Austrian observations.

I have now been in Austria for some time, and thought I would share with you some of the observations I have made about the place. Namely, the additional charges that I face that although may seem trivial definately take some adjusting to, including a continual need for a stash of euro coins to be carried on you at all times.

1. Shopping trolleys. Irritatingly at most supermarkets (although not my particular one as it is slightly more upscale than others, it even takes Visa!) to use a shopping trolley you first must deposit a euro coin in a slot to release it. Now as a marketer, or simply a person with an IQ above 50, this does not make any sense. If people do not happen to have this magical one euro coin, they are then forced to use a carry basket, decreasing their potential purchasing capacity by at least half. I mean really, a shopping trolley is not something which can be discreetly slipped into your purse and wandered out with. It is fairly obvious if someone is leaving the store with one, and if somebody wants a trolley that much, I am sure they will be more than willing to forfeit 1 euro for it.
2. Grocery bags. Again I really dont see the logic behind this. If they want people to buy more, they certainly shouldn't be charging for the bags the customer needs to get the stuff home. Maybe they think that demand for them is inelastic and so can get away with it, or perhaps they can attempt explain this stingyness by claiming reasons of recycling. All I know is that unless I am on the ball enough to remember to take last times bags with me I have the tendancy to try and fit my entire weeks groceries into one bag as an act of defiance. Or alternatively I have seen students simply walk out with their baskets- haha, take that Billa, instead of choosing to provide a 1c plastic bag you just lost a basket!
3. In an additional note, you may have gathered that the supermarket shopping expereince over here is, in my opinion just not up to scratch. Just to top it off I'd like to mention that nobody packs your groceries over here either. So you have two options available to you, a) try and keep pace packing your stuff into your single bag with the check out girl who is flinging your roma tomatoes across the scanner at a great rate of knots. This virtually impossible however, and inevitably leads to you puting your strawberries underneath your tinned beans, and being glared at by a long line of austrians behind you. or b) putting the stuff quietly back into your basket and shuffling of to the packing area where you then have to wait for a queue of either elderly woman who choose to eat their ice creams in this area, or mothers with out of control kidlets to clear off before you can finally put your things in the bag. Niether obviously being a particularily satisfactory arrangement.
4. Towels at the gym. Granted I only have my french gym experience to compare with, but there you were given a freshly laundered white towel as you walked in, it was part of the deal. Here however, you have to pay for one, and it gets better, there are even different prices for different sizes, do you want a large towel, or a small one? For a towel that is larger than a postage stamp and able to cover you on your way to the shower you pay the premium. However, I figure you're naked once your in there anyway (don't even get me started on the communal showering habits of europe, it still is something I am getting to grips with) so I now opt for the small.
5. The bathroom. This is not just an Austrian perculiarity though, but Europe wide. Something which the rest of the world regards as a basic human right to sanitation, in Europe comes with a price tag of again, the magical euro. Last night I was in a club where like most there was the woman with a basket outside the door. To be honest I find this system an interesting one though, as I am never sure whether it is compulsary, or just a 'Donation'. To me it looked like she may well have just wandered in off the street and set up shop there, so I decided that especially after the discovery that there was no tiolet paper in my stall, there would be no donation made thank you very much.
6. Ketchup at McDonalds. I think I almost find this one the most disturbing of the lot. After ordering my Big Mac combo the other day (first foray into an Austrian McDonalds I might add) I requested that I would like some tomato sauce for my chips (actually what I said was ketchup for my fries, being understood in english is challenge enough without going for the kiwi version of things). She rung it up on the till, and low and behold there was an additional 70c to be paid. She did look a little sheepish as she took my euro, but it certainly made me remember the days when it was added to your tray or paper bag mostly automatically, and certainly free for all that asked. Sometimes being the lover of condiments that I am, I would even get two, or three sachets of the stuff, and add extra to my cheese burger. Those days are gone however, and I am sad.

I have come up with a theory behind these additional charges for things, and have decided that it must have something to do with german efficiency, ensuring a user pays system across the board. No waste or extravagence here, you want X, you must pay for X, regardless of how fundamental or trivial the good or service may be. As a result it has become my personal challenge to see how far I can push the system. The transport system is a case in point. As an exception to the rule this operates on a trust system, with no compulsary ticket/gates operating, but rather the threat of a fine if caught supposedly being enough to ensure you buy a ticket. When I first arrived I duly bought an 8 day ticket (one week, no, that would actually make sense) and intended to buy a student semester ticket. However after my attempt to purchase it and being turned away because I didn't have the correct paper work, I have since ridden the tram and underground system for a month now without paying a cent. It has gotten to the stage where even if I were caught I would still have saved money, and so am beginning to seriously wonder whether being a law abiding citizen is worth it. As I read on a friend of mines blog recently, you may have the best intentions, but sometime crime pays!