Car (or bike) Chat!

[struth]

It is possible, with some banks, to operate without a phone - or at least having one to carry around. However many are now using 2nd factor authorisation based on phones. It used to be possible to do online banking at home without a phone - and that can be really useful. Depends on the bank, I think.

yup 2 factor, but it could be your email address instead of mobile; or ones ive used are.

[Marco]

I’m with NatWest, and never thought I would use the App but gave it a try and it’s brilliant, I hardly ever use the web version now, especially as the App uses the finger print sensor to verify my identity rather than trying to remember PIN and what the 2nd 5th and 8th letter of my password is... I also use the Apple wallet with my cards and that is great too - well, until I lose my ‘phone!

I also use google maps on it instead of the sat nav in the car as it is much better and up to date. I also have the Ordnance Survey app and an annual subscription which gives you all of their maps and is brilliant for planning and going on walks. The To Do app is brilliant for shopping lists etc., and with Spotify on it I play that in the car too. All in all, a great tool and even a pretty good camera. When you think about where we were 20 years ago it’s been incredible progress really, whether you like them or not.

Enjoy, but for me that's WAY too much reliance on tech, and potential for disappointment (or worse) if things go tits up. What happens when you're in an area with crap and/or no wifi? Your 'useful tool' simply becomes an ornament!

It's one of the reasons why when I'm out in the car I still carry paper road maps and A-Zs (remember those, lol?), as backups, and know how to use them.

Marco.

[Macca]

What about when you need to pay someone, for the purchase of goods, via bank transfer, if they don't use Paypal? Say, you've just bought a pair of speakers from me for £1k, and I want paid via bank transfer - how would you process the transation in a timely manner?

Or manage your SOs or DDs, or transfer funds from a current to a savings account? With Internet banking that's all a piece of piss, but without it, a ball-ache!

Marco.

I can go to the branch and do a bank transfer, it's a five minute walk away, but they do charge £40.

rare I would deal with anyone insisting on bank transfer though. The last time I had no option but to do it I sent the money to a friend by paypal and he did the transfer.

[Macca]

Agree - sometimes about the direction finding - but the things do track where you are - and what you do and what you buy etc.

I don't tend to take my phone out with me unless it might be needed. And I pay in cash for everything.

If I was up to no good I'd use a burner phone and leave mine with a mate at my house, he would do a couple of calls and texts to make it look like I'd been at home all the time.

[Marco]

nearest is at one of supermarkets. there used to be 2 at each but its one now and they are not always working. so where i am you need a car really for anything as im in the sticks a bit. still its quieter that way. you can walk it tho if your fit no bother. Im struggling to walk to car from door and its only a few paces arthritis is setting into this leg i damaged i think; just another issue.

Nightmare mate, and sorry to hear it. In my circumstances, I'm not talking even about going into Wrexham. The village shop, which sells all sorts and has a PO inside, also has a cash machine outside, is just down the road.

I've not noticed any corner shops, etc, near you though, whenever I've visited, which I guess is the disadvantage of living inside a large housing estate with fook all in it. There really should be shop though to serve the local community.

Marco.

[Marco]

I can go to the branch and do a bank transfer, it's a five minute walk away, but they do charge £40.

rare I would deal with anyone insisting on bank transfer though. The last time I had no option but to do it I sent the money to a friend by paypal and he did the transfer.

No worries. However, you can see my point and the benefits of being able to do such instead, for free, via a simple mouse click

Marco.

[struth]

Nightmare mate, and sorry to hear it. In my circumstances, I'm not talking even about going into Wrexham. The village shop, which sells all sorts and has a PO inside, also has a cash machine outside, is just down the road.

I've not noticed any corner shops, etc, near you though, whenever I've visited, which I guess is the disadvantage of living inside a large housing estate with fook all in it. There really should be shop though to serve the local community.

Marco.

used to be one just at end of rd. was well used but guy retired and new owner didnt do so well, so sold it for houses. it was tiny tho.
nowt else in area bar a snack van up nearer by bro's house but you need a car for that. only good thing is, im a bit off main rd so not much passing traffic etc. i hear birds every morning, especially on a sunday.
Thats why im getting electric car really as i need something for those little journeys, and petrol cars dont like short start stop. 2 miles a day shit. the electric will love it and if plugged in it will warm up for me in winter without drain on battery. so no getting into baltic car lol.
fuel prices are through roof too so should save that way, and i will have money left over as the down payment is a lot less; in fact my good condition bonus of the chr will cover it so a free change

[dave2010]

Lol, good rant, Dave! However, I successfully run various bank accounts without a smartphone. For Internet banking, I use my laptop instead!

I've never understood why able-bodied folk at home choose to conduct their business or social activities online, using something with a tiny keyboard and buttons, when you can do it all much easier on a bigger screen and proper-sized keyboard instead...

So... Phones when you're out and about, laptop when you're at home. For me, that's the sensible way of doing things.

Furthermore, where I live I still have access to branches of my bank, so can easily pop into town and conduct my business the old-fashioned way, or shock horror, even speak with my manager!

As I've said many times before, tech should serve YOU, not vice versa.

Well said.

I still have paper statements too. I agree it "wastes" paper, but compared with the amount of junk mail that gets delivered - which I understand is "vital" for "the economy" (another rant coming on ...) I think it's small beer.

Paper statements are also a better guarantee of genuine communications etc., as the paper itself can be verified.

You're lucky to have banks close by. Probably the best we could do is the post office - once a week - which I think still operates from down the road. Otherwise the convenient banks were 8-10 miles away, but have now closed, so now it's a 15+ mile journey - plus a car park hassle in order to visit one.

Progress!

[Barry]

My local (village) bank branch closed down a couple of years ago, but there are two free to use cash points available. I don't use internet banking now, as I have had my account hacked twice, so to do things like bank transfers, set up and manage SOs and DDs, I have to go into the main branch in town. I'm thinking of using telephone banking as there at least I can speak to a human being.

These days I pay with my bank card for most things and ask for a receipt, so I can check that against a paper statement, which I receive each month. For stuff from Amazon or eBay, I use PayPal and I have never had a problem with them. For large value items, I will write out a cheque (remember them?); and if the seller doesn't like it, then no deal!

I have three bank accounts and do move money around between them, but it does mean I have to visit the respective branches to expedite matters.



Apropos sat-nav, I have two: one built into the car and a Garmin device, the latter of which I use. I do have a road atlas, which I used to keep in the car, but it's 20 years out of date! The sat-navs are all I need for 'last mile' navigation - provided of course you know the exact address of the destination!

[Alex_UK]

Coincidentally, just had an email from FSTech (which I subscribe to for work) that Lloyds Banking Group are shutting 48 branches..

https://www.fstech.co.uk/fst/Lloyds_...8_Branches.php

'The bank will shut 41 Lloyds Bank branches and seven Halifax branches.

The Group has roughly 25 million customers, of which 18 million are active digital banking users, and over 13 million are regular mobile app users.

It said that the branches announced for closure have over time had significantly fewer customers regularly using them. Lloyds added that, like all banks, it must continue to “adapt for a future where most customers need to visit in person less regularly.”'