The USPS, PINs, and a WTF?!

I generally try to not ruffle feathers, especially when those feathers are attached to the arms of a federal government agency. And when it comes to the US Postal Service, I overlook the fact that it's the only government-sanctioned monopoly that exists in our otherwise laissez faire, open-market economy. Instead, I collect my mail, send my mail and agree to pay the ever-increasing postage rate year after year....BECAUSE I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE. Gone are the days when you could buy a stamp, hand the postal worker a quarter, and know that you'll be receiving change. Now, a book of twenty stamps is approaching the $10 mark, and like millions of other Americans who no longer carry cash, I say "charge it!" Unfortunately, the Post Master General disagrees. Because he's a bastard. And he hasn't been laid since the Carter Administration.

But I digress. While buying a book of stamps at the post office today, I handed the postal worker my Visa check card and he swiped it. He then asked me to enter my PIN number. "No, no," I said. "I want to run it as credit." "Not without a signature on the back of the card," he said as he presented my card to me where I had written"CHECK ID" in the signature field. Not exactly following this man's logic, I decided to oblige and enter the necessary PIN, because my PIN would tell this man more of who I was than my photo ID would. Now, we live in a society that is overrun by passwords and PIN numbers, designed to bolster security in an age also overrun by identity theft. However, passwords and PIN numbers are only effective if they are easily remembered. Since I never use my card for debit, I'm a bit rusty on what the PIN is. After two invalid PIN entries, I went to hand the worker my other credit card and immediately realized it also said "CHECK ID" in the signature field. I asked if I could show him my ID and he declined. I walked away from the counter, feeling slightly frustrated by the fact that a valid, government issued ID was not good enough for the postal service to complete the transaction. Apparently, the post office recognizes a signature on the back of a card, however illegible, as proof more valid than a photo ID. Here's the deal: Any fool can sign the back of my credit card and use it; I want people to check my ID to make sure I'm the person who's name is on the card. Simple enough, right? WRONG!...At least, when it comes to the US Postal Service.

As I got into my truck to find an ATM, I realized I had punched the correct numbers for the PIN; just in the wrong order. This is a big deal for card readers because they are unable to detect what you *meant* to punch in. I decided against going back into the post office to get the stamps, mostly to avoid being "that guy" who leaves disgruntled and immediately returns and causes a scene. Instead, I opted to go across the street to the 7-11, where they accepted my card and I was able to purchase stamps without incident or PIN number.

As I drove away from the post office after mailing my letters, I flipped the building the bird. Twice. With both hands.