So Kind of You

Labor Day weekend saw me and my sons in Philadelphia watching the Phillies, followed by sightseeing the next day. Naturally, knowing the kinds of cars I drive (me Grandpa Joe would be proud) I decided that I would rent a car for the trip. When time is critical, well, even I play safe. He'd snort at that.

When I picked up the car I informed the management I'd be driving several hundred miles on toll roads. "We'll just put the fares on the credit card we have on file for you if that's all right, Mr. Cosgriff." Sure. It's about the most convenient way to handle it.

Yesterday I got an email assuring me they had succeeded in that task. There were $72.10 in tolls from the Pennsylvania Turnpike charged to my card. Oh, and did we mention the $4.95 convenience fee?

Really? Look, I'm as capitalist as they come (guns don't make America great, the free market does) but after I paid you $552 for the actual car rental you ding me five bucks for charging another $72.10 to my card? How, um, ah, er, convenient. For you. How long did that action take, ten seconds of AI?

I think they do it because it's virtually all profit for them and too low for me to fight. What, I'm going to get a lawyer to battle such a paltry amount?

If money were no object, I would in fact. Just to thank them for their convenience.

Seeing Red

Tonight I'm going to Comerica Park to see the Detroit Tigers play the Cincinnati Reds. I'm excited because I have actual pasteboard tickets for the game. That's because I went to the stadium box office to buy them. 

I ain't paying no two dollar per ticket convenience fee to purchase them on the Internet when I live barely a mile and a half from the ballpark. Does anything say ripoff or money grab better than charging two bucks (per ticket I remind you) for the convenience of doing something in a manner which makes a process easier for all of us? A manner which sends tickets to our phone rather than printing them and/or mailing them? A manner which involves less handling of merchandise, less real human involvement? I doubt it.

So I have my paper tickets, which it surely cost the Tigers more than if I had went the Internet route. I showed them.

Interestingly enough, it's the start of a six game road trip for Cincinnati. Further interestingly enough, I'm going to New York City this weekend to visit my son and daughter-in-law and see the Mets. We have tickets to the Sunday game. And who are they playing? The Reds.

I got Cincy coming and going. Serendipity.

How convenient

Yesterday I renewed my license plates over this neat little thing called the Internet. It was quite convenient, especially as all Michigan Secretary of State offices are closed due to the corona virus panic attack. But I've done it in the past anyway. It's very easy. So why was I being charged $1.65 as a 'convenience' fee?

Isn't it quicker, easier, and healthier (he snidely points out) to renew this way? And I certainly do confess that I wouldn't stand in line at the MSOS for two or three hours to save a buck sixty five. Still, to do something in a manner which is quicker and cheaper for everyone (I'm not tying up an SOS employee for ten minutes) and yet be charged for it grates on me.

It's not just government agencies doing it. I go to the stadium to buy baseball tickets (when there's actually baseball that is) because I don't see the point in paying three or four bucks per ticket for the convenience of buying them online. But at least I have the option of not attending baseball games. I have to deal with the state government. A government which gets plenty of money from me anyway through the myriad forms of taxation such as license plate fees.

Rant over.