Heh. I know this sort of thing has come up before, particularly on
r.b.soc, but I thought I would add my story.
We just moved to Buffalo, and I am commuting to work every day on my fixie. Of course, we just
opened new bank accounts, at an HSBC branch that is very convenient for my commute. We deposited
rather a lot of money, since we converted all our CDs, etc. to liquid funds for the move. It's not a
fortune, but it's enough to get us preferred rates. The past couple of days, my wife and I have been
making a bunch of additional deposits as checks come in. Naturally, the most convenient way to do
this is on my way to or from work. In the drive-through.
You can see what's coming.
It takes until the third visit over the span of a couple of days for the teller's slow-moving mind
to actually frame an objection to my use of the drive-through. She processes my transaction, and
then says, "You'll have to come inside from now on."
"Well, I would like to speak with your manager about that," I say, remembering the check my wife had
written to the branch manager only a few days before. I walk around to the branch entrance, and --
of course -- there is absolutely nowhere to lock a bicycle. Not even a tree. So I and my Surly walk
into the branch together. I lean the bike against a cubicle, see the bank manager across the room,
and in a loud, cheerful voice, say "Hi Bob! How's it going?" I am dressed tights and a Gary Fisher
team jersey so bright you could see it from orbit.
I've got a rapport with Bob. He's a nice guy. He rides a bike. Not on the streets, but he rides. He
knows that I was one of the engineers who wrote the software that he is using to look up my account
info. Bob explains that it's for "insurance reasons", the usual, and then admits that they haven't
had this issue come up, ever, in twenty years. So, in fact, nobody at the branch has the vaguest
idea what their insurance policy actually says about bicycles. Probably nothing one way or another.
We have a laugh together over the irony of no bike parking and no drive-up service. He's smart
enough not to try to talk me into using the ATM for deposits. I tell him that this is important
enough to me that I will consider moving my accounts to another bank if I cannot be accomodated at
this one. I get some rates on a loan for the new Subaru I'm buying. We have a nice conversation.
Bob has promised to make some phone calls and get back to me.
Too funny.
CC