Why is America still using unautomated banking to such a great degree?

[StageLeft]

I know you hate foreigners saying how much better their country is and I'm not doing that but I am saying that Canada has had ATMs for YEARS EVERYWHERE. I am still, in the year of our Lord two thousand and three, seeing people go through drive through banking and requiring the use of a human bank teller on the other end. Infact one bank I drove past today has no ATM but only human banking (including a human-telled drive through).

I'm not even going to start with the checks because that's another thread altogether.

 

[notfred]

Move out of Bumfvck nowhere, Alabama.

 

[Radiohead]

Originally posted by: notfred
Move out of Bumfvck nowhere, Alabama.

hahahaha

 

[theNEOone]

rofl, seriously. i live in the shittiest town ever and there are 30 year old ATMs on every corner.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Originally posted by: notfred
Move out of Bumfvck nowhere, Alabama.

0wn3d

 

[RossMAN]

The only time I need a human teller is when dealing with cash currency.

Otherwise if it's a check or transfer, I use phone, ATM, or internet.

 

[Dragnov]

Originally posted by: Radiohead

Originally posted by: notfred
Move out of Bumfvck nowhere, Alabama.

hahahaha

 

[StageLeft]

OK so it's just Alabama? It can't JUST be Alabama. Has the rest of the US embraced ATMs? And quite honestly people in Canada stopped using checks to pay for groceries over a freaking decade ago. For f**k's sake.

 

[Francodman]

Originally posted by: notfred
Move out of Bumfvck nowhere, Alabama.

ROFLMAO.

 

[TommyVercetti]

Here is what I don't understand. If I make a cash only deposit via ATM, how can I be sure, that some bank worker doesn't skim off a $50 and says that I put the wrong amount in the envelope.

 

[theNEOone]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
OK so it's just Alabama? It can't JUST be Alabama. Has the rest of the US embraced ATMs? And quite honestly people in Canada stopped using checks to pay for groceries over a freaking decade ago. For f**k's sake.

yes, it's just alabama. if you use a check anywhere in the continental U.S., the cashier (along w/ all the other people in line) pull out their tech nines and turn you into shredded lettuce.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
OK so it's just Alabama? It can't JUST be Alabama. Has the rest of the US embraced ATMs? And quite honestly people in Canada stopped using checks to pay for groceries over a freaking decade ago. For f**k's sake.

It's probably not just Alabama, it's probably Arkansas and Oklahoma, too.

Frome where I'm sitting right now there are at least 6 ATMs that I could walk to in 5 minutes. The nearest ATM to my apartment is about 200 yards down the street. The nearest branch of my bank Has 2 ATMs: one walk up, and one drive through. When I'm in line buying stuff at the grocery store, at least 75% of the time the person in front of me will pays with his ATM card.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: Skoorb
OK so it's just Alabama? It can't JUST be Alabama. Has the rest of the US embraced ATMs? And quite honestly people in Canada stopped using checks to pay for groceries over a freaking decade ago. For f**k's sake.

It's probably not just Alabama, it's probably Arkansas and Oklahoma, too.

Frome where I'm sitting right now there are at least 6 ATMs that I could walk to in 5 minutes. The nearest ATM to my apartment is about 200 yards down the street. The nearest branch of my bank Has 2 ATMs: one walk up, and one drive through. When I'm in line buying stuff at the grocery store, at least 75% of the time the person in front of me will pays with his ATM card.

Is the other 25% credit or check?

I wonder if your view is skewed because you're in California. I'd like to think the non-hick population of America as a whole can wield the great power of an ATM as well and these issues are specific to only a few select spots.

 

[her209]

Because we want someone to blame.

 

[Bootprint]

Come on, it's spelt Cheques

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: Skoorb
OK so it's just Alabama? It can't JUST be Alabama. Has the rest of the US embraced ATMs? And quite honestly people in Canada stopped using checks to pay for groceries over a freaking decade ago. For f**k's sake.

It's probably not just Alabama, it's probably Arkansas and Oklahoma, too.

Frome where I'm sitting right now there are at least 6 ATMs that I could walk to in 5 minutes. The nearest ATM to my apartment is about 200 yards down the street. The nearest branch of my bank Has 2 ATMs: one walk up, and one drive through. When I'm in line buying stuff at the grocery store, at least 75% of the time the person in front of me will pays with his ATM card.

Is the other 25% credit or check?

I wonder if your view is skewed because you're in California. I'd like to think the non-hick population of America as a whole can wield the great power of an ATM as well and these issues are specific to only a few select spots.

The other 25% is mostly cash. I don't think I've seen someone write a check to pay for groceries in at least 6 months. Actually, I can only remember one instance where I waited for someone writing a check since I moved here a year and half ago.... and that memory is very vague.

 

[Nocturnal]

Maybe some people can't control their spending when they have debit cards and checks? Perhaps that is why you see them going to a teller to retrieve money?

 

[Platypus]

ATM's are useless unless the area around you has ones for your bank. The idea of charging someone a fee for getting money from a different bank's ATM is stupid and I won't pay it. I usually just use my debit card everywhere. People always complain when we go to dinner and have to do a split check but I honestly am not going to pay 1.75 from one bank and then have my bank charge another 1.50 for using a different bank. Fvck that.

 

Here in NY many banks have no human tellers at all.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I have a lot harder time keeping track of my spending when I use a debit card, @ least with a check I have a localized paper trail, those damn debit card reciepts are all over the house, my pockets, billfold...

Anyone have a good way to keep track of the little slips of paper?

Oh yeah, there's a freaking ATM every place I go to, but they won't all let me make deposits. My bank specific ones are handy for that though...

 

[Heisenberg]

I live in a fairly small town and even we have them everywhere. So I have to go with notfred's statement.

 

[theNEOone]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
I have a lot harder time keeping track of my spending when I use a debit card, @ least with a check I have a localized paper trail, those damn debit card reciepts are all over the house, my pockets, billfold...

Anyone have a good way to keep track of the little slips of paper?

Oh yeah, there's a freaking ATM every place I go to, but they won't all let me make deposits. My bank specific ones are handy for that though...

it's called ONLINE BANKING!!!!!

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: theNEOone

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
I have a lot harder