Americans!!! please confirm or deny this happens?

Heineken Helen · February 2008

Hinny wrote:

1. Do I need to tip the bus driver on my way from Seattle to Vancouver airport?
2. Do I need to tip the guy at customs, or whatever it is that happens when I cross the border?
3. Do I need to tip the coffee cart guy at VAN airport?

I think the general rule appears to be: when in doubt... tip! If you're not sure and the person is still hanging around looking like they're waiting for something... tip! That seems to be how it goes over there :rolleyes:

Hinny · February 2008

Heineken Helen wrote:

well he was just an ass... I've worked in pubs before and had American customers try to do that and I just find it funny and tell them it's not ready yet. Fuck I had a South African manager in an Irish pub who didn't KNOW how to pull a pint of guinness and pulled it like lager... serving it to Irish customers :eek: that was funny! Very few complaints though... they'd look at the pint and then look at me like 'what the fuck' so I'd pull them another one and just took him aside and had to explain.

I've always been quite amused at the way Guinness is pulled.

evenkat · February 2008

Heineken Helen wrote:

I think the general rule appears to be: when in doubt... tip! If you're not sure and the person is still hanging around looking like they're waiting for something... tip! That seems to be how it goes over there :rolleyes:

Nope lol. They are just waiting around to push you out so more customers can be seated lol.

Dunk my bank doesn't hold more on my debit card so maybe it depends on the bank or something. Just last week I noticed the available funds in my bank account was $16 less than the total amount in the account. I couldn't remember what the $16 was for so I checked my receipts and figured out it was for a dinner but the total of the receipt was $21 not $16. $16 was for dinner and $5 for the tip. They were only holding $16 and did not include the tip. Of course later that day they deducted the $21. I guess it depends on the bank.

evenkat · February 2008

Hinny wrote:

I keep making these posts about tipping and how I'm totally opposed to this need to pay whatever above the listed price, but let's face it, I don't understand any of this shit, so when I'm there in 2 weeks time I'm just gonna let my local hosts take care of this shit while I twiddle my thumbs. Either that, Or I'll hand over a bank note that's wayyyyy more than what I really ought to be paying cos I'm used to a sane bank note system where each denomination has a different colour. That all your notes are green is another absurd thing I'll need to laugh at another day

The problem will be when I'm by myself. I'll ask whoever's 'serving' me anyway, but just in case someone tries to rort me...

My actual questions:

1. Do I need to tip the bus driver on my way from Seattle to Vancouver airport?
2. Do I need to tip the guy at customs, or whatever it is that happens when I cross the border?
3. Do I need to tip the coffee cart guy at VAN airport?

Bills are actually not all green now but they still look similar except for the BIG ass 100, 50, 20, 10 or 5 on them lol. You won't mix them up.

1. Yes definately
2. No, you don't tip customs in US and I don't think you tip them in Canada.
3. No, you don't have to but you can if you want.

Heineken Helen · February 2008

evenkat wrote:

1. Yes definately .

:eek: Really? Wow!

evenkat wrote:

2. No, you don't tip customs in US and I don't think you tip them in Canada..

Definitely not... could be seen as a bribe :eek:

evenkat wrote:

3. No, you don't have to but you can if you want.

chime · February 2008

evenkat wrote:

1. Yes definately

I'm trying to imagine the face on a bus driver over here if you tried to tip him

... he'd look at you (a) like you had just disembarked from a spaceship and (b) like you might be trying to pull a fast one

pjtradeking · February 2008

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

you've personally witnessed EVERY american who travels to scotland? shit, you've got a lot of free time on your hands.You HEAR about the ones that don't because they're the ones who are going to get noticed. No one's going to repeat a story or take notice when someone does something that is the NORM. Dude, I haven't been to scotland, but I've been to other countries where you don't tip, and I haven't tipped. Neither has anyone I've been with. And last I looked at my passport, it was american.

Speaking of ALOT free time........

Pegasus · February 2008

soulsinging wrote:

WITH tips i didnt make $10 an hour waiting tables, nor did anyone i work with. i dont table at coffee or bagel shops either. they dont give you service, they give you a product. that tip is optional (and stupidly pointless in my estimation).

the supermarket is selling a product..the restaurant is providing a service (that's why it's called the service industry :rolleyes: )

Heineken Helen wrote:

well he was just an ass... I've worked in pubs before and had American customers try to do that and I just find it funny and tell them it's not ready yet. Fuck I had a South African manager in an Irish pub who didn't KNOW how to pull a pint of guinness and pulled it like lager... serving it to Irish customers :eek: that was funny! Very few complaints though... they'd look at the pint and then look at me like 'what the fuck' so I'd pull them another one and just took him aside and had to explain.

LOL.. I had to 'teach' (as a customer) that in some bars too..

