We went out of town on a spur of the moment trip to Florida, with very little cash ( under $50 ) and the Discover Card. We only stopped for gas until we got to Florida (stopped to nap at rest stops, etc.) and then we paid cash for a room in south of Miami.
That night I went to fill up the tank, and I get "Card Declined" so I ask the clerk what's up and they say I have to call this 800 number. Turns out they had tried to call my house, but seing as how we were 2000 miles from home nobody answered.
When I called they said the computer watches for things such as gas only purchases in a short period of time, and then re-enabled the card. The gas station apparently had cached the decline though, so we had to go to another station.
But imagine being stuck 2000 miles from home because your credit card suddenly isn't accepted - that's how it felt until I was able to call and straighten things out.
I haven't ever seen so many comments in a Slashdot article moderated to +5, nor have I actually read so many comments from a Slashdot article at one time and actually found myself interested by all of them. And it's a Jon Katz article on top of it!
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We went out of town on a spur of the moment trip to Florida, with very little cash ( under $50 ) and the Discover Card. We only stopped for gas until we got to Florida (stopped to nap at rest stops, etc.) and then we paid cash for a room in south of Miami.
That night I went to fill up the tank, and I get "Card Declined" so I ask the clerk what's up and they say I have to call this 800 number. Turns out they had tried to call my house, but seing as how we were 2000 miles from home nobody answered.
When I called they said the computer watches for things such as gas only purchases in a short period of time, and then re-enabled the card. The gas station apparently had cached the decline though, so we had to go to another station.
But imagine being stuck 2000 miles from home because your credit card suddenly isn't accepted - that's how it felt until I was able to call and straighten things out.
I haven't ever seen so many comments in a Slashdot article moderated to +5, nor have I actually read so many comments from a Slashdot article at one time and actually found myself interested by all of them. And it's a Jon Katz article on top of it!
Way to go!
Considering all the arms that the U.S. exports, either legally or illegally, maybe this is not such a bad idea...