You can choose to do the 'swipe and go' thing that's being advertised which is for purchases of $100 and under. But you can choose to do that over signing/entering your pin. Not sure you can actually opt out for places like McDonalds (who only do it for purchases under $30). You can obviously advise you wish to sign/enter your pin, but I don't think you can make that apply to your card no matter who uses it. I'd call your bank perhaps?
From what I've found, there's no opt out and I asked to sign anyway, and they said that I can't.


Pay cash rather than cards? That's what I tend to do at busy places anyway, even when I have to enter PINs.
I really don't like carrying cash, because I often work very late in the city, and do not feel safe carrying around money, or going around without access to funds


I hand over my card and say savings straight away. (that way they put it in the normal eftpossy thingo) I don't like the idea of it at all. Ive looked into going to another bank because of this issue...

If you had your card stolen, they can use it at one store for 100dollars and then go to a different store, Use another 100 dollars. And so on until you reach an empty account. (they use 'credit' function so you have no 'daily limit')
another bank won't help - unless you're going to go to Diners... it's going to cover Visa, Mastercard and AMEX. and re your 2nd point, exactly


Is it just for credit? Or any eftpos?
I don't think eftpos, but Visa Debit will, I gather.


Well I like it less and less, having read all those answers.
me too! grrr.

Apparently there's technology around that can swipe your credit card details via these handy little microchips. They just have to be standing within 10 metres of you with a scanner thingo or somthing along those lines. Nice, huh?
eep!

And those scanners are available to anyone who wants to buy them...and they copy any id cards too, that have wireless chips.
exactly, good question!! and then the only thing they say about "security" is:-

Q. Are these payments safe?

A. Yes, these transactions are still electronically authorised by the cardholder's financial institution and the security of the card has not been affected.