Coronavirus
Reply
Sigh.

https://twitter.com/stephenblowe/status ... 4836409344


https://twitter.com/helenpidd/status/12 ... 0115213315




So,basically, crime gangs were able to maintain a supply of their illegal product far better than the government was able to supply ppe to hospitals, or even sort out an app.
Today I went into a pub and swiftly realised I had no idea where the QR reader was on my smartphone or even if it had one. After a couple of minutes of awkward faffing, the barmaid agreed to just write ["William Preston" - Ed.] and number down on a notepad instead.
If it's an iPhone, it's built into the camera.
If it's an Android, download Google Lens: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... s&hl=en_GB
Kern wrote:
my smartphone


It's probably safe to just say 'phone' these days, no one's going to get confused and think you've whipped out a bakelite rotary.
Kern wrote:
Today I went into a pub and swiftly realised I had no idea where the QR reader was on my smartphone or even if it had one. After a couple of minutes of awkward faffing, the barmaid agreed to just write ["William Preston" - Ed.] and number down on a notepad instead.

So... you'd got lucky with the barmaid, and the way younger folk today do things is to let you scan their QR code instead of writing their phone number on a beermat or old receipt or something.

But, why's she called "Bill S. Preston, Esq."? Isn't that a bit of a boy's name?

***confuzzled by modern society*** :shrug:
I think it's the 'having to register for track and trace' in a pub thing :)
Bamba wrote:
no one's going to get confused and think you've whipped out a bakelite rotary.


That was our hilarious comedy bit in a school drama class circa 1995.
Oh! So there's a QR code taped down on the bar top, and when you scan it it opens the browser on a web form with the pub's details filled in, or something?
Yep. In this case, on a pillar by the door where a staff member was waiting. I can see why they've done it as it would reduce queues at busy times. I just felt a little awkward but at least I now know where to find it on my phone (thanks Grim...!).
What if you don't have a phone? No phone, no entry?
You leave a calling card with the address they can send a telegram to.
Or you refer them to your valet.
Went into a pub at weekend, they had the scan QR codes, no one did. I know I did not.
KovacsC wrote:
Went into a pub at weekend, they had the scan QR codes, no one did. I know I did not.

Why? (Genuine question)
The pub was wel spaced out, quite good social distancing.

Plus I don't trust the 'apps designers' to keep my data safe.
KovacsC wrote:
The pub was wel spaced out, quite good social distancing.

Plus I don't trust the 'apps designers' to keep my data safe.

Let’s hope there’s no outbreak there.

They have to keep your data for 3 weeks for one specific purpose. Then they must delete it.

Google and Facebook are using your data much more egregiously.
He’d never know...
KovacsC wrote:
Went into a pub at weekend, they had the scan QR codes, no one did. I know I did not.

Did you have to book in advance?
DavPaz wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
Went into a pub at weekend, they had the scan QR codes, no one did. I know I did not.

Did you have to book in advance?


They offered that. We were passing, popped in. Beer was served in a plastic pint and we sat outside.
Mr Chonks wrote:

They have to keep your data for 3 weeks for one specific purpose. Then they must delete it.



The pub was not taking details, it was a QR code for the NHS track and trace app, which I did not think was ready.

Also you don't put your name down, if you go to an icecream van, or a coffee shop.
You wouldn't download an icecream van
KovacsC wrote:
Mr Chonks wrote:

They have to keep your data for 3 weeks for one specific purpose. Then they must delete it.



The pub was not taking details, it was a QR code for the NHS track and trace app, which I did not think was ready.

Also you don't put your name down, if you go to an icecream van, or a coffee shop.

Sharing an indoor space with someone for a decent length of time is mostly how the virus is passed on. Even worse where people are talking a lot and loudly. Pubs are ideal for spreading it.
markg wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
Mr Chonks wrote:

They have to keep your data for 3 weeks for one specific purpose. Then they must delete it.



The pub was not taking details, it was a QR code for the NHS track and trace app, which I did not think was ready.

Also you don't put your name down, if you go to an icecream van, or a coffee shop.

Sharing an indoor space with someone for a decent length of time is mostly how the virus is passed on. Even worse where people are talking a lot and loudly. Pubs are ideal for spreading it.


Yes. I walked in ordered a pint and walked out. All completely social distanced. No worse than a supermarket
KovacsC wrote:
The pub was wel spaced out, quite good social distancing.

