h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It was not so much the amount to tip, but the actual process of tipping that took getting used to.

We never worked out if, when paying cash, you left the tip on the table (as you do in England) or you gave it to the waiter, rounding up when you paid (as you do in Germany).

When paying by credit card, the procedure took some getting used to. Fortunately, the first time I did it, my son was with us. He'd meant to pay, but had forgotten his wallet, so I paid with my credit card.

The bill was presented in a little plastic folder. You then slip your credit card into the special pocket in the top of the folder and the waiter takes it away ( ). He would bring it back with a slip which was a general authorisation for payment, then you fill out the slip in detail, stating how much you want to tip and totting it up. You have to fill it in twice, one copy for your own reference. You sign the copy of the slip for the restaurant, pocket your credit card and trust the restaurant not to siphon off more than you have stated on the payment slip.

The procedure is similar for garages. You go in and pay before you can even operate the pump. If you pay cash, they set the pump to cut off when you've had your amount. If you've paid too much, you can go back in and ask for the change.

If paying by card, you go in and place a bet on how much you think you'll need, and authorise the payment. The garage will then book the amount you actually used, whether slightly over or under the stakes. However, we noticed on our statements that in cases where we had paid more than we needed, the crafty lot hung on to the change for a couple of days before refunding it. That must have made them ... oooh in interest.

All in all, it's a right palaver. (The European way's not much better really)

US residents don't have to go in to the cashier to pay, because they can swipe their card at the pump, type in their zip code, and just take as much petrol as they need. Us foreigners have to use the machine in the cashier's office.

One petrol station (the office was unmanned) allowed even foreigners to swipe their card and get their petrol without having to punch in the zip code, but this is not usual. Until we realised that this was possible, there was a whole crowd of Germans, Chinese, British and various other foreigners in a tizzwazz, blocking the pumps.

The obvious reason for paying before you can get any petrol out at all is to prevent theft. For the American and the European system, wouldn't it be simpler if the lanes by the pumps were fenced in and you couldn't get out past an automatic barrier till you'd paid?

That would have the added advantage of the pumps not being blocked whilst drivers run into the office to pay, leaving their cars unattended on the forecourt. It could be fully automated, and people wouldn't be wandering about, and cars would not be unattended.

I remember the first time I went to fill up my hired car in Florida, I had to pay in advance. I wanted to fill the tank, but had no idea how much fuel this would take. I asked the cashier how it would typically cost to fill up such a car. He had no idea.

This is someone who spends his entire working day accepting payments from people for filling up their tanks.

Paying before you fill is as bad as those carparks where you have to pay before you shop. So you either put too much in or you end up rushing back to the car before you've finished your shopping.

Deb

If you're flying out of Pisa, Italy on a Sunday morning and returning a hired car, you have to give the car back with a full tank of petrol, but the only petrol station near the airport is unmanned on Sundays. You have to pay in notes in advance and predict how much you will need. You get no change if you overspend.

Last time I did this, about a month ago, we put in €20 worth, then €10, then €5 and then another €5. We only used €1.60 of that last fiver.

"We never worked out if, when paying cash, you left the tip on the table"

I have always left the tip on the table. If they don't like it, they can consider whether they'd rather have no tip at all .

[Amy P]

I failed to tip in a hairdressers over here t'other day. I think it wasn't expected, given the interchange but I have lost track. Feels all odd not to tip a hairdresser.

At our hairdresser's they have little piggy banks with the names of all the staff on next to the till. If you're lucky, just one member of staff will have served you, but sometimes another one will wash your hair, and maybe the apprentice will do a couple of odd jobs and bring you a cup of tea or coffee. I try to be fair and put at least one euro in each piggy bank for anyone who served me. The hairdresser's bill is so expensive, I reckon another euro or two really doesn't matter.