I don't remember MI so much, but here my debit card has my photo on it, and it's forestalled a number of requests for photo ID -- I guess that could work with the no name thing. My "real" credit card--as I said, when not eating out, it's about 50-50.

I hate to say this, but asking for ID with credit cards is often racially motivated. I get asked for ID a lot more with my platinum card than with my regular debit card. Of course, I always ask why they need ID and enjoy the squirm. OTOH, I got shirty with a guy once, and he pointed out that I hadn’t signed the back of the card. Oops.

But she got tired of being accused of being racist when she would ask to see ID.

That's because it's often the case. I pay attention. If the person in front of me was asked, I don’t say anything. However, it’s not uncommon for the person of non-color in front of me to use a credit card without incident, but they ask me for ID or compare the signature.

I don't mind being asked for ID, since it's something I feel they should do--even if they're applying it racistly (and I have no information to support this in my case), I highly prefer it to something useless being wielded in the same cause.

Since I moved to NC, I get asked for ID all the time - like probably 85% of the times I use a card, I get asked for ID.

Now I'm cynically wondering if it's your accent that's convincing the salespeople "you're not from here" hence they'd better ask for ID.

It's not even noon, and already I've had the classic "you can't have it because it doesn't exist" and "no, I didn't send you the wrong thing, you requested the wrong thing and I am not psychic" conversations.

Joy.

That's a good question, Theo. I had assumed that maybe NC had some fraud/consumer protection statute that requires them to ask, but maybe it's me. I'll have to pay more attention. It's weird though - it never happened to me before I moved here, but it happens almost every time here.

I would like to not do anything today. Can I have that? I did lots of things yesterday, and yet, they want me to do more things today!

O the injustice.

I don't mind being asked for ID, since it's something I feel they should do--even if they're applying it racistly (and I have no information to support this in my case), I highly prefer it to something useless being wielded in the same cause.

I don't mind either. I just mind being asked when the PONC in front of me was not asked.

The other instance I will ask for ID is a woman using a card with a "man's" name or vice versa. Which means I would probably have ID'd Jesse or bon bon. But I once got completely screwed because I took a card in the husband's name from the wife (I knew them) and then the husband reported that the wife was using the card in an unauthorized manner and they got their money back. I also had lots of people using their parents cards. At Penney's we would often call the parents if it was a Penney's charge card, because we could look up their number. One always knew whan the kid had just taken the card, because they would put up an awful fuss.

I did lots of things yesterday, and yet, they want me to do more things today!

I know! It's just not right! I've totally met my quota for Doing Things this week. Blood from a stone, people. Blood from a stone!

I've known people who wrote "Check ID" on the signature line of the credit card so that the clerks will always request ID.

I saw some reports around the holidays that some stores were cracking down on accepting unsigned cards, including the ones that said Check ID. As mine say See ID, I'm irked, and suppose I should sign them as well.

Shit, they couldn't have picked a different color?

Lime? Hot pink? Safety orange? (All of which I have, oddly, in eyeshadow.)