Drive-Through Banking

Today was my first trip to our new bank that moved (inconveniently, I might add) out of the mall and across the parking lot. It has drive through banking, and this was a new experience for me. I watched the guy in front of me hang half out of his vehicle with the door open and wrestle with the machine. In the end it grabbed onto his $20 and it ripped right into two pieces. He had to get completely out of the vehicle to get the second half of the bill from the grasp of the machine. He turned to me and held up one half of the bill in each hand in a triumphant pose as he conquered the ATM. I yelled back "It's a great concept.... for people with 12 foot arms!"

I took great care to drive up a close as I could to the machine. As a matter of fact you can now read the blurred word Michelin scraped along the curb. Just in case someone was watching me, I avoided opening the door and hanging out like the dork before me. Instead I hung out the window by my toes until I could reach.

Thank goodness I was depositing and didn't have to wrestle for a twenty. Just as I was about to poke the envelope into the slot, a gust of wind came up and nearly snatched the paper from my hand. Now there would be a sight .... car with door ajar rolling forward because I forgot to put it in park, as I race across the parking lot trying to recover my paycheque.

Of course the "no more transactions" button is just beyond my reach, but I refused to open my door, so I dislocated my shoulder pressing it.

So while the concept of drive-through banking is nice, the reality of it is that it makes standing in line at the bank machine in a 6'x6' room that reeks of sweat and alcohol seem like a vacation.