Chime wrote:

I'm trying to imagine the face on a bus driver over here if you tried to tip him ... he'd look at you (a) like you had just disembarked from a spaceship and (b) like you might be trying to pull a fast one

I think she's pulling our leg about tipping the bus driver.. I hope anyway.. that would NEVER even cross my mind to..

chinobaeza · February 2008

Chime wrote:

I'm trying to imagine the face on a bus driver over here if you tried to tip him ... he'd look at you (a) like you had just disembarked from a spaceship and (b) like you might be trying to pull a fast one

lol...I was thinking the same...the bus driver would say to me "que mierda te pasa?" (what the kcuf is wrong with you?)

soulsinging · February 2008

Heineken Helen wrote:

That is very true :cool: capitalism does NOT exist in a major city like London... the owners are very happy to make sure the customer is happy and just cover the cost and some extra little pocket money for themselves... London's a very happy place like that. Such genuine people, no care for profit! :rolleyes:

please darling, tell me. where did i say that? im dying to know. really. you totally just schooled me there, i've been so owned by your incomparable wit and intelligence. you totally devestated me by rebutting words i don't even remember saying! please helen, have mercy on my poor intellect, and show me where i said such a thing so that i may wallow in my humiliation at your hands even more.

it amazes me how even when we agree you feel the need to turn it into some sort of sarcastic argument. i make a point about how our system may be illogical, but it is a result of american capitalist greed. you then get all whiny and say "hey, we're greedy too!" and then repeat that the american system is absurd. what the fuck is your point?

Heineken Helen · February 2008

soulsinging wrote:

please darling, tell me. where did i say that? im dying to know. really. you totally just schooled me there, i've been so owned by your incomparable wit and intelligence. you totally devestated me by rebutting words i don't even remember saying! please helen, have mercy on my poor intellect, and show me where i said such a thing so that i may wallow in my humiliation at your hands even more.

it amazes me how even when we agree you feel the need to turn it into some sort of sarcastic argument. i make a point about how our system may be illogical, but it is a result of american capitalist greed. you then get all whiny and say "hey, we're greedy too!" and then repeat that the american system is absurd. what the fuck is your point?

If you knew anything about me you'd know I believe capitalistic greed is a problem everywhere... not just the states. Your point was that the American system is BECAUSE of the American greed... but I'm saying restaurant owners are just as greedy in London and everywhere else.

That has nothing to do with why I think the system is crap... I simply think the system makes no sense.

welcome back

darling!

soulsinging · February 2008

Heineken Helen wrote:

If you knew anything about me you'd know I believe capitalistic greed is a problem everywhere... not just the states. Your point was that the American system is BECAUSE of the American greed... but I'm saying restaurant owners are just as greedy in London and everywhere else.

That has nothing to do with why I think the system is crap... I simply think the system makes no sense.

welcome back darling!

my point was that american greed is in a league of its own. england has it, but they also have a decent amount of respect for labor rights, minimum wage, human rights, etc. sure, greed may be a problem. but it is not worshiped and protected like it is in the US. our labor laws are a joke compared to even the worst in europe. maybe joe shopkeeper in london as an individual is as greedy as joe shopkeeper in america. but the SYSTEMS are vastly different. england has greater checks on it than the US, which will never do anything to meddle with profits, EVER. there is no comparison. and i've studied the laws of both. the culture in america is peerless in its single-minded devotion to profit to the exclusion of all else, britain at least considers a few things like rights and whatnot. shit, they joined the EU. america will never do anything that would bind them. even nafta carves out exclusions that ensure american workers will never be able to get rights equal to those of canadian workers. there's no comparison. why do you think america is so reviled around the world? cos we're greedy, we don't care who gets hurt as we pursue our greed, and we tell the rest of you to go fuck yourselves if you dare question what we do or why. yeah, greed is a universal problem, but we've perfected it and admire it. britian at least seems to be trying to think of ways to check it. my statement is true. the american system is the way it is becos of our devotion to totally unrestrained capitalism. england has greed too. but they are willing to put more restraints on capitalism than we. that is a fact. period.

Hinny · February 2008

I'm still confused about the bus :(

soulsinging · February 2008

Hinny wrote:

I'm still confused about the bus :(

i've never tipped a bus driver in my life. nor do i know anyone who has.

redrock · February 2008

Hinny wrote:

I'm still confused about the bus :(

Hinny... I don't think the poster was serious..... Don't worry about it.. hand him your mullet!

Heineken Helen · February 2008

redrock wrote:

Hinny... I don't think the poster was serious..... Don't worry about it.. hand him your mullet!

he's not going to the south though... so the mullet mightn't be appreciated

redrock · February 2008

soulsinging wrote:

american workers will never be able to get rights equal to those of canadian workers. .

American workers rights are shit. That is why I chose never to work in the US again (unless transferred to US by European firm, with European benefits, etc). America is the greediest of all. Greed is everywhere but the americans are the masters of it. In western europe, workers have fought long and hard for their rights (and the UK is one of the 'worst' countries I worked in regarding workers rights/benefits!). Americans should wake up. This whole tipping issue, where your tip is your 'salary' is just a example of how bad they are treated. I won't even go into illness, holidays, etc.

redrock · February 2008

Heineken Helen wrote:

he's not going to the south though... so the mullet mightn't be appreciated

He may be a redneck though... and they're all secret mullet wearers!

wolfbear · February 2008

Re: the bus. Not for just a regular bus, but if it's an airporter shuttle, possibly if you have luggage. Here's a link to US tipping customs that covers and explains most.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g191-s606/United-States:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html

Hinny · February 2008

wolfbear wrote:

Re: the bus. Not for just a regular bus, but if it's an airporter shuttle, possibly if you have luggage. Here's a link to US tipping customs that covers and explains most.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g191-s606/United-States:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html

Cheers.

It'll be the QuickCoach between SEA and VAN airport.

Americans!!! please confirm or deny this happens?

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