3 ms·

>I like to have a few $100s for traveling internationally--although in general it's hard to predict if they'll be accepted in the US. 22 years ago upon coming

by trhway 4y ago

>I like to have a few $100s for traveling internationally--although in general it's hard to predict if they'll be accepted in the US. 22 years ago upon coming to US with in particular several thousands in cash of new smelling $100s i was trying to pay $2 bus fare by pulling one of those fresh $100s from a small stack and trying to give it to the bus driver - the bus driver was actively refusing it - "no change", etc. - and i was perplexed to say the least and thought that the driver uses the "no change" excuse for some unclear to me reason "I don't understand, I mean this is US, the dollars are used here not something else, this is a good genuine bill, fresh from the bank, look it has sequential numbers with the others in the stack, how is it "no change" when even back in Russia i usually had no issues with change even from a $100 bill" :)

skybrian 4y ago
Huh, I recently read a comic with almost exactly this scenario. It took place in Britain, though.
- trhway 4y ago
  Actually in Europe back then i didn't have such issues, though that may be because i visited places frequented by tourists including Russians (and in 1990s in Russia dollar was de-facto currency for almost everything other than the grocery store) Though even there I remember another interface mismatch situation - a group of Russians in our hotel wanted to rent some very expensive car, and the rent agency required a credit card where is the guys naturally had no cards, only cash in the amount almost sufficient to buy the car :) In general through the 1990s the behavior of the post-USSR people, Russians in particular, coming to civilized West out of the woodwork of the post-Iron-Curtain chaos was in many situations comic-worthy.
thfuran 4y ago
A lot of city buses won't give change period. It doesn't have much to do with it being a $100 bill other than that making it an especially terrible deal for you.
ghaff 4y ago
22 years later, even a lot of places that do give change won't accept a >$20 bill in the US.

by trhway 4y ago

skybrian 4y ago

Huh, I recently read a comic with almost exactly this scenario. It took place in Britain, though.

trhway 4y ago
Actually in Europe back then i didn't have such issues, though that may be because i visited places frequented by tourists including Russians (and in 1990s in Russia dollar was de-facto currency for almost everything other than the grocery store) Though even there I remember another interface mismatch situation - a group of Russians in our hotel wanted to rent some very expensive car, and the rent agency required a credit card where is the guys naturally had no cards, only cash in the amount almost sufficient to buy the car :) In general through the 1990s the behavior of the post-USSR people, Russians in particular, coming to civilized West out of the woodwork of the post-Iron-Curtain chaos was in many situations comic-worthy.

thfuran 4y ago

A lot of city buses won't give change period. It doesn't have much to do with it being a $100 bill other than that making it an especially terrible deal for you.

ghaff 4y ago

22 years later, even a lot of places that do give change won't accept a >$20 bill in the US.