h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...To go to my bank alone.

My Uncle drove me to the bank tonight (around 10pm or so) because we were out and I wanted to get my rent money on the way home. The bank I was using before is around the corner, the one I have now is around the corner and down the street. This is a not too nice type neighbourhood, so it's unlikely I would go on my own anyhow, but now I definitely won't after dark.

I went into the bank.

Now, my other bank has a better security thingy. You have to have your bank card to open the door after they close. There's a thingy that reads your card and unlocks the door.
My new bank (or at least this particular location) has nothing. The doors are just unlocked.

So I was already on my guard because I know I live in a bad neighbourhood and you can't see if someone is coming in or not from the machines. By the time I saw someone they would only need to take a couple steps to be in arms reach. So I tried to go quickly but these machines are very slow. I suspect these are problems with the branch rather than the institution. Just as I was pushing my hefty wad of rent cash into my wallet the inside door opened and a man walked in and he made pretty firm eye contact and was creepy. I didn't know at the time but my uncle saw this guy go in and was suspicious so he started taking off his seatbelt to come into the bank. I quickly went by the guy and got out the door. My uncle saw a reflection that someone was coming out, saw it was me, so he stayed in the car. I got in the car and he started asking me questions about if that guy did anything or not. Which he didn't.

But we noticed that the man walked out *immediately* after me. This means that he didn't do anything with the machine. He was only in there long enough for it to ask for his pin number. We also saw that he went to a car with a man in it who my uncle says was watching him when he took off his seatbelt. So he thinks that might have been the reason the guy didn't do anything.

So I may have almost got robbed or something. The fun never ends!

Aww, thanks Amy.

Close call!

I'm glad you are safe!

I never withdraw money from ATMs. I either pay big items with a check, or I get cash back during debit purchases.

Glad nothing happened.
I've seen all the things that can happen on tv, but I've never felt in danger when going to the ATM. If I'm honest, I even disregard the basic advice how top behave when I do. I think that's because I feel safe in the area I live in, I know it would be very different in other areas of the town.

I'm lucky that while getting to my bank's ATMs might be a bit inconvenient, they are all located inside grocery and convenience stores. There's another bank near the house that has an ATM kiosk, and thankfully, that door locks and unlocks using the card. But it is creepy for me when someone even uses their card to come in while I am in there. I don't use ATMs that much, either, because my ATM card is also a debit card and I can get cash back with most transactions, so I take $20 out each week when we buy the groceries.

I'm glad you are safe and that you weren't all by yourself. Also that you and your uncle weren't hurt or robbed. I was mugged once (for a measly $15, I wasn't worth much effort, really) at a suburban train station and my advice in that kind of situation is: give them the money with as little fuss as possible. The only thing worth fighting for is your life.

Well, I can get cash back, but not enough to cover rent. And I don't want to get it out in smaller amounts at a time because I currently have free student banking and if I go over my transaction limit I have to start paying for it.

In this area you shouldn't *really* go anywhere by yourself after dark. One of my cousins was mugged three times around here (I'm not sure this was all at night though).

You could try temporarily moving to Halifax, that way you can get used to being mugged and when you move back home it won't be so worrying.

Well it's not really that worrying. I'm used to the area so it doesn't bother me too much... And Halifax?? I didn't know Halifax had a reputation.

It was funny yesterday because first my uncle and I picked up some ink for my cousins printer and brought it over to their new apartment (they used to live here too). We were keeping an eye out for a branch of my bank because we didn't know if there was one or not and we were joking around that we might as well just go to the one in our neighbourhood because we don't know what their neighbourhood is like. Then my uncle says "what am I saying? We live in Rexdale, we aren't going to find an area worse than that." So we decided to just go to the one close to home and at least we won't be surprised if we get shot.

My goodness!

Several years ago, I moved back from the city (where I moved when I was 16) to a fairly run-down suburb near the one I grew up in. Housing costs are a *lot* lower in most (not all) suburbs than in the northern part of the city, and there's a lot more gang-related crime and such (again, not in all areas- a couple of far Western and most North Shore suburbs are quite nice if not affluent). At that time, I was strapped financially and had to settle for a crappier area. I could always tell when summer was beginning by the sounds of firecrackers and gunshots. Boy, was I glad to move back into the city's North Side. Haven't heard any random gunfire since.

It's not actually *that* bad here. Some places very close to here are quite nasty. It's weird, it seems to vary from block to block. It's getting worse as time goes by though. The really nasty places are places like Jane and Finch. It's also amusing because some areas of Toronto are quite unpleasant and I believe Toronto is ranked one of- if not *the* most expensive place(s) to live in Canada.