Plus I don't trust the 'apps designers' to keep my data safe.

Thanks, I was just curious. No judgement implied.
KovacsC wrote:
markg wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
Mr Chonks wrote:

They have to keep your data for 3 weeks for one specific purpose. Then they must delete it.



The pub was not taking details, it was a QR code for the NHS track and trace app, which I did not think was ready.

Also you don't put your name down, if you go to an icecream van, or a coffee shop.

Sharing an indoor space with someone for a decent length of time is mostly how the virus is passed on. Even worse where people are talking a lot and loudly. Pubs are ideal for spreading it.


Yes. I walked in ordered a pint and walked out. All completely social distanced. No worse than a supermarket


A decent set up, but the punchline lacks something.
MaliA wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
markg wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
Mr Chonks wrote:

They have to keep your data for 3 weeks for one specific purpose. Then they must delete it.



The pub was not taking details, it was a QR code for the NHS track and trace app, which I did not think was ready.

Also you don't put your name down, if you go to an icecream van, or a coffee shop.

Sharing an indoor space with someone for a decent length of time is mostly how the virus is passed on. Even worse where people are talking a lot and loudly. Pubs are ideal for spreading it.


Yes. I walked in ordered a pint and walked out. All completely social distanced. No worse than a supermarket


A decent set up, but the punchline lacks something.

The pint that you ordered?
Was a Independence, a nice pale ale.
BBC reporting mandatory face coverings in shops from the 24th. No surprise there as Boris was making incoherent noises about them being a possibility, and Pob said that we could rely on the British people to do the right thing.
I have some.

Got reusable ones.
The world seems to be going mental as pizza are only accepting card payments.
Good. Fuck cash.
Cras wrote:
Good. Fuck cash.


I used to pay for most things with cash (for some reason, I'd convince myself that my card wouldn't work or the funds wouldn't be there so I'd hold up a queue or something), but happily waving my card around for stuff now.
Cras wrote:
Good. Fuck cash.


Till he Hurts.
Findus Fop wrote:
Cras wrote:
Good. Fuck cash.


Till he Hurts.


Attachment:
cash.jpg

(I know that wasn't the joke you were making, but I'm not wasting the time googling I spent who was Tango and who was Cash...)
devilman wrote:
Findus Fop wrote:
Cras wrote:
Good. Fuck cash.


Till he Hurts.


Attachment:
cash.jpg

(I know that wasn't the joke you were making, but I'm not wasting the time googling I spent who was Tango and who was Cash...)


:D
devilman wrote:
Cras wrote:
Good. Fuck cash.


I used to pay for most things with cash (for some reason, I'd convince myself that my card wouldn't work or the funds wouldn't be there so I'd hold up a queue or something), but happily waving my card around for stuff now.

It can also be difficult for a lot of homeless people, people in coercive or controlling relationships, some elderly people and other groups to obtain bank accounts and debit cards. I’d personally happily live in a society without cash, but only if there were other viable alternatives available to ALL, and we are no way near there, yet.
Cards are more convenient for customers but the person running a shop near me mentioned the other day that each card transaction cost them 50p. I was buying a birthday card that cost £2 so that's quite the kick in the profit margins.
Mimi wrote:
devilman wrote:
Cras wrote:
Good. Fuck cash.


I used to pay for most things with cash (for some reason, I'd convince myself that my card wouldn't work or the funds wouldn't be there so I'd hold up a queue or something), but happily waving my card around for stuff now.

It can also be difficult for a lot of homeless people, people in coercive or controlling relationships, some elderly people and other groups to obtain bank accounts and debit cards. I’d personally happily live in a society without cash, but only if there were other viable alternatives available to ALL, and we are no way near there, yet.


Completely agree - I'd like to think that this situation might be a reasonable spur to push people to solve those problems of availability to payment services for people who need them.
I’d like to see it act as a catalyst, too. I wish infrastructure would hurry up to accommodate cashless payments, too. The fact that we still have to use cash to pay for the car park at the hospital is stupid, but especially right now (they’ve been free for the past few months, but they haven’t put new machines in/been updating the ones they have in the meantime).
How are money launderers and plasterers supposed to earn a decent crust?
When I did nine weeks working in Scotland in 2018 I only used cash once, at East Kilbride shopping centre, because they only had cash machines in their car park. I used to carry a lot of change for parking, but almost everywhere takes cards now.
Mimi wrote:
I’d like to see it act as a catalyst, too. I wish infrastructure would hurry up to accommodate cashless payments, too. The fact that we still have to use cash to pay for the car park at the hospital is stupid, but especially right now (they’ve been free for the past few months, but they haven’t put new machines in/been updating the ones they have in the meantime).


