Depends on the client. I travel from time to time but destinations are often less exotic. But well, Belgian banks are now well known around the globe ( can't wait for a Greek or irish situation to pop-upo here too :-( )

I hate when they auto block without at least trying a few times to contact you. They could at least put a hold on the suspicious transaction and allow the card to remain active. It's these practices that turned me off fraud protection somewhat.

The fact is fraud protection is necessary. But it's way too easy to brand as "fraud protection" something that is pure convenience. I suspect that, as banks - at least here in Europe - are liable to refund their customers - at least customers acting in good faith - for abuse on their credit card , they feel more concerned with heir interest than their customer's. They feel better when you use your card for local shopping ( where good old cash will still do the job ) than when you use it in another country where your card is much more useful...lol.

Another example is what they do in France when a foreign customer tanks fuel in a service station and pays by credit card. They usually charge a caution up to the maximum allowed for one fuel fransaction (140 something €, about 185 USD ) whatever the amount of the transaction. And even with heavily taxed fuel, it's hard to tank for more than 60 €. Of course, the caution is cancelled at the next clearing date but this could be annoying because it eats up your available limit in the meanwhile.

Damn, that's some expensive gas. :\

Sure

The gas itself is something like 1.75 $ per gallon. It's the 5.3$ tax per gallon that makes the difference.

And don"t think we get nice roads or good state service in return.

DAT TAX.jpg(with uncle scrooge mcduck pic of course)

Also, no autobahn for you? That sucks man.