[nommm-nommm]

I just spent two weeks in the UK as a tourist. I had a wonderful time. Perhaps it was me? But I used cash much much more than I do in the US. I pulled out my credit card in a pub and got scolded. Perhaps because I was outside the big cities?

It might be me but I perceived the culture in smaller town Scotland to be more cash oriented than I am used to in the USA.

I personally saw more people pay with cash than I am used to.

I still love your country and will go back at any time.

[bsder]

> I pulled out my credit card in a pub and got scolded.

Probably because you didn't have chip and pin.

If an establishment takes a card without chip and pin in the UK/Europe, the fraud rules are very different.

[nommm-nommm]

Excuse me? I certainly DO have a chip and pin, thank you very much!!! The scolding was from fellow patrons. "Why are you waving around that card? That isn't welcome around here. That's not how we do things around here." They didn't have card readers in sight either so..... I was expecting to pay cash anyways, I figured I'd just try card first... I just felt very embarrassed trying to pay card in a cash establishment. It was very clear it was an "old school" type establishment....

I do have chip and pin and I wouldn't have left without a chip and pin card (I have more than one out of my 8 credit cards, not counting debit cards...which I have several as well...). There was absolutely zero reason to believe a perceived lack of chip and pin was an issue from what I wrote.

Also the fraud rule are/will be different in the US as well.

I went to a deli they told me that I have to ahev £10 minimum to use a card. I went to a restaurant and they had a £1.50 surcharge for card as well and encouraged me to pay in cash.

The first time I used card while I was there was at Wetherspoons... lol...

I also base my feelings on my personal observations of watching other people pay for things as well. Of course my "feeling" could be off base as well. People are known for getting a wrong impression sometimes.

That being said - I still love Scotland and will visit again in a heartbeat. In fact I hope to visit again in the near future!

[lmm]

Small town Scotland, sure, a bit different. But small town Scotland is, by population, a tiny fraction of the UK.

[SilasX]

That came dangerously close to being a literal "no true Scotsman" dismissal of the GP's example...

[nommm-nommm]

Haha it was a literal no true Scotsman dismissal. That's funny. That being said, I'd really love to hear the opinion of a smaller town Scots(wo)man who has traveled/lived other places on their opinion of card/cash "culture" vs other first world countries if they are any around here.

The reason I went to the place I went was because the primary purpose of my trip was to visit someone.

[nommm-nommm]

Of course! But I was replying to "people in first world countries" and giving my personal experiences. :)

I've also been all across small town USA :)

I really hope I don't offend. I don't mean to.

[lmm]

I don't think anyone's offended. But I think it's acceptable to say "people in first world countries" when one actually just means "the overwhelming majority of people in first world countries".

[nommm-nommm]

No, that's not at all acceptable to move the goalpost in that way at all! How completely and utterly ridiculous!