HISTORY LESSON The blizzard that boosted ATM use Why should you trust a machine when you could just wait in line to talk with a teller? In the late 1970s, many people had that mindset. Banks encountered resistance to the idea of a machine conducting financial transactions, even if it was fast, accurate and open outside of regular business hours. But one thing changed people's tune almost overnight: snow. A lot of it. In the winter of 1978, two massive snowstorms hit New York City and buried residents under nearly 20 inches of snow. Banks were closed for days, but ATMs that had recently been installed in all five boroughs gave New Yorkers an easy way to get cash in a crisis. During the blizzard and its aftermath, customer use of ATMs increased 20%. The rest of the country soon followed New York's lead and began to use ATMs with increasing frequency. -Julie Kendrick Photo: Syda Productions/Adobe Stock