Category: Let's talk
New talking cash machines are to introduced in Glasgow city centre by the Clydesdale Bank to help blind/vi customers.
Users plug in a set of headphones to the front of the machine and an automated voice helps them use the keypad to withdraw cash...
A spokesman for the RNIB said "ATM's are really difficult for blind/vi people to use {you don't say} This means that people with sight problems are denied a service that the rest of us take for granted {they are also denied the trauma of being mugged by a knife weilding ned, which is what will happen while the blind/vi customers are deafened to the outside world and every possible threat!}
yeh I heard about those talking cash machines yesterday - personally I prefer to get cash out on cash back - much simpler that way and, as you say, the risk is less, smiles
Especially in a city with a higher rate of muggings and stabbings than NY! 4 people are stabbed in Glasgow every day,and not all of them survive...
wow, but isn't it a bit of a no win situation though? after all, this bank are trying to implement a service that thus far has been unavailable to blind people, I guess it's one of those, you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't type situations. I guess there will be blind people who will be very happy to learn of these cash machines, and I guess only time will tell if any blind users are mugged whilst attempting to use them. I'll stick with cash back though, mind yu glasgow's a bit far to drive from here to get cash, lol
Hmm its very much a case of the same old story there needs to be more co-operation between organistions representing disabled people, and those trying to help them....
Because as it stands, banks ect are drowning in a very confusing legislative mess, also the business's who want to help, are scared of being sued by pissed off disabled people for inadequate access rights ect...but how can you expect the situation to improve when the two sides fail to work with each other
well the RNIB are not exactly renouned for their cooperativeness, or willingness to help. in fact they're more renouned for the exact opposite.
exactly I might get give In Touch a call just to highlight the thoughtlessness of this move..your man will set them straight
thing is though, while I appreciate Glasgow is perhaps not the wisest place to implement such cash machines, there are surely many places which don't have such a high crime rate where they really will be useful and appreciated.
Hm, I userd to live in a city with exceptionally high crime rate (in Connecticut). I somehow was never worried walking down the street or withdrawing cash because I felt that blind people were likely to be spared attacks. I probably was wrong and lucky but the main reason I carried as little cash as possible and preferred paying with a credit card was that I was constantly worried about being cheated out of money in stores or restaurants. I try to keep money organized but often it's just next to impossible when you are paying and someone gives you change and you don't have time to aask which bill is what denomination since you are lin line and there are 15 other people behind you. And, lo and behold, I was cheated at least on two occasions, once I was given a $2 for a $20 bill (I bought something worth $3 and thought I was paying with a $5) and I never saw that money again, on the other occasion a waitress messed with my tips column and gave herself extra $6 intips, however I kept the receipt, saw the difference in my online statement and brought that and the receipt back to the restaurant manager and got a free meal, reward and hopefully got the waitress in question fired. So basically I prefer paying with cards whenever possible both because that limits the benefit others would gain from robbing me as well as allowing me to keep much better track of my spending.
Cheers
-B
that's part of a major problem in the states though isn't it. over here the notes are different sizes according to what denomination they are, so consequently it's not so easy to be cheated. I'm surprised actually that in a place like the states, something hasn't been done about that, given the disability laws over there.
A credit card is even more vaulable as credit card fraud is now big business.With the relevent details,the theif can ransack your entire account,leaving you penniless, with a frightening pile of debt incurred by the theiving bampot..I try not to use my card if it's at all possible, and certainly never bring it out on a crowded street, you might as well raise a banner shouting mug me!
Most card issuers in the state have a zero liability insurance that comes with the card, meaning you're not responsible for any fraudulent purchase made on your card. Sure identity theft is fairly big here, sadly, but since most cards have pictures on them by now it really is getting more difficult for someone to steal your credit cards and use them and besides the moment you realize the card's been stolen you can call and have the card frozen and then the to the thief it is a useless piece of plastic whereas if someone takes a 100 quid from you there is no way you can get that money eback or stop the thief from spending that money on whatever he or she desires. At leat this is the best solution I've worked out here in the U.S.
well it's true that credit card fraud is rife, but most credit card fraud occurs when a card is cloaned in a restaurant, supermarket ... wherever you use it. with the advent of chip and pin this was supposed to help illiminate the problem, but the problem with chip and pin is that not everywhere has implemented it, and even the places where it has been implemented, you're not required to input your pin number if you don't want to, so it kind of defeats the object. generally though, people will mug you for cash, and not your credit card.
Hmmm chip n pin is proving very difficult to use and not just for disabled people,the elderly particularly feel at risk, as their personal details are read out by the jobsworth behind the counter, stripping them of any privacy.... personally I don't like the whole concept its too invasive
I've personally never had any problems with it, no one has ever read my details and i always just cup my hand over the one entering the details. I've had my signature questioned in more shops than I care to mention, so I think chip and pin rules.
I can understand though that older people are not comfortable with it - often new technology is daunting to people who haven't grown up with it.
Well this is good. In Germany there are these kinds of machines now, too. But unfortunately they don't have headphones in it. This is a risk, too. Also: People said they would teach me to use a "normal" machine. But, well, that's not that easy: If I get taugt in Marburg and i go to Frankfurt, they'll be totally different. If I am in another country, then - I could forget it!