As I pointed out, I am not "anti-tipping": tthat the world is herefore, I don't consider myself a cheapskate.

I do believe that the US (we are not quite as bad in the UK, YET...) has gone tip crazy. In the UK we tip waiters, taxi drivers, valets, porters and sometimes concierge staff. We only tip the porter who delivers the bags to the room/car (and not everyone who touches the bag). In general, tips seem less expected here (or, at least, outside of London). This is a nice atmosphere: I always tip (have yet to have had service so bad that I didn't), but don't feel that it is expected.

It that crazy world, I would like to know my rights as a tipper. Specifically, should I really feel quilty about using a restroom in a good restuarant when I don't have any money on me to tip (obviously descent restaurants don't provide clean restrooms as standard) and should I tip every Tom, Dick and Harry who places a hand on my suitcases when I check-in/out of a hotel (if you are on a "touring" holiday this can build up). Additionally should I tip the pool attendant who wont give me towels, but insists on laying them on the lounger for me (do you often take cash to the hotel pool?)?

MIKESILV, do you tip everyone who touches your bags at a hotel?

Perhaps the worst thing is people who are aggressive about tips (i.e. the guy who took the bags from the valet and handed them to another porter for delivery to our room at the Ritz Carlton, Key Biscayne). This makes me think that the Ritz Carlton does not provide good service, you are paying for this (and multiple times) independently. I left the Ritz thinking that anybody who wanted to do anything nice for me just wanted money, not to provide good service: that is an awful thing to say.

On one of these boards I read about a security screener at an airport (post 11 Sept) with a tip box on his counter. That is truly classic...

Boo