It varies here, too. Unlike some large cities, we don't have clearly separated ghettos and all that. The CHA knocked the public high rises down and replaced them with mixed-income housing; additionally, any building containing more than six separate units must accept Section 8 (housing assistance). So for the most part, all neighborhoods are quite mixed. Within a block you'll find million-dollar homes, older single family units, flop houses, and small buildings like mine.

I prefer mine- the rent's a bit high for the area but the apartment's condo quality. My landlord's kind of an airhead (still hasn't replaced my oven or painted the front foyer), but the building is well-maintained overall and the neighborhood is close to public transport, commuter rail, the expressway, four large parks, the river and the Lake, and all kinds of shops.

I imagine Chicago is a lot like Toronto in that respect, although perhaps not quite as expensive. I guess *too expensive* depends on how much you earn, though.

Gaggh! How apalling!

Somehow someone has to seriously look at the issue of why "some" places are seen as generally "safe" & others are not.

I take cash out using my card & pay shopping bills with it. I am not daft, i make sure nobody is lurking near enough to see my PIN number & i very much doubt any idiot trying to actually try & rip cash from me would last long before begging for the emergency services.

But in general; i view this place as "safe" as do most folks here. To the extent that even today, when it is invaded by 200,000 extra people for the car race, i left my bag with wallet, card etc on the table of a café with folks i had met only a couple of hours back, while i went to find another vistor. Right now i have two strangers sleeping upstairs, i gave them my spare key earlier in case we didn't meet up during tonight.

I don't know, maybe it's "small town mentality" stuff; i am well known here & i also know most of the local community. Word gets round very quick if people do bad stuff. Maybe once towns get beyond a certain size that disappears?

I also think that apartment blocks just do not work as a way to live in a "society"; with the support systems that go with the "this be my house, that be yours, you watch for me, i watch for you" stuff.

I don't know, i do know that at least 20 British people i have talked to today said "what a wonderful place to live: it just feels safe"

zdt

Well this place is safe within certain limits. It really isn't too bad overall. Some highly uncool things have happened very very close to my home but it's not like it's happening every day, or even every month. I lived in a small town and I never felt the small town mentality stuff, but I really don't think you get that in *every* small town. Yours sounds nice! In some ways people seem friendlier here than in Bradford.

So, S (cousin-in-law) and I have been cleaning all day. She came over to help me with the basement. My cousin, M, who told both me and my grandfather that he was coming to pick up his stuff today never showed. We both phoned and left messages. It's 8pm now and we haven't heard anything.

I wish I could show you how much we got done!!!! I'm even amazed! Everybody who has seen it so far can't believe that we did all that on our own in that amount of time. The wall is pretty much gone (there's just the frame left). Everything is cleared out. It's beautiful and I'm thrilled. My grandfather said "you two are working too hard, as usual". But it really pays off! I may actually be able to get back in my room soon. Possibly even tomorrow!

The only problem is that I am quite sore now. It's a pain because I am able to pick up things that I really shouldn't be. But if I can I will because it has to get done. Hopefully I won't be too bad tomorrow and I'll be able to finish the rest of it.

That's quite nasty...(The ATM business)

I tend to use ATM machines which are on high streets or in public places during the day. I don't tend to go at night - if I need to buy something, I'll pay by card.

The only thing I am cautious about is when I take money out, I stay at the machine whilst putting it away so I'm focussed on all that. I'm also cautious about people seeing my PIN. There have been cases where people try to sneakily view your pin number and copy the card but I tend to use ATM machines inside banks if I can. If I can't then, I always check that the machine seems ok *shugs*.

But to be perfectly honest - I've gotten into a tendency of using my card to pay for things like groceries etc. I only use cash when I'm paying for small things like snacks or sandwiches that I buy for work etc. I save the cash for instances when I really need it - like they dont accept card, or I'm in a rush or something like that.

But I'm glad you're ok

I've never lived in an apartment block before, but I've never known anyone here who felt theirs was any less safe than anyplace else. I always feel safe in the city, though I'm not stupid enough to be lackadaisical when it's dark out or when the bars are closing... It's the suburbs that scare me: everything is remote, it's not well-lit, and there's a *lot* more gang crime.

I don't pay cash for most things, either, but then I'm not paying rent to a middle party. Won't they let you write them a check, FF?

There were problems from time to time here where people would fit ATM machines with card readers that would supply them with account and PIN numbers, but I've never been "had" that way. I've only had a problem with my bank account once, where someone at a company that processes electronic payments sold client info to a marketing company. That's just increased the quantity of junk mail and telemarketing calls I get, though, and hasn't jeopardized my money.

This was a machine inside a bank. The bank just appears to not have any type of security system for getting in after they close. Which I plan to harass them about.

I'd rather not pay by cheque because I'd have to pay extra for it (I know it's not a lot, but I'm a poor student and I don't want to). I'm really not worried about it. It's not going to happen again.