My theory is that they are there to prevent people from either A) plummeting to their death upon climbing out the window or B) being able to throw trash out the

My theory is that they are there to prevent people from either A) plummeting to their death upon climbing out the window or B) being able to throw trash out their windows into the street There's no way they are useable as a balcony as you'd have to climb out a tiny window and drop 4 feet onto a sharp spiked railing.