> You want to buy a bottle of coke from a vending machine? Most of them don't have card readers.
I never have that urge tbh.
> You want to tip the valet/bellman/maid? Most of them don't have card readers; even if they do, it's still inconvenient to make them dig it out.
Yeah, when I'm on vacation I'll run to the bank and get some $5 bills for that sort of thing. Hence "regularly" was the word I used. I'm not on that sort of vacation 51 out of 52 weeks a year.
> Feeling compassionate toward the beggar on the corner? Think he's got a card reader?
I donate directly to large charities that I know provide food, etc. to people. I honestly don't see beggars on street corners [largely because the local police are assholes].
> Want to pay the babysitter? Does she carry a card reader?
Actually yeah. She does.
> Then there's the other side of risk. Ever had your identity stolen? (I have, though not from a dodgy card reader.) And if you think chip and pin is going to make that impossible, I expect that the crooks will find a way.
Yes. If you meant actually identity theft [e.g. social, driver license] so they can masquerade as you...a lack of credit card provides no protection. The insurance companies you use, your employer, your bank, and dozens [if not hundreds] of "big data" companies have this info as well.
If you somehow believe a lack of a credit card will magically secure you against this risk, you are very much mistaken.
Stolen credit cards, honestly, are much less of a problem than stolen cash. I can get the money back from a stolen credit card.