Posted on 01/06/2005 10:36:47 PM PST by nickcarraway
By the way, I noticed those lanes for the transponder, but I didn't realize that was how they tracked you through those lanes.
I think I contributed about six dollars to the Illinois tollway on this trip. At least I remembered to get a lot of change before I left, so I didn't have to go through the manned booths.
8 | I suspect that clerks often substitute dimes for quarters, probably because they notice their change drawers running short of quarters |
Maybe, but it also might have to do with which denomination coins are the most plentiful in the drawer.
quarter | dime | nickel | penny | total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
number of coins | 150 | 80 | 40 | 200 | 470 |
percentage | 31.9% | 17.0% | 8.5% | 42.6% | 100.0% |
quarter | dime | nickel | penny | |
---|---|---|---|---|
$ per cu. in. | $4.66 | $4.47 | $1.06 | $0.34 |
coins per cu. in. | 18.6 | 44.7 | 21.2 | 34 |
quarter | dime | nickel | penny | |
---|---|---|---|---|
number of coins | 150 | 80 | 40 | 200 |
coins per cu. in. | 18.6 | 44.7 | 21.2 | 34 |
required cu. in. | 8.1 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 5.9 |
relative drawer width | 4.3 | .9 | 1.00 | 3.1 |
It's after 2am so don't expect me to jump in the car and drive the 15 miles to the Safeway store to measure their cash drawers, but as you can see from table 3, any relative drawer widths other that shown in the last row will result in an unnatural preference for the more plentiful coin. That preference could explain the phenomenon that author Lawrence Henry noted in the article.
--Boot Hill
When I was growing up my Dad owned a small C-store. I learned how to count back change without the help of the register by counting "up". You rarely see this any more except in older folks. However, the other day I ran across a kid (16-18) that actually counted back my change without the use of the register. I was shocked and amazed to see this.
Mr. Boot Hill, You seem like a real interesting guy, but perhaps you need more to do in your life, however you're probably fun to talk to.
You must be an insomniac like me, pacing the floor at 2 AM thinking strange thoughts.
I think measuring the cash drawers at Safeway at 2 AM might have been a little much, but thanks for the thought.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.