How to tell if a cashpoint is safe...

...this is actually fairly imporant, I have been done *twice* by these hacked ATMs, once in Dorking and once in Redhill, first time I spotted the device (it was at Barclays and was actually quite a convincing addition) and got the card cancelled straight away but the second time I didn't (despite checking every machine I use fairly carefully) and became the victim of card cloning. It appears that their technology and tricks are getting extremely sophisticated now, so please arm yourselves with the information in this article (especially the presentation at the bottom of the page with lots of photos of examples) so hopefully you can spot if your cashpoint has been tampered with...

Pick of the tips? Try and always use a cashpoint that you are familiar with, so it's easier to spot any little "additions"...

Priority seat card - Southern Trains

Well well well...Southern trains seem to have actually done something rather insightful and potentially very useful, both for Flyingpops and me (as she is pregnant and I very occasionally require the use of crutches to get around) by introducing a scheme where those genuinely in need of a seat can apply for a priority seat card...yesterday I spotted that this sign has appeared-

- at eye-level on seat backs facing all the priority seats on my normal train home (rendering it literally unmissable if you happen to be sitting in one)...Previously the priority seats were marked out only by a small grey sticker only immediately obvious if one were to be (a) standing up, and (b) happened to notice it against the similarly coloured train wall...the idea is, if you are genuinely in need of a seat you can then prove it by just showing your card to whoever is sat in one (and similarly they can flash their card right back if they too have a genuine reason to be sat there)...this will be particularly useful to pregnant women in the early stages, as I'm now painfully aware - some women (Flyingpops included) while they don't *look* pregnant (or even necessarily needy), can suffer horribly with morning sickness, dizziness and tummy pains, this card, if fellow commuters honour it, could be a God send for the shy as it's rather difficult to hide behind your Metro and headphones if someone is holding a card in front of you and you deliberately sat down *knowing* you could be asked to move...

Let's hope the trial is a success...