Ham Radio Podclass 2016

I stopped into a Shell station tonight to grab a couple things. Quick in and out. That was the plan. Instead I walked into one of those forced self checkout setups. No regular checkout. No cashier. Just this open area with cameras hanging over it where you’re supposed to set your stuff down and trust that some mystery system scans every barcode at once. It is not a normal self checkout with a screen and a scanner you control. It’s just awkward. Confusing. And honestly a little uncomfortable. I asked the person behind the counter if I had to use it. She said no, she could check me out “over there,” pointing at the regular register. The same register that was blocked off and covered in signs telling everyone to use the self checkout. So clearly that was not the plan. She was visibly irritated that I even asked. She rang me up manually. Didn’t ask if I needed a bag. I had four items that were not exactly pocket sized. Didn’t offer a receipt. The whole interaction felt like I was a problem for simply wanting to p