ATM extravaganza

[Gerontophile]

This evening before I settled down to watch the Eurovision, I nipped up the road to my local supermarket, which is in a shopping centre. (400 metres away)

I knew I was going to have to take some money out for Lemsip etc, so I did the hole in the wall thing, and being a bit ill, wasnt too sure of the number I put in, although I dont fuck about.

So, the 'proceesing' thing came up, and I waited, and waited... and 5 minutes later, I am getting frantic, as I did the equivalent of coming out with slippers on (no mobile phone), so I waited, and waited.

There were no people about who were in charge, so I took a chance, and ran into the B&Q next door, and stated my case concisely, and for once without accent (very Glaswegian when excited)... 'Look, My card has been swallowed in the hole next door, but it hasnt. Yes I know its not your problem, can you phone the shopping centre manager, and say somethin, as if I stay here any longer, and my card pops out or worse, stays in, and connects, I am fucked, thanks' and ran out.

Fortunately, no-one there, and the same 'processing' stuff going on.

I waited about 10 seconds and a supervisor from B&Q came out and said, 'this is not our problem' and I explained that I understand, but I am not leaving this hole until a) my card comes out, or b) hell freezes over, as I know what this fucking area is like.

She agreed and called the necessary people in the shopping centre, after telling me that she KNEW they would take no action, to which I said yes, thanks and I agree, but do you see my predicament. The call she made of course came to nothing, as the management wanted no part of it, whilst taking photographs of me on the webcam (as she commentated) to make sure I wasnt a nutter. As my nose was almost to the point of streaming, I shudder to think of what they saw.

I digress. They said 'bollocks' and she relayed the message. As I mentioned I didnt have my mobile phone on me, she gave me her work phone to cancel my card, which was nice... so I phoned the number, and for once thank FUCK for options, because as I was just about to put my details in, the machine screen changed.

So I tried to take money out, and the screen went FUCKING MENTAL, fortunately while she was still standing there, and it said 'Sorry, we cant do that for you, sorry again. However we can sing a song for you on TV and pretend its in your interest'.

So, I am standing there with this lady, who is passing me tissues from godknowswhere, and then, my card domes out, and I whip it out fast.

Then sling it in the next door one, and do the business... all fine.

When I look at my card, I find there is a perfect circle drilled through it, with burnt edges.

My questions are multitudinous, but the main one is this: what the fuck is a laser doing in an ATM?

[erwin]

ATM extravaganza

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China.

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[Gerontophile]

ATM extravaganza

not sure what you mean... my card was plastic

[Guest]

ATM extravaganza

I was very fearful of what I might find in this thread.

I once had my card swiped by a machine when I was in Rome and the card just dissapeared, no error from me or anything, I put it in and it just didn't come back, the screen never changed.

Now I'm inter railing round europe, was using this card alot and only had about £100 of traveller cheques as backup and am in one of hte more southern parts of europe...

I'm led to believe in England that if it really gets taken, it get's destroyed, not sure if that's urban legend or not. This time though we went back the next day to the bank I was using (it was closed at the time) and they just gave it back (after looking at my passport).

Very relieved.

[erwin]

ATM extravaganza

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That's me being stoopid, geronto, don't worry ... that's a good story, though ... modern day anxiety ... I could see a kind of Scorsese After Hours arising out of that scene.

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[Gerontophile]

ATM extravaganza

sorry barnyd, it was more a story of frustration, and more importantly assistance, from someone who insisted they had and I quote 'fuck all to do with me, love', but still went out of her way to make sure that I would get some satisfaction/relaxation. Which was extremely nice of her.

She was supremely 'cool', and because of that, I stopped being frantic. She allowed me to call the number to cancel my card, she allowed me (if required), the use of her phone to call my flatmate/person who will be in deep shit later today, (fuck it, I have to blame someone), to let them know to call the bank etc, and she was generally wonderful.

However, I have a hole in my card (and yes I have changed it etc) which wasnt there before last night.

How do you put pictures up for others to see, when you dont have a website?

[Guest]

ATM extravaganza

All sorts of places to host a picture... do you have a facebook profile? You could upload the pic to there adn then use the url in the properties of that pic. That's what I tend to do at the moment.

No need to apologise, just when on the web and you see ATM extravaganza you suspect something else entirely!

[Gerontophile]

ATM extravaganza

its only the second time I had any problems with my card. The other time was at Anniesland in 1985, just as I was about to withdraw £100 for a new tracksuit (sorry), a set of steel studs, and a brand spanking new Dundee Utd Subbuteo team, which I had been saving for.

*I should point out that the guy there used to custom make shirts, faces and expressions, and I LOVED the Eamonn Bannon one (or am I tempting fate?)

[Gerontophile]

ATM extravaganza

Its not a good copy:

Fuck it, it doesnt matter. Its up on facebook. It wont transfer. But, its there.

[Gerontophile]

ATM extravaganza

(incidentally, I just got a clean sweep on the board... yes I tried, yes, I should be asleep, but I am trying to find decent accomodation for a couple in Valetta.)

[Gerontophile]

ATM extravaganza

sorry, I should heed my own 'editing yourself' thread, but that isnt possible at the moment.

I should start yet another thread, but you know, I cant be bothered (almost said 'fucking arsed' then, which would have been very conducive to hits, but not concrete sensibilities.)

[caja-dglh]

ATM extravaganza

Following twelve months of living in the US, ATM's that actually take my card into the machine make me a little nervous. All you do is dip them here, you see.

Though the additional problem of having to exit the system has caused me a few scares. You can't get cash out if I forget to exit (you need the pin) but you can probably see how much money I have. I have learned the process of exiting now, rather than running back in a panic.

[Eggchaser]

ATM extravaganza

I was very fearful of what I might find in this thread.

Some left handed surfer will be disappointed when his Googling opens up this thread.

[Crusoe]

ATM extravaganza

Haha. I had to think about that for a minute.