Here’s a handy little tip from travel editor Serena Brower that could save you a huge headache at some point. -- AP
Thanks, Anastasia! This actually happened to someone I know. He’d just purchased a $40 BART card. After swiping the card to go through the turnstile, he stuck it in his pocket -- the same pocket that held his digital camera. For those of you not familiar with the California Bay area metro system, you need to swipe your card before going through the turnstile to board the train and again to leave the station once you arrive at your destination. The cost of the trip is automatically deducted from your card.
When my friend went to use his card to leave the station after he exited the train, the turnstile refused to open. The read-out screen said his card was invalid. Unbeknownst to him, his camera had demagnetized the strip on his card.
The same can happen with credit cards, ATM cards, or any other cards that contains a magnetic strip. You also want to keep your credit cards, ATM cards, and transit cards away from your smart phone, and never place any cards with magnetic strips back-to-back so that the magnetic strips touch each other.
Good to know, Serena! Thanks for the Tip of the Day. -- AP
Thanks, Anastasia! This actually happened to someone I know. He’d just purchased a $40 BART card. After swiping the card to go through the turnstile, he stuck it in his pocket -- the same pocket that held his digital camera. For those of you not familiar with the California Bay area metro system, you need to swipe your card before going through the turnstile to board the train and again to leave the station once you arrive at your destination. The cost of the trip is automatically deducted from your card.
When my friend went to use his card to leave the station after he exited the train, the turnstile refused to open. The read-out screen said his card was invalid. Unbeknownst to him, his camera had demagnetized the strip on his card.
The same can happen with credit cards, ATM cards, or any other cards that contains a magnetic strip. You also want to keep your credit cards, ATM cards, and transit cards away from your smart phone, and never place any cards with magnetic strips back-to-back so that the magnetic strips touch each other.
Good to know, Serena! Thanks for the Tip of the Day. -- AP
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