# To the nincompoop who wrote a check for a bottle of juice... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 20, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580 "2003-10-20T21:04:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/81 "2003-10-23T21:59:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by obfusciatrist \* > blowero: So, instead of responding to all the comments giving perfectly good reasons for why someone would continue to use checks in a grocery store, reasons that have nothing to do with being stupid, annoying, behind the times, or intentionally messing with your day you’d rather just stick your fingers in your ears and continue shouting “Can’t hear you! He sucked! Can’t hear you!” No, I just didn’t respond to the reasonable comments, because I thought they stood well by themselves. For example, the very first reply by JuanitaTech, although it disagreed with my OP, was quite reasonable and polite. I suppose I could quote everyone who makes a reasonable response and say “Good post - I agree”, but I’m trying to _reduce_ the number of pointless posts, not _increase_ it. JuanitaTech seems like a mature enough person that she doesn’t require me to stroke her ego. The reason I called _you_ out was because your first post was pointless and assholish. So are we getting close to the end of this argument? Because frankly, you’re starting to bore me now. ---
**Author:** ![SkyBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@SkyBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyBum)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/82 "2003-10-23T22:01:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\*Perhaps next time I could genuflect right there on the floor of the market and worship the mighty check-writer, then toss rose petals at your feet as you exit the store? \*\* Heh. I think I could get used to that kind of treatment. Bring it on. On the other hand, you could also just mind your own business and be glad the “asshole” wasn’t writing his check for 40 or 50 items… Come to think of it, what’s _with_ those jerks who buy a huge cartload of stuff? My god, it can take up to 10 minutes to scan and bag all of it. People like this are just plain rude and inconsiderate of others. One lady in particular pissed me off to no end. She had to gall to buy \* two\* carts full of stuff. It was all I could manage not to bludgeon her with my baguette. I think the rest of society owes me something for putting up with this kind of crap. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/83 "2003-10-23T22:04:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\*Hee, hee - that’s hilarious, coming from the whiney girl who said “HOW COME NOBODY’S RESPONDING TO ME - NOTICE ME! NOTICE ME!”😃 \*\* Actually, I never asked why no one was responding to me, I was asking why no one was addressing the common, logical explanation for checkwriting that not only I, but other posters, had made. Nice attempt at trying to be dimissive, though. ---
**Author:** ![SkyBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@SkyBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyBum)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/84 "2003-10-23T22:04:59Z")
I guess the “mind your own business” was a little out of line there. I didn’t mean to imply that you did otherwise… ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/85 "2003-10-24T07:27:04Z")
I love you too, lezlers.😉 BTW, that Napa wine is good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/86 "2003-10-24T15:46:06Z")
Much better. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/87 "2003-10-24T19:08:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jervoise \* > \*\*Forgive the interjection, but people use cheques to buy coffee (and groceries)? Is this an American thing, or is it a wider practice than that? 😕 > > (I don’t believe anyone in my family has even has a cheque book – we all use EFTPOS, credit, BPAY (bill payments over the phone or internet) or good ol’ cash.) \*\* Yep, it’s an American thing. I lived in Australia for the better part of thiry years without ever having a check book, but as soon as got to the US i found that everyone seems to have one. I only use mine for paying the rent–i pay all my other bills online, and use cash, credit cards or debit cards (what we call EFTPOS in Australia) for store purchases. I don’t quite understand how people seem to have so much trouble keeping track of debit card transactions. Every one i make is recorded on my bank statement, which i can examine online and download to my computer. When i first got online banking, i used to religiously keep all the debit card transaction receipts and check them off against the bank statement, but after going months and months without a single error, i decided not to bother. And even if you do want to keep track of it manually, it strikes me that it’s no more difficult to keep your transaction receipts than it is to keep a check book up to date and balanced. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/88 "2003-10-24T19:54:43Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Doebi \* > **This is the same reason that I don’t sign my credit cards. I write in big letters \*\* PLEASE SEE ID**. That way the cashier has to ask for a picture id to go with the credit card._\* I did the same exact thing. Just FYI though, it’s not legal. According to VISA the card has to be signed. I created a thread a few months back asking about that. Keep in mind you don’t _have_ to sign it, most places don’t care, but if you end up (as I did) in a store that does, VISA’s rules are on their side. Sucks, but thought I’d let you know. ---
**Author:** ![ThatDuckIsEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@ThatDuckIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatDuckIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/89 "2003-10-24T20:51:49Z")
CanvasShoes, I’ve said this before, but you rock. OK a bottle of juice is what, 89 cents??? Maybe a buck and some change??? I have at least $4.00 in change in my car alone. Not to mention my pockets, my purse, my wallet. WHY a check for that small amount??? I’m with blowero here, I’d be just as perturbed. Folks, you don’t have a single $1.00 on you ever??? Why on earth not??? Cash is still accepted more places than debit/credit cards. Blimey, I’d break out in hives if I left the house without ANY form of real tender in my hand. I’d also sweat a bit if I wrote a check for less than $10, it’s just not done. Oh, and the argument about not carrying cash in case you get mugged? My rebuttal: I was held up at gunpoint, and he took my wallet, which had $2.00 in it (and some change). I had a $20 in my back pocket that I did not hand over. I used it to catch a cab after the incident. Could I have done that with a checkbook/debit card/credit card? Well, no, since my ID and cards had just been pilfered. I always carry $20 or $50 in inconspicuous places, not a wallet or purse, for just such another emergency. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580/90 "2003-10-24T21:05:17Z")
Who said they never keep any cash on them? And **mhendo** , to answer your questions, read the thread again. They’ve all been addressed at various points throughout. ( **blowero** , _that’s_ why I brought up my point again, people tend to miss things) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-nincompoop-who-wrote-a-check-for-a-bottle-of-juice/208580.md?page=4)