Margret

Are they safe to use or do homeless people still sleep inside like on out last visit

xxx

These are banks not shelters. So what are you talking about?

JustA

You can always go inside the bank to the ATM during the day if this is your fear..although I have to say I have NEVER had a homeless person sleeping at my feet while taking money out of an ATM.
Do you ask because they do this in YOUR town?
I think you will like NY,it isn't like your town.

xxx

Margaret, if you had a problem last time, and it still bothers you, why would you want to come back? It's not like we need you here, with that attitude.

areyouserious

I asked a homeless person myself to find out. He said that he used to sleep inside an ATM machine but he got leg cramps. Now he sleeps inside a locker in Penn Station.

duh!

You are not serious, "areyouserious" -
No lockers to be found in Penn Sta.
Methinks you are full if ..it!

anon

To answer your questions without any stupid remarks..No homeless people do not hang around ATMs any more

s

I have been using the ATM at Citibank branches for years. Have never seen a homeless person or a panhandler inside the bank, day or night.

Marj

If someone is loitering around an ATM but doesn't seem to be using it, I would avoid that ATM. It's rarely a problem. There are also ATMs in stores, supermarkets, etc.

xxx

Of course the homeless people still sleep inside the ATM's. You know a lot of the ATM's are inside those HUGE banking institutions like ChaseManhattan and Citibank and the banks welcome the homeless with open arms! What bad PR it would be for them to not let the homeless sleep there. The banks do not care if it inconveniences the paying customers.

areyouserious

duh - can you take a joke? No? You need to find a different thread.

a

Two of the Citibanks that I used most frequently were often the begging place of choice for a set of homeless people. It never bothered me.

However, post 9/11 scares, I believe the police cracked down on this problem. I haven't seen them in many months.

In fact, I am annoyed they are no longer there as they were really no harm to anyone.

cece

I think the visitor's center in Times Square has an ATM. You may feel safer in there.

margaret

Maybe Margaret wants to know because she is homeless and needs a nice ATM to sleep in?

Elizabeth

1. The homeless were chased out of ATM lobbies way before 9/11, I think, I think it was Mayor Giuliani's "quality of life" patrols.

2. Actually--yes I suppose they are safe, BUT in my experience, lately the ATM locations I use do have apparently not-otherwise-employed people hanging around (but not sleeping) in them, performing their door-opening service with a paper cup for your extra change in their other hand.

I personally don't like these encounters and hope somebody does something about it. It was nice when it stopped for several years.

suzanne

Elizabeth is right...the homeless population has been slowly - but noticeably - returning to the city. I haven't seen any sleeping in banks by the ATMs because most of the time there's a cop there. I occasionally see them holding the door open, begging for spare change. As most areas of the city have such high pedestrian traffic, you really don't have anything to worry about.