It may not be universal yet, but there's definitely a big shift to car parks doing either card payments or pay-with-app. It feels like there has been a lot of changes this year.
Bamba wrote:
Cards are more convenient for customers but the person running a shop near me mentioned the other day that each card transaction cost them 50p. I was buying a birthday card that cost £2 so that's quite the kick in the profit margins.

Much as I don't want to defend the various institutions involved in tappy-tap, card fees aren't flat rate, and they're definitely not 25%!

Edit: or rather, if that's what they're paying, they're doing it wrong.
BikNorton wrote:
Bamba wrote:
Cards are more convenient for customers but the person running a shop near me mentioned the other day that each card transaction cost them 50p. I was buying a birthday card that cost £2 so that's quite the kick in the profit margins.

Much as I don't want to defend the various institutions involved in tappy-tap, card fees aren't flat rate, and they're definitely not 25%!

Edit: or rather, if that's what they're paying, they're doing it wrong.


I imagine 50p is probably a minimum?
devilman wrote:
BikNorton wrote:
Bamba wrote:
Cards are more convenient for customers but the person running a shop near me mentioned the other day that each card transaction cost them 50p. I was buying a birthday card that cost £2 so that's quite the kick in the profit margins.

Much as I don't want to defend the various institutions involved in tappy-tap, card fees aren't flat rate, and they're definitely not 25%!

Edit: or rather, if that's what they're paying, they're doing it wrong.


I imagine 50p is probably a minimum?

Nice little breakdown here on typical charges for stores with worked examples:

https://www.cardswitcher.co.uk/card-pay ... sing-fees/
BikNorton wrote:
Bamba wrote:
Cards are more convenient for customers but the person running a shop near me mentioned the other day that each card transaction cost them 50p. I was buying a birthday card that cost £2 so that's quite the kick in the profit margins.

Much as I don't want to defend the various institutions involved in tappy-tap, card fees aren't flat rate, and they're definitely not 25%!

Edit: or rather, if that's what they're paying, they're doing it wrong.


It's more than possible that she's wrong or doing it wrong (it certainly occurred to me that 50p per transaction seemed hilariously high) but the wider point is still that convenience for us means less money for shops however you slice it. Though it does make me wonder if there are any hidden charges when it comes to cash-handling that might offset it.
With cash it is heavy, you have to store it somewhere, count it, and wait until someone has to to take it to the bank. It takes up space and there's an opportunity for easy mischief and errors to creep in.

When I ran the arts events (I don't like to talk about my charity work) it was a pain to have to move the cash from thirty venues at the wn for the day, count it up, store it and then bank it.
Bamba wrote:
BikNorton wrote:
Bamba wrote:
Cards are more convenient for customers but the person running a shop near me mentioned the other day that each card transaction cost them 50p. I was buying a birthday card that cost £2 so that's quite the kick in the profit margins.

Much as I don't want to defend the various institutions involved in tappy-tap, card fees aren't flat rate, and they're definitely not 25%!

Edit: or rather, if that's what they're paying, they're doing it wrong.


It's more than possible that she's wrong or doing it wrong (it certainly occurred to me that 50p per transaction seemed hilariously high) but the wider point is still that convenience for us means less money for shops however you slice it. Though it does make me wonder if there are any hidden charges when it comes to cash-handling that might offset it.


Isn't there a charge by banks for business accounts to pay in cash etc?
BikNorton wrote:
Much as I don't want to defend the various institutions involved in tappy-tap, card fees aren't flat rate, and they're definitely not 25%!

Can only speak for online transactions here as that's where my knowledge lies, but typically they'll be a percentage, sometimes with a flat fee added on top.

For example, Stripe charge 1.4% + 20p.

Sometimes debit cards just have a flat fee (usually around 50p) but credit cards have the % fee (and sometimes a smaller flat fee added as well as the %)

So smaller transaction values definitely eat into the profit margins.
Page 25 of 48 [ 2357 posts ]