Mizter T (Mizter T ) gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying:

I can't remember the details but this has caused a number of problems
- I think it was that holders of the old-standard UK Maestro cards
could run into trouble using them abroad.

I know I have in the past, but it's not exactly a Maestro-standard
thing. We got the third degree in a Carrefour trying to use a UK Visa
card over Easter... And don't even go near French automated petrol
pumps... groan

I really can't see what was wrong with using a UK Visa card there - was
it a debit or credit card? I certainly can't recalls Carrefour being one
of these retailers that only accepts debit cards (and not credit cards),
nor do I think they impose a credit card surcharge.

Credit card. A couple of 'em, in fact - one UK Visa, one UK M/card. It
wasn't a _card_ issue so much as a policy issue. We were asked if they
were foreign cards - store security were called over to examine the
cards, our IDs and give an OK.