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Why should I have to pay more for buses if I don't use a smartphone?

65 points · 89 comments · DamonHD

  1. unified101 · · focus · HN ↗
    The actual answer is there's operational cost to handling cash, or payment methods beyond the ones that cover 99.9% people well. You pay more for the extra hassle the whole system has to serve that .1%

    You may not like or disagree with it. But it's the true answer.

    1. bell-cot · · focus · HN ↗
      I don't know Britain, but in my part of America the extra costs of taking credit cards are so high that most gasoline (petrol) stations give a ~3% discount to customers paying with old-fashioned paper cash. And I know little grocery stores with signs by their register, asking customers to please pay with cash - because margins are tight, and the bank takes an X% cut of every credit card payment and a Y% cut of every debit card payment.
      1. graemep · · focus · HN ↗
        That is illegal in the UK.
        1. CGamesPlay · · focus · HN ↗
          I don't' know what "that" you're referring to, but in the USA it is against the payment processor agreement to give a discount for cash. So not illegal, but a contract breach.
          1. simoncion · · focus · HN ↗
            > ...but in the USA it is against the payment processor agreement to give a discount for cash. So not illegal, but a contract breach.

            This may be true, but State and Federal law prevail. In California, this [0] looks to be the relevant regulation:

              1748.1. (a) No retailer in any sales, service, or lease transaction with a consumer may impose a surcharge on a cardholder who elects to use a credit card in lieu of payment by cash, check, or similar means. A retailer may, however, offer discounts for the purpose of inducing payment by cash, check, or other means not involving the use of a credit card, provided that the discount is offered to all prospective buyers.
            Most mom-and-pop places I shop at here in San Francisco either offer discounts for paying in cash or have signs up suggesting that folks pay in cash so the business keeps more of the transaction.

            [0] &lt;<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;law.justia.com&#x2F;codes&#x2F;california&#x2F;code-civ&#x2F;division-3&#x2F;part-4&#x2F;title-1-3&#x2F;section-1748-1&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;law.justia.com&#x2F;codes&#x2F;california&#x2F;code-civ&#x2F;division-3&#x2F;...&gt; The official place to find this would probably be [1] , but that&#x27;s super down for me at the moment, so I link to something unofficial.

            [1] &lt;<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;leginfo.legislature.ca.gov&#x2F;faces&#x2F;codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&amp;sectionNum=1748.1" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;leginfo.legislature.ca.gov&#x2F;faces&#x2F;codes_displaySectio...&gt;

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