Its worse than ASDA here!!

[Ironclad Alibi]

But the currency as named above should be accepted towards a debt. Refusing it as payment towards a debt would pretty much make it impossible to later collect on the debt. To that extent it must be accepted.

However a shop can refuse payment if it wants because it isn't towards payment of a debt. The contract is being entered into at the point the money changes hands and the shop can refuse for any reason (that isn't discrimination).

That's interesting because here in the U.S. all bills state something like "This note is legal tender for any debt, public or private" BUT businesses are well within their rights to refuse to accept $50 and $100 bills and, due to counterfeiting, many do just that.

Apparently the same policy is in effect in both the US and the UK. The legal tender has to accepted for all debts, but a purchase is not a debt. The quote below is from the US Treasury web site.

Question:
I thought that United States currency was legal tender for all debts. Some businesses or governmental agencies say that they will only accept checks, money orders or credit cards as payment, and others will only accept currency notes in denominations of $20 or smaller. Isn't this illegal?

Answer:
The pertinent portion of law that applies to your question is the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.

Here is a Wikipedia article on Legal Tender.

[Stryker One]

Warm and fuzzy

I always feel so much better when reading this kinda of story that confirms that the USA does NOT have a monopoly on assh*les.

[Andara Bledin]

I always feel so much better when reading this kinda of story that confirms that the USA does NOT have a monopoly on assh*les.

Nope. Assholiness and douchebaggery know no boundaries of race, creed, religion, etc. If there are people, a certain percentage of those people will be socially broken.

^-.-^

[vstorevigilante]

SC: Why would I carry ID to prove my age?

I got this particular gem one time when I was working box office at the theatre. Movie was something stupid like Prom Night that's rated 14 but doesn't appeal to or attract anyone over 12, so I'd spend half my friday night arguing with kids in the line trying to buy ticket. One fought me tooth and nail and I demanded ID, and he said, "Who the hell carries ID?" and, fed up and doubting his badass 12 year old self could get me in much trouble screamed, "PEOPLE OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE IDENTIFICATION! GET OUT OF LINE!" Oh, kids these days. Mind you, I was only 17 myself at the time

[Lace Neil Singer]

Not trying to say that you/your store is horrible for asking for this, but is there ID that a 15-year-old is likely to carry? Around here most people don't have legal ID until they start to drive or are old enough to get one of the booze and cancer stick cards (19). The new health cards show age, but if you're young there's no picture, and no one is obligated to accept it, so most organisations that require proof of age provide an internal one.

They can always either produce a passport, or apply for a citizen card. I always had to carry my passport whenever I had to produce ID (which strangely enough, happened after I hit eighteen, not before) cuz I didn't learn to drive til I was twenty three.

[Magpie]

They can always either produce a passport, or apply for a citizen card.

Passports for under-16 is actually a fairly new thing here too. You used to be able to just add kids to their parents' passports. I'm glad there there is convenient ID for kids though, if they're going to have to show it.

[Geek King]

I got a state issued ID card at 14 for a trip I was taking. Fairly painless, and cost about $20. Most states have these available for folks who need official ID but don't drive.

[trailerparkmedic]

And the only time you see $100 bills is when someone gets a bunch to pay cash for a high ticket item or to buy a money order (for things like rent and down-payments where cash isn't accepted), or when some douchebag wants to empty someone's float first thing in the morning to show off what a bigshot they are (and just how empty their lives and trousers are).

When I lived in a heavily Hispanic area, with a lot of people who were recent immigrants (within the past generation or two) from Mexico, there were a LOT of people who only used cash. Apparently in Mexico, the banks suck/are completely corrupt so a lot of people just use check cashing places for their paychecks instead of having a bank account and they continued to do so (getting $100s in the process) in America.

[Victoria J]

I always feel so much better when reading this kinda of story that confirms that the USA does NOT have a monopoly on assh*les.

I'm insulted. We don't have any assh*les in the UK.

We call them arseh*les instead.

Victoria J

[RetailWorkhorse]

A customer has come up with a DVD rated 15 so i ask for ID as the girl looks just a bit younger. I was superviser on duty during this and due to this suty manager.

Me: I am sorry i require ID before I can sell this to you.
SC: i am 15.
Me: I'm sorry but I need ID.
SC: Why would I carry ID to prove my age? Sell me it NOW!!!
Me: No I can;'t sell it to you.
SC: get me your boss.
Me: i can;t I am the duty manager. I am following the law and procedures.

SC storms off shouting. Two minutes later a call is put out for duty manager. I appear at deska nd am told a customer wnats to know why she can't be sold a DVD for a 15 year old if she says shes 15. I appear and she walks away.

I will not annihilate the minors, I will not annihilate the minors, iwillnotannihilatetheminors. *Whimpers*

I'm insulted. We don't have any assh*les in the UK.

We call them arseh*les instead.

Victoria J

Humour like that is why I'm marrying Flea-Bit.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I'm sure that there are a few annoying donkeys about who might be assholes... XD