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Comment by tehwebguy | Hacker News Reader

You don't see a problem with those laws?

most people don't

Perhaps because most people don't readily have access to thousands of euro/dollars/etc, and thus see less problem with assuming anyone who does is up to no good.

Absolutely not. Why would I want to pay in cash? It's neither convenient nor safe.

It's silly to force an unnecessary third party into a business transaction if you dont need to. Money exists for a reason. Cash is king.

Beyond any reason, I agree with this most.

Our current way of living insists on third party participation during even A -> B trades, it's ridiculous and inefficient.

Are you saying because you, shin_lao, doesn't prefer cash, that it's ok for the government to go around seizing cash from people who do prefer it? What of the seller only accepts cash? What if the buyer (someone other than you) prefers cash?

It's illegal for the seller to accept cash beyond 3,000 € (see the law above).

Important point: checks and wire transfers are free.

You said cash is neither convenient nor safe. I've paid with cash, and I find it convenient and safe. It's especially convenient when the seller only accepts cash, since a non-cash transaction would be impossible. I have no problem with France's law against cash (since I'm not a French resident). France also doesn't have freedom of the press, and I'm ok with that.

> France also doesn't have freedom of the press, and I'm ok with that.

I'm not okay with that, nor should someone else be ok with it.

You said cash is neither convenient nor safe. I've paid with cash, and I find it convenient and safe.

If it's generally known that nobody carries large amounts of cash, I imagine it might make muggings a bit less common.

It's not so much you personally carrying lots of cash that's safe or unsafe, it's what fraction of the population carries lots of cash that makes things safe or unsafe.

People are mugged for tiny amounts of money.

Muggers are after enough money to buy drugs, and so they don't care if it's a few dollars.

It's ok to walk around with a $25,000 rolex publicly visible. Contradiction.

In the SF Bay Area, when people are mugged, they are not mugged for cash, they are mugged for their belongings.

I used checks and wire transfers and had to pay a fee for both. I've never been charged for making a cash payment.

"this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private" printed on every dollar(s) bill in circulation should settle the argument. Cash should always be an option. It's the law. If that law is invalid, how can I know that the law that says "don't pay for more than X in cash" is valid?

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