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From: rees@apollo.uucp (Jim Rees)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: credit cards and rent-a-cars
Message-ID: <271@apollo.uucp>
Date: Mon, 19-Mar-84 10:36:29 EST
Article-I.D.: apollo.271
Posted: Mon Mar 19 10:36:29 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Mar-84 02:04:20 EST
References: <873@cvl.UUCP> <196@felix.UUCP>
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, Mass.
Lines: 23


  The rent-a-car companies don't actually require a credit
  card although in practice they do.  You are always free do
  post a (LARGE) cash bond when you rent a car instead of
  leaving a credit card chit.

  No one can require a credit card.  Remember what all our
  cash says, "This note is legal tender for all debts, public
  and private."

I don't think that is necessarily true.  There is a tool rental
outfit in Seattle (Cain's) that will not rent to you unless you
either drive a car or are in the military (both of which are taken
as signs of great responsibility).  I called the Washington State
Attorney General about this and was told that as long as he is not
discriminating on the basis of race, religion, or other legally
prohibited criteria, he is free to do business with whoever he
wants.

The stuff about "legal tender" was discussed in net.misc a while
back.  I think the conclusion was that you could "tender" (offer)
US currency in good faith all you want, but no one is obligated
to do business with you (except perhaps the government itself).