Elaine, you are SO right! That is exactly how I feel in line, and I assume everyone else does, too!

To jsmith - -

Didn't intend to make this a discussion of semantics, but I was responding to your emphatic declaration that to ira that <<YOU ARE WRONG>>

Reiterating - - a &quot;cash advance&quot; - - essentially a loan to you of funds <i><b>that you do not have</b></i> is invariably a high-interest, bad value way to get money. They ought to be avoided whenever possible, and this is universally the position taken by all on this forum, whenever the question is the subject of obtaining cash while traveling abroad.

You seem to be using the term &quot;advance&quot; in connection with a debit card to refer to obtaining funds that you DO have (on deposit) with another bank, thereby NOT incurring interest charges - - and implying that the local bank's obtaining them for you, i.e., &quot;dispensing&quot; them TO you, is somehow &quot;advancing&quot; those funds to you.

I submit that saying to ira that &lt;&lt;YOU ARE WRONG&gt;&gt; was in fact, wrong.. not to mention impolite.

moonchild, I can't think of any banks I've ever been to in the US that didn't have ATM's on the outside of the bank. Not one. My advice would be to do it like you do at home but you must live in a really scary town to have no outside ATM's!

My former bank in Washington DC had ATMs on the inside, Riggs Bank near Logan Circle. I don't think it's that unusual for banks in the downtown area. I think it might have had one or two outside for when closed, but it definitely has several inside which I preferred to use also, for security reasons. I've seen other banks like that, also.

I go with the same advice as everyone, and I have been in Spain. Just try to use an ATM in a well-populated area with people around, usually in the daytime, look out for unusual-looking characters hanging around or watching, etc. Sometimes there are ATMs in major dept. stores, also, and that's a good place to look as they will be inside.

Another thing is I try to quickly pocket the money and receipt and card in my purse and go elsewhere privately, I don't stand there waving it around in the air while checking it (well, I'm exagerating a little, but some people do stand there and spread open their wad to count it).

I wouldn't ever use an ATM if someone were close enough that they could read what I was typing in. And I think a lot of people have good ATM manners in the US, also, at least where I've lived (Santa MOnica and now Washington DC).

I would like to thank everyone for all the informtation provided.
-Jor: No, I do not live in a scary town.But all the banks in my city have their ATM machines inside an enclosure.By the way I live in northern Ontario,Canada
I will watch my surroundings and access
ATM's during day time.

moonchild: I live in Ottawa and this week, with the weather we've been having, a &quot;northern Ontario&quot; domicile sounds VERY scary to me!

..moonchild, posterws have said to withdraw from a machine during the day in a busy area. I totally agree but would also add try to avoid a bank near a tourist &quot;must see&quot;. Using one in such an area does tend to peg one as a tourist and a clever thief might make the assumption that the withdrawal might be large and the person who withdrew it is unfamiliar with the area ect. Dont worry..use the same precautions you would use in N.A. there should be no problem.

tedgale- The weather has been quite cold
and the snow is really piling up.Took a picture of our house in the white stuff,with the all the Christmas lights on.We live in the country.Lots of pine trees,spruce and cedar trees.They were heavy with snow.I believe that this will be our Chrismas card for next year.
Wishing you a very merry Christmas,Peace and lots of travels for 2005.
Gail
travelbunny-Thank you for your piece of advice.And to you also, Merry Christmas,Peace and may the bunny hops to lots of new playgrounds in 2005.

Moonchild, your original post said &quot;all ATM's were located outside the banks not inside like our banks at home.&quot; so I thought you meant Inside the bank. Anyway, I don't think that these after hours enclosures are anymore safe than anywhere outside the bank. There are no security guards. BTW it was -15 F without the wind chill factor here in Minnesota and I think the enclosed areas are to keep people from Freezing!

thank you for your Christmas wishes. To you and all &quot;posters&quot;, my best wishes for a joyous holiday.

jor:&lt;and I think the enclosed areas are to keep the people from freezing.
You've got that right!
Have relatives in Hibbing,Minnesota
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas,Peace and Health in 2005.

I once got caught out using an ATM in Prague, it wouldnt spit out the money and I had no idea if it had debited my accont. I had a devil of a time trying to sort it out. because the ATM was on the side of a shop the shop claimed no responsibility. I eventually managed to make a couple of phone calls and with great difficulty decided i could do nothing and just had to wait and see what happened. Fortunately my sister back home was keeping a watch on my banking via the interent and nothing came out of the account. From that day on I never withdrew other than at an ATM either attached or inside a bank.

there are ATM machines inside the large &quot;corte ingl&eacute;s&quot; stores and normally these shops have security guards, some undercover, all over the store. you will feel very safe there, i think, so keep it in mind when you are in the larger cities.

lincasanova-Thank you.I know that I will be visiting a Corte Ingles.