get asked to put your pin in if you are using ApplePay/ Google Pay.

True but I went away for the weekend with my sister and her bank required her to make a chip and pin transaction before she could continue to use Apple Pay or any form of contactless payment, so it's good she had her card on her

It's the person, not the technology. Exactly the same happens with brain dead morons who pull out an envelope of random paper coupons to try to find some that are valid for what they've bought. It's an alien concept for some people to actually organise themselves and plan ahead for the blindingly obvious situation that they know is going to happen. Just like the pillocks who wait until the cashier has finished and is waiting before they start to look for their wallet/purse/phone etc in their bag, pockets, etc. How hard can it be to actually be prepared???

I'm guessing all of the people travelling light with no bag are young and healthy? I would so love to walk around free of a bag but I have awful migraines and joint problems since menopause, plus hay fever, so I always have to carry a pharmacy and tissues.

Then I have a foldy bag, a card holder (I'm old school), a brush for my tangly hair ... I've weeded out rubbish from the bag and reduced it's size but I would feel panicky without it.

I'd love to be the free-and-easy type, not the sorted-for-every-occasion type!

I’m 60. Never carry a bag. Just a phone.

@aodirjjd those scenarios have very rarely happened to me compared with people faffing about with their phones. When they have, it's been an elderly person so I wouldn't get stressed about that.

I think some people find it inconceivable that others don't carry their phones around 24/7. If I'm in my local town why would I need my phone for anything? I just leave it at home.

I'm going to the shop, not away for the weekend (or even out for the day), so no, I don't take medication with me if I pop out. Not even after major shoulder surgery; I'd go to the shop between medication doses.

I do take painkillers etc to work for office days as I have a handbag (including purse with cards!).

I went out on Saturday with only an Apple Watch to pay for things, is there a special part of hell reserved for me?

the funny thing is it only seems to be older women that need handbags when they are out and about not older men. I’m not discounting that you need it but I don’t think it’s a young vs old thing. Although obviously as a general trend younger people are more comfortable using phones etc.

I think some people find it inconceivable that others don't carry their phones around 24/7. If I'm in my local town why would I need my phone for anything? I just leave it at home.

What if somebody had a medical emergency you needed to be informed about? Surely that's the whole point of mobiles; to be contactable when out, just in case? 🤷‍♀️

@RaraRachael So you only ever use your phone when you leave your town?

If not, then the reasons why you bring it with you when you’re in your town, are typically the reasons why other people bring theirs.

Your smug superiority is hilarious.

All the Face IDs and Autopasswords in the world won't help you if the app logs you out after a set period and the app won't allow you to log in with Face ID.

And yes, I do have Face ID on my phone.

I grew up with no mobile phones so have never been reliant on it. I've never used Sat Nav either so I am a dinosaur and happy too.
@NoWordForFluffy the medical emergency would wait till I got home sams as it would have done before mobiles.

I wouldnt dream of leaving the house without my bank card whereas I am much more likely to leave my phone at home for short trips to the shops on foot. Its nice not to have to be constantly at the beck and call of WhatsApp, messages, Snapchat etc. It's also bulkier than my bank card so more of a nuisance to carry around.

Problem comes in emergency-type situations now that there are virtually no public phone boxes anymore. You end up reliant on passers by to help you. That's why a lot of school kids need mobiles especially if they make their own way to/from school. A few decades ago, you were never far from a public pay phone and even if you had no coins, you could do a reverse charge call. Phones are pretty much an essential part of life these days, however short the distance from home that you are.