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"ATM Empty" screen

 Tells you when the ATM is empty...
  (+3, -2)
(+3, -2) 		  [vote for,
against]

When using an ATM, I often put in my card in order to withdraw cash, only to be told "Sorry, this machine is unable to dispense cash at present". Why can't it tell me that BEFORE I put in my card and enter my number. Ok, it might only save me thirty seconds, but on Sunday evening when all the machines are empty, I can go through this process three or four times. Best of all - it can't be that hard to do.
—wagster, Jun 10 2004

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       I work for the bank of scotland, and our cash machines say in the top corner which services are unavailable before you put your card in.
Not sure how widely this is known, so i'll refrain from [MFD] for now!
—MikeOliver, Jun 10 2004
   

       One of those ideas that's so brilliant it seems obvious once you've heard it. Luckily my bun-dispensing machine is fully loaded and operational, so here it is: +

(edit) [MO] you just beat me to the post. I certainly had no idea that BOS machines did that, so I think you're right to be cautious about whether this is widely known.
—spacemoggy, Jun 10 2004
   

       [wagster] as [mikeoliver] states, Bank of Scotland along with most other UK banks already do this.   

       [marked-for-deletion] widely known to exist in UK certainly.
—jonthegeologist, Jun 10 2004
   

       Not in the U.S., but it should be.
—yabba do yabba dabba, Jun 10 2004
   

       //patented Paul Revere - Minuteman mark III eraser//   

       Did you know that was invented by someone French?
—Knut, Jun 10 2004
   

       "Born in Boston's North End in December, 1734, Paul Revere was the son of Apollos Rivoire, a French Huguenot (Protestant) immigrant, and Deborah Hichborn, daughter of a local artisan family."
—FarmerJohn, Jun 10 2004
   

       //widely known to exist in UK certainly//
Not by me; but then I've never encountered an empty ATM either.
—angel, Jun 10 2004
   

       I actually live in London and I haven't come across this yet. My main bugbears are Woolwich, Barclays and HSBC machines. Hats off to BoS for baking this one - hope my local machines cotton on soon.
—wagster, Jun 10 2004
   

       [marked-for-deletion] Widely Baked. US as well as UK.
—DrCurry, Jun 10 2004
   

       “Another reason there should be seperate US/UK versions of the bakery.”   

       Huh? And destroy one of the best things about this site?   

       The international nature of this site is a key motivator of my visits.
—bristolz, Jun 10 2004
   

       //Another reason there should be seperate US/UK versions of the bakery.//   

       what were the first reasons?   

       oh, and good idea. (+)
—xclamp, Jun 10 2004
   

       No closure on the "u" issue.
—Knut, Jun 11 2004
   

       Add Canada to the list.My local ATM machines outer door will not unlock if the machines are out of money.
—python, Jun 11 2004
   

       Chase Bank and many other banks in NY area already do this.
—samk, Jun 11 2004
   

       A good idea, but as noted, some banks do this.   

       It oughta be a requirement, honestly. If Bank of America won't even bother to help me avoid an aggravation, why should I bother going to their ATMs in the future?   

       Bread.
—shapu, Jun 11 2004
   

       The problem in the US is that most ATMs on the street are made by Diebold, which is a company devoid of competent software and hardware engineers. Machines in Europe are much better when it comes to usablility.
—bmadigan, Jun 11 2004
   

       The ATM should scan your eyes when you look at it afar, and flash "YOUR ACCOUNT EMPTY" if there's no point in your trying.
—phundug, Jun 11 2004
   

       Scottish ATMs run out that often that they had to implement this? I've never encountered an empty ATM in the US or Canada.
—waugsqueke, Jun 11 2004
   

       Obviously the Scottish, on pay day, all run out and withdraw the whole balance and hide it under the mattress.
—Ling, Jun 12 2004
   


 

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