# You can't borrow my debit card because it's MY DEBIT CARD, ass! (mild, longish) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 16, 2006, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744 "2006-02-16T03:08:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/21 "2006-02-16T13:44:14Z")
Perhaps some do. I know the one in my town doesn’t. Still, I find it incredibly hard to believe that there are any machines that _only_ take cards. Who’s going to buy one 37-cent stamp with a credit card? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/22 "2006-02-16T14:33:14Z")
There are machines and then there are machines. there are those vending-type machines, where you can get stamps and stuff. These take cash. Nowadays, they have these new machines which can do all your shipping for packages…you can’t purchase insurance nor ship internationally yet, and they only take credit or debit. But these machines have been installed (at least around here) only late last year, so improvements are coming, I’m sure. If she just had to buy a stamp, the vending machine could have done it. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/23 "2006-02-16T15:54:50Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > I think you should ask this girl if you can have sex in her ass without a condom. If she says no, lay it on her like she doesn’t trust you when you say you don’t have sex cooties. You obviously have not met some of the women I have, to some people access to an ATM card or even access to small cash loans or use of your address or phone # to apply for jobs or govt assistance is worth plenty of sex. Not a mistake you make twice. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/24 "2006-02-16T17:24:20Z")
> [@Grelby](#): > > None of that was material to my judgement that loaning out my bank card except under the most extreme of circumstances is a Bad Idea. Name an extreme circumstance please. Just asking, cuz I would never lend my bank card, under any circumstances. > [@neutron star](#): > > Are there really U.S. Post Offices with machines that won’t take cash? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Post offices are being equipped with automated tellers, so to speak. You can mail practically any first class letter or priority mail without requiring a human to assist. The machines only take credit cards and debit cards. Of course, the thought behind these machines is for after-hours use when you need to post something at the last minute. You can find the machines in post office lobbies that are open after-hours (usually where you can access your post office box as well). We have one at our local post office. I’ve seen people use it during the day when they don’t want to stand in line. One problem though. While you can use the after-hours machine to weigh, stamp and post your letter, it won’t get picked up until the next day when the post office is again open and staffed. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/25 "2006-02-16T17:32:35Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Name an extreme circumstance please. Just asking, cuz I would never lend my bank card, under any circumstances. Okay, you’re at an ATM vestibule, you’ve just got done with your transactions and you’re leaving the vestibule when you hear fire sirens. The entire block is on fire and the fire is moving towards the vestibule. The man who was in line after you panics as he fiddles with the automated deposit box thing, the box closes and, in his panic the man doesn’t grab his card in time and the machine eats it. The man’s jacket and shirt are stuck in the deposit door and he can’t pull them off despite his best attempts. The only way to get it open is for someone to insert a card and make a transaction so it releases. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/26 "2006-02-16T17:37:33Z")
> [@Martin Hyde](#): > > Okay, you’re at an ATM vestibule, you’ve just got done with your transactions and you’re leaving the vestibule when you hear fire sirens. The entire block is on fire and the fire is moving towards the vestibule. > > The man who was in line after you panics as he fiddles with the automated deposit box thing, the box closes and, in his panic the man doesn’t grab his card in time and the machine eats it. The man’s jacket and shirt are stuck in the deposit door and he can’t pull them off despite his best attempts. The only way to get it open is for someone to insert a card and make a transaction so it releases. But you wouldn’t be lending someone your card - you would be standing right there, and actually use it yourself. Or, turn and run - not your problem! ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/27 "2006-02-16T17:42:20Z")
> [@Avarie537](#): > > But you wouldn’t be lending someone your card - you would be standing right there, and actually use it yourself. Or, turn and run - not your problem! Yes, but I forgot to mention that you had left the vestibule, and had to slide the card underneath the door to get it to the man. Anyways, I may be misremembering the specifics of the scenario as it’s based on a Seinfeld incident in which a guy gets stuck (somehow) in an ATM vestibule and needs an ATM card and the PIN number to get out. George Costanza is very hesitant/refusing to give up his ATM card/PIN because he has a “thing” about telling no one his PIN and also because the PIN code (which was actually a word not a number, oddly) were the last words of J. Peterman’s mother and George knows Peterman will think he’s killed her if Peterman finds out his PIN code was the same thing as the last words that his mother spoke. ---
**Author:** ![Grelby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Grelby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grelby)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/28 "2006-02-16T17:52:35Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Name an extreme circumstance please. Just asking, cuz I would never lend my bank card, under any circumstances. > > Post offices are being equipped with automated tellers, so to speak. You can mail practically any first class letter or priority mail without requiring a human to assist. The machines only take credit cards and debit cards. Of course, the thought behind these machines is for after-hours use when you need to post something at the last minute. You can find the machines in post office lobbies that are open after-hours (usually where you can access your post office box as well). We have one at our local post office. I’ve seen people use it during the day when they don’t want to stand in line. > > One problem though. While you can use the after-hours machine to weigh, stamp and post your letter, it won’t get picked up until the next day when the post office is again open and staffed. I can’t think of any extreme circumstances off the top of my head. I’m pretty sure there are none in which I would lend my card to her. There are two people to whom I would loan my card in a non-emergency, my parents, and ONE outside my family who I might consider loaning it to under some hypothetical extreme situation, my roommate, who is my best and most trusted friend in the world, and only then under circumstances so dire/important that I don’t forsee ever letting him have it. And I trust him absolutely. However, he would never even consider asking, which kind of highlights the difference between him (has a firm grasp on reality) and her (doesn’t know how to function in the real world). I think I’m going to go with **cerberus’** solution for now, and see how that works out. No loans ever again. Just be my friend. We’ll see how that works. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/29 "2006-02-16T18:41:17Z")
> [@Seven](#): > > I have a saying: Never loan money (or sell a car) to a friend. > > That isn’t always true though. A few bucks here and there are fine if the money comes back with a smile (and without a reminder). Never loan a friend a huge amount before having a few small test runs. There’s one other situation. There have been instances when I’ve been willing to bail out a friend, and I knew I wasn’t likely to see my money again, but I was okay with that. But you should never lend money to a friend or family member that you wouldn’t be willing to flat-out _give_ them, if it came to that. Because if getting the money back in any remotely timely fashion matters to you, then you probably lose both the friend and the money. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/30 "2006-02-16T20:04:40Z")
> [@Grelby](#): > > So, tonight you needed to borrow five dollars to mail off an application. You should have responded: “Yes, I have five dollars for each of you.” It would have been worth it for the look of total confusion on her face. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/31 "2006-02-16T20:49:11Z")
> [@Martin Hyde](#): > > Yes, but I forgot to mention that you had left the vestibule, and had to slide the card underneath the door to get it to the man. As opposed to using the card to get back into the vestibule? :dubious: And if the guy’s stuck to the machine, how’s he going to bend over far enough to pick up the card? :dubious: And those doors fit wicked tight – how’re you going to get the card under it anyway? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744/32 "2006-02-16T22:02:57Z")
> [@Grelby](#): > > And no, you can’t have five bucks from me ever again. Ever. I apologize if I missed this in the OP, but you actually let her keep the fin? You are a saint! I’ve known people like this. Run far, far away… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-borrow-my-debit-card-because-its-my-debit-card-ass-mild-longish/344744.md?page=1)