Jamie's apology

I have my own bag, and take the items from the carrier bag on the scales,
leaving the carrier behind.

So someone else will unwittingly use a bag that you've had your mucky mits
all over?

Bill

At least the checkout operators are (usually) trained to open the bags
without licking their fingers first.

Before Tesco started hiding the bags, they sprouted two tabs or lugs
that joined each bag to its neighbours by means of either an adhesive,
or more likely a hermetic weld. The idea was when you pulled the first
bag from the dispenser by the exposed tab, it was supposed to open
the bag detach from the dispenser and pull the next tab clear for
the next bag. But the manufacturing tolerances involved were such
that it rarely worked as designed, so the customers reverted to gobbing
on their fingers in the time honoured way.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

"Mike Henry" wrote in message
...

Well for the Asda ones I've used, the empty carrier bags are on railings,
connected to (I presume) weighing scales inside. When you scan each item
it refuses to let you scan the next item until after you've put the first
one in a bag. It uses the change in weight of the bags as a fuzzy logic
"something's been put in the bag" detector.

Try it next time - scan something and then don't bag it, so that it starts
audibly nagging you to put it in a bag. Then stand really close to the
empty bags so that nothing could see what you are doing, and drop your
scanned item in as furtively as you can. See how it suddenly stops asking
you to bag it...

Therefore without a major redesign, they will always have to give out free
carrier bags! :-)

The weighing scales aren't connected to the railings. There's a weighing pad
underneath the bag itself. (The fact that the bag doesn't hang in mid-air,
suspended from the railings should have been a clue.)
Marks and Spencer use the same automated checkout technology, yet still
charge for bags.
You can just take in your own recycled bag, and place it on the bagging
area. Slide their new bags over to one side if there's not enough space.

"Bill Wright" wrote in message
...

"Ian" wrote in message
...
In message , Mike Henry
writes
In , "Graham."
I have my own bag, and take the items from the carrier bag on the scales,
leaving the carrier behind.

So someone else will unwittingly use a bag that you've had your mucky mits
all over?

It could be worse. On more than one occasion whilst at the non-automated
checkouts, I've had some old woman open her shopping caddy and offer me free
second hand bags ("It'll save you having to pay extra fer 'um, luvvy"),
invariably covered in gross gunk.

Mike Henry wrote:

Well for the Asda ones I've used, the empty carrier bags are on railings,
connected to (I presume) weighing scales inside. When you scan each item
it refuses to let you scan the next item until after you've put the first
one in a bag.

yes, but it weight them via the pad underneath the bag, not via the
rails it's suspended from.

It uses the change in weight of the bags as a fuzzy logic
"something's been put in the bag" detector.

Try it next time - scan something and then don't bag it, so that it starts
audibly nagging you to put it in a bag.

f**king annoying things in general.

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:21:33 +0100, "jamie powell"
wrote:

The weighing scales aren't connected to the railings. There's a weighing pad
underneath the bag itself. (The fact that the bag doesn't hang in mid-air,
suspended from the railings should have been a clue.)
Marks and Spencer use the same automated checkout technology, yet still
charge for bags.
You can just take in your own recycled bag, and place it on the bagging
area. Slide their new bags over to one side if there's not enough space.

But if your bag weighs more than a couple of grams you'll get the
"unexpected item in bagging area" message