I was reading John Kelso’s column from Thursday last night and he’s got an interesting story about a cyclist that was refused service at a Wachovia bank. Here’s a quote:
On Wednesday mid-morning Jimmy says he pedaled up to the drive-up window of the Wachovia branch bank on South Congress right next to Richard Jones Pit Bar-B-Que on a bicycle — just as he had done a couple dozen times before.
“I was just trying to get $30 to get a haircut and go to my yoga class at Ruta Maya,” Jimmy said. He also needed $2.25 for a cookie. He said he sat in line on his bike at the bank behind a car for about five minutes, “breathing the (exhaust) fumes.” “Finally I got up to the teller and she said she wasn’t able to complete my transaction,” Jimmy said
Jimmy says he asked people at the bank why this was going on and that he was told it was a safety issue. (my emphasis added)
Well, I thought this was pretty dumb. What’s the safety issue, exactly? Drive-through teller arrangements don’t exactly have fast-moving traffic. Are there dangerous projectiles falling down from their roof? We have helmets for that!
Anyway, I figured I would write Wachovia a comment to ask them to change this policy, company-wide. If you want to do the same, use their contact form here.
on Nov 2nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I’ve had Whataburger do the same thing to me on a late night food run when the dining area was closed.
on Nov 2nd, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Same with Jack in the Box on the Drag.
on Nov 2nd, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Ugh… it’s completely insane that any of these places would turn business away just because your vehicle isn’t motorized!
on Nov 2nd, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Excluding bicycles from drive-thrus is a fairly well known and common exclusion…. Well, it’s well known within my little bicycle world of bicycling friends.
I think that Kelso’s story is a sign of increasing public acceptance for transportation bicycling.
Don’t fret that the drive-thru exclusion is a sign of things to come — it’s instead a publicizing of an existing bad policy against bicycles/bicyclists.
on Nov 3rd, 2008 at 3:45 pm
My experience is the same, many, many drive thrus do not allow bicycles. And I have heard the “safety” excuse too. This was the excuse at the Krispy Kreme.
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 11:11 am
It is their insurance that will not cover them if something happens. I actually stood in the car window not allowing anyone else to use it until they opened the front door. It is bad enough to only allow polluters but there is NO excuse for allowing car drivers to do business before they open the front door to non-motorized users. Lately, I have used my motorized bicycle to go through the bank drive through. They told me only motorized vehicles could be served and I informed them I was and they served me. You may want to fight this at your city hall, I have heard of citys that have passed laws banning this practice but I haven’t found any.
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
So, I ride my bike to make a deposit at A+ Credit Union on Stassney Monday October 27th, on my way to the wonderful Fair Bean Coffee shop.
I ride into the drive throo, pull out the check and slip, pop them in the tube and as I hit SEND I hear, “Sir! Sir! Sir! We cannot service bicycles in the drive through lanes!!!!! It is a safety issue!!!!!”
I politely inform her she already has my deposit, would she please just take my deposit. She wanted to argue about my bicycle, I patiently smiled and listened to her rant on for a moment, and reminded her she already had my deposit, could she please just process it. Resigned to her fate, she asked me if I wanted a receipt.
After she finished her work, she sends me the receipt and starts in on me again about this and that and no bicycles, blah, blah, blah……
I hold up my hands and tell her to stop, stop, stop…… “You are already anti hat and sunglasses, now you are anti-bicycle. I really don’t care, thank you for processing my deposit.” … and start to pedal away.
I see my reflection in the window as I ride by, with five days of facial growth, my dark glasses and ex-convict beanie cap…… I prolly just scared the crap outta the poor woman.
Life has its little joys and blessings.
Go ride, the squares just don’t understand you… and that makes it so much more fun.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Adam,
I had the same issue at that branch of the A+ Credit Union. They processed my deposit, but “just this once.” Now I do business at 2 other banks in town and do not have this problem.
How is a bike a different safety issue than a motorcycle? How is it a safety issue at all? I’m thinking about moving my business including my IRA and children’s college fund to a bank that respects cyclists. I suggest everyone else do the same.
on Nov 6th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
elliot, I will be looking into other options. They have hassled me inside about tinted prescription eyewear and a bicycle helmet. You can’t win for losing there.
on Nov 11th, 2008 at 11:50 am
streetsblog documented a similar experience in brooklyn
on Sep 7th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
Wait… your bank actually gives you receipts for deposits? My Wachovia refuses to do that.