Scribbled signatures....

[slick]

Anyone else annoyed by people that do this, scribble a signature or even worse, draw a line or a wavy line.

I had it all weekend. It was like people were annoyed that they had to sign a registration, so they quickly make a few lines on the paper and pass it back.

Is it really that hard to make a signature? Something that might resemble a name, or letters at least? I just can't imagine the inconvenience this could cause a person.

[myswtghst]

My sig is awful. I used to make fun of my mom, but mine may now be worse. I do write out my first name pretty well, but my last name has gone from the 6 letters that are actually in it to some 2 and a half letters comprising it the way I sign.

[TNT]

I have to admit my signature has become pretty much First Initial wavy line Last Initial wavy line. That, and it never looks the same twice. I've had people say, "I just sat here and watched you sign both pieces of paper... and yet I swear they were signed by different people."

[rerant]

At work I have to either sign or initial a dozen different things, complete with a check list at the end of cash-out that requires an initial for about 25 tasks (worst idea ever).
Because of that my signature is nothing more than a scribble. Though if it helps, it's a consistent scribble.

[HowMayIHelpMe?]

Is it really that hard to make a signature?

No, it's not hard. At all. If you've made it past, say, the FOURTH GRADE in public school, you've no excuse, in my opinion, for providing a sloppy, impossible-to-read signature. And I find it arrogant and annoying that people will be so lazy about saying who they are.

When I ask for a signature and I get back what looks like a cross between a Rorshach Test and a tic-tac-toe game, I interpret this to mean possibly that:

A) this person thinks he's so much better than the rest of us that he can just make a "special signature" that doesn't really have to be his name, because, well...he's just so damn special,

B) this person doesn't know how to read or write and I really shouldn't make fun of folks less fortunate than me,

C) this S.O.B. is just so lazy and self-centered that the extra six seconds it would require to make his signature something I could actually match against what's on the back of his credit card is just too much to ask of him.

Good thread here, Slick. Thank you for putting this up. This has been one of my pet peeves for nearly 20 years (I guess that means we've no hope of trying to correct this! ).

[blas]

People could interpret my signature as an entitlement signature. I love to draw flourishes around the first and last letters of my first and last name. But I do it so that no one can copy my signature. It's compeltely unique.

[symposes]

Its been awhile, and I know I will never find the link...
I read an article by one guy whom said he wanted to see if anyone actually checked the signitures and such with credit card transactions.

His sigs on the reciets went from scribble, to tic tac toe games, to Ancient Egyptian Hiroglyphs. To the names of famous people, etc. And noone ever once brought it up with him.

He did mention that he got funny looks when he got real artsy and it took him a few minutes to sign the reciet though...

[HowMayIHelpMe?]

Its been awhile, and I know I will never find the link...
I read an article by one guy whom said he wanted to see if anyone actually checked the signitures and such with credit card transactions.

His sigs on the reciets went from scribble, to tic tac toe games, to Ancient Egyptian Hiroglyphs. To the names of famous people, etc. And noone ever once brought it up with him. ..

You might not think so from my most recent post on this very thread, but I love the guy you're talking about here. His name's John Hargrave, and his website's zug.com. Very funny prank stuff, I have to say.

[Banrion]

Sorry, I have to disagree on this one. Nothing says your signature HAS to be your name. Also, the neater and more technically correct the signature, the easier it is to forge. As long as it matches the back of a CC, why does it matter? My signature is semi-legible, as in if you know my name you can probably read it, but if you don't you will probably be horrifically mistaken.

sig·na·ture - [sig-nuh-cher, -choor]
1. a person's name, or a mark representing it, as signed personally or by deputy, as in subscribing a letter or other document.

The article referenced above is from Zug.com : Credit Card Prank
Part 2

[slick]

Just to clarify, I don't mean people who have scribbly looking signatures, I understand that not everyone has "perfect" handwriting (as long as its legible, its good).

I mean the people that have an actual signature, but feel they shouldn't waste it on you. A straight, horizontal line, really? Thats your signature? I personally take it as an insult, like they feel its not serious.

[HowMayIHelpMe?]

My signature is semi-legible, as in if you know my name you can probably read it, but if you don't you will probably be horrifically mistaken

If there is that wide of a gulf ("you will probably be horrifically mistaken") between what it embossed on the front of your credit card and what your handwriting looks like on the back of it, and I were ringing you through at my register, I'd ask for your ID. And I wouldn't do it to be a pain, but because based on what you said I'd probably think it was a scribble.

No offense intended to you, honestly, but I consider a "partially-legible" signature not much of a signature. I suppose we all have our ways of doing things, though. I sympathize with the OP Slick on this matter - for the life of me, I just can't understand what is so, so difficult about doing something we all learned how to do in grade school (please, please tell me that generalization isn't too broad of a generalization to make here!).

When I started working in retail close to twenty years ago, I had a boss who taught me to do things the old-fashioned way. I guess I still find much value in those old ways.

Even if, unfortunately, the rest of the world has seen fit to adopt a different attitude.

[Ringtail Z28]

Is it any wonder that identity theft is a problem these days? I don't know how many Mr or Ms. X, line or checkmark I've dealt with as a cashier, as if those things are hard to forge.

[HowMayIHelpMe?]

I mean the people that have an actual signature, but feel they shouldn't waste it on you. A straight, horizontal line, really? Thats your signature? I personally take it as an insult, like they feel its not serious.

And you're right, Slick. That is exactly how the SC means it, when they bang down that "X" or that straight line where a signature ought to go. They mean it as an insult.

*having SC's scream at me too many times in the past because I have had the audacity (of hope) to ask to see their ID because their palsified chicken-scratch didn't look anything like "Mr. John H. Anderson" has made this a sore spot, a long-standing pet peeve of mine.*

For the love of Gord, people, signing your name with your actual, readable signature should not be something I need to go over with you.

[Banrion]

If there is that wide of a gulf ("you will probably be horrifically mistaken") between what it embossed on the front of your credit card and what your handwriting looks like on the back of it,

If you looked at what was embossed, then you would be able to read it, and as I pointed out, there is NO rule anywhere that you signature has to be either legible, or in fact your name. If the scribble on the receipt matches the scribble on the card, you really have nothing to question, as that is the same scribble that the CC company has on file for said client. It is also against your store's merchant agreement with the CC companies to ask for ID on a signed card and the signatures match. Your signature is the one thing in the world that is uniquely yours, why would you want it to look like a standarized font, that everyone who got through 4th grade can copy?

[myswtghst]

My figuring is, my sig isn't great, and it is the quick version of my name, but it still resembles my real name (and at least my first name is neat and legible, it's just my last name that I tend to short a little).

I would never sign with an X or a horizontal line, though I've been known to butcher my own signature when I'm overtired/had too much caffiene.