• CONTRARY to the opinion of one of your readers, I find checkout machines preferable, (Checkouts! They should pay me, August 29).

One reason is that I can use my small coins as a part of payment, which I would not dare to do at a manned (womanned) till.

Another is that, I can check the price of an item I scan on the screen, and if it is the wrong price, I will return it.

There is drawback, though. Machines tend to give change in smaller coins, for instance, 4×5p instead of a 20p, 5×2p instead of a 10p.

When a machine chucked out 15×1p for 15p change at new post office in Camden High Street the other day, I complained to the lady in charge there and she kindly got me a 10p and a 5p from a counter. How nice.

ATSUKO McCARTHY
Ossulston Street, NW1