ATTN: CUSTOMERS! DON'T F***ING WRITE CHECKS IN THE EXPRESS LANE!

[Lace Neil Singer]

Back in the early days of the self checkout, I remember going to the newly installed self checkout at the supermarket two towns over. This woman in front of me hoicked her basket on to the till and waited expectantly for the items to fly out and scan themselves, I guess. Since I was feeling in a helpful mood, I told her she had to scan the items herself and bag it all herself. She looked at me in a mixture of stunned disbelief and stupidity, so I left her to it and went to a manned checkout. She is still standing there to this day, probably.

[Aragarthiel]

Why ANYONE uses checks in the era of debit cards, I will never know.

It also helps when you need to pay another person something. For example, my grandfather paid to get my truck fixed recently and instead of finding a good time to go to the bank (which isn't easy due to work schedules) we paid him back by check. Most individuals don't take debit or credit anyway.

[Ternasthebard]

Why ANYONE uses checks in the era of debit cards, I will never know.

Well I know that my mother still uses checks for paying bills to have several different source records of it occurring, including the bill, the voided check, and several other things just in case something happens and she needs to prove that she has paid those amounts. Then again she also despises the new-fangled machines at the stores that just run the check through and then return it to her.

The other reason I can see why someone would use them in this era is security. It is probably a fair bit harder for someone to get access to your checking account when you've got the only means sitting in a checkbook on your desk, unlike a credit/debit card that needs replaced the next time a store you've shopped at 2 years ago gets a security breach and your information is now out there. Got blindsided by that once when some folks got access to my mum's credit card and went on an online shopping spree without us knowing, but her checking account where she actually kept her money was safe and sound.

[Monterey Jack]

Why ANYONE uses checks in the era of debit cards, I will never know.

[Chromatix]

When it comes to cheques, I'd be very wary of signing a blank one and handing it over. Print it, then give it back for signing - that's fine.

But I haven't used a cheque in a shop for about a decade.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Heck, these days, many stores have POS units that can write the check for you -- all you need to do is sign it and hand it to the cashier along with your ID. Some don't even keep the check, they just have the system scan it in, then you void the original.

But still you'll have those customers who will still insist on writing out that damned check themselves, despite being told numerous times that they don't have to fill it out - just scribble their signature and hand it over.

And they'll do this so sloooowwlly that it will drive those customers who are waiting in line behind them batty:

*looks around store absentmindedly* What store is this?

*cashier tells them store name, customer slowly drawls it out onto the check*

What's today's date?

*cashier tells them the month and day, customer slowly scribbles*

What was my total again?

*cashier tells customer the total amount. Customer starts to write it, then starts looking around oblivious to his/her surroundings* What was my total again?

*customers in line giving both customer and cashier stink eye*

*cashier again tells customer the total while secretly wanting to find that elusive button for a trap door*

*customer finishes scrawling out the total and then runs out of ink, slowly digs through weekender bag sized purse to find another pen*

You folks get the idea, right?

[wolfie]

My biggest issue with the "20 Items or Less" is that it should be "20 Items or Fewer"

Thank you! That makes me twitch every time I see it.

We definitely need less SCs. Yep, that's gramatically correct - all you need to do is convert SCs from a discrete item to a continuous item. How do you do that? Simple -

[Pagan]

I would have gone to a self checkout, but I had a bottle of wine, and I don't know if they'll let you use self checkouts for those.

That depends on the retailer.

Not in California. I don't do alcohol, but can read signs posted on SCOs (which I can't seem to get along with, so I go to cashiers).

And probably has to do with state law, too. I can check out alcohol at the SCOs at the Wally World near me no problem.

My biggest issue with the "20 Items or Less" is that it should be "20 Items or Fewer"

Thank you! That makes me twitch every time I see it.

[April]

Last night we ran by Wal-Mart to pick up some groceries before the weather moved in again. Store wasn't THAT busy, but all the self check out lanes were full. So we went through an express lane. I got stuck behind a lady who had the cashier ring everything up, she swiped her debit card. Declined. So she took off a lipstick, swiped the debit card. Declined. Then said she didn't want the foundation. Swipe. Decline. Took off something else. Swipe. Decline.

NOTHING she was buying was essential. All make up, and not the cheap 2 dollar kind either. How can you start off with a 50 dollar transaction and end with a 10 dollar transaction? Do you not know how much money you have?

[siskaren]

So do I. I cringe every time I read the cartoon on the front page with "you're" instead of "your". Ugh!

Ugh, you and me both.

[Ironclad Alibi]

I hate these Woooord Criiiiimes o/~

So do I. I cringe every time I read the cartoon on the front page with "you're" instead of "your". Ugh!

[Mr Hero]

I hate these Woooord Criiiiimes o/~

This video predates Word Crimes by nearly four years. Just Weird Al doing some random stuff.

[Jay 2K Winger]

My biggest issue with the "20 Items or Less" is that it should be "20 Items or Fewer"

I hate these Woooord Criiiiimes o/~

[Tama]

Our Walmart has it so you can sign, and it prints VOID in the right places so you can just throw it away after if you like.

[EricKei]

Heck, these days, many stores have POS units that can write the check for you -- all you need to do is sign it and hand it to the cashier along with your ID. Some don't even keep the check, they just have the system scan it in, then you void the original.