In message , at
23:25:51 on Tue, 13 Sep 2011, Martin Rich
remarked:
Indeed, currently, I am still adjusting to the changes in the UK
during my absence. The first time I tried to use a chip and pin debit
card was embarrassing. It was at Victoria Station and I kept removing
the card too soon.

There have been differences in credit card handling between the US and
Europe for many years, but the nature of the differences has changed.
When I first visited the US I had a struggle to convince some retailers
that my Access card, as it was then still branded, could be accepted as
a Mastercard.

And then there's the "Maestro"/Servicecard issue, I don't think they
were ever properly interoperable. They've changed to Visa Debit, now
that the Cheque Guarantee aspect is obsolete.

I remember having to seek out Amex branded ATMs (in the USA) to draw
cash on an Amex card. There's one at Schiphol Airport today. Maybe
there's more interoperability here - I did use an Amex card in a Natwest
ATM last year.

On recent visits it's been a surprise to find that PINs still aren't
used when paying by credit card.

I can confirm that most transactions are a swipe and nothing else (no
signature, no PIN). Last place I saw that in the UK was a ticket machine
at an airport car park.

Relevant to urban transit - if way off-topic for the thread - I was
also intrigued by ticket machines on the New York subway, which would
accept my credit card to buy two one-day passes, but no more. They
were clearly programmed to accept a maximum of two transactions in
quick succession using the same card, and I couldn't find a way to buy
four cards in a single transaction

I think UK railway ticket machines went through a phase of only allowing
two transactions per card per day. Not sure if going C&P has fixed that.

--
Roland Perry