Vocal Voices

I've seen reference to the fact that the contactless card limit is being increased from £30 to £45 from 1st April (Wednesday) - but initially only in "selected stores". Does anyone know any further details?

Ossie, a search engine helps.

It looks a though it is being brought in on the back of Covid-19, which is convenient for the authorities, but as someone not in favour of a cashless society I am a bit concerned.

Many aspects of my life can already be tracked via phone or Internet use, though I do try to reduce that, but my purchases are my business. What I buy, where I buy it and when I buy it is my business and sod all to do with Big Brother.

Small steps using a crisis as an excuse does no sit comfortably IMO.

In France they upped the cash limit to €700 from 350. That is how they approach this. They're not one for big brother and recognise it.

Handling cash has its dangers, for the customer but especially for the cashier at the till, so I am all in favour of this. Contactless is exactly what it says on the tin - no contact.

That has to be a good thing at the moment, and if the government want to track me paying for my milk and cauliflower, well I hope it gives them a thrill

I have never bothered with contactless previously but I really like it now and feel less at risk using it.

Exactly I certainly feel safer using it.

It's a mind game - you "feel" safer, but are you?

You have touched all sorts of things while you were out and in the supermarket that "could" be contaminated like door handles, handrails, the baskets, trolleys, products, shelves, checkout conveyor... and yet waving that bit of plastic keeps you safe!

In reality it's only psychological, but if it helps keep you calm I do understand, but you still need to put all those things away once home and you then must, must, must wash your hands.

I go in with my own Delta taxi shopping bag Frank, I just put stuff in it like a shoplifter and unload it when I get to the checkout. Not perfect, but I'm done with using the supermarket baskets. To be fair, our local Morrisons has hand gel and wipes by the entrance door so they are trying.

medsec222 wrote:I go in with my own Delta taxi shopping bag Frank, I just put stuff in it like a shoplifter and unload it when I get to the checkout. Not perfect ...

No, nothing is, well treating it as a bio-hazard and following all those protocols might be, but they are not practical for every day use, and I say that as an ex NBC shelter marshall who has carried them out.

Being sensible and carrying out good personal and household hygiene is the best most of can or need to do. Go out, come home, put the stuff away, wipe down the worktop then wash your hands and after that wash your face.

As an aside: I had a friend who was a bit OCD. He was very intelligent and a university lecturer in philosophy and psychology. His flat was a tip with stacks of papers and books and magazines everywhere, could never find his glasses, though sometimes he had them pushed up on his forehead, but step into his kitchen and it was like going into a showroom - totally spotless and not an item on the worktop.

When he brought his shopping home the bag went on the floor then every item was taken out one by one and wiped down with a warm solution of Stardrops (ammonia) before being put away - newest to the back. This even happened to bags of sugar and boxes of tea bags. The bag was folded and the floor mopped and he was done.

He would be my best bet for catching Covid-19 - Sod's law and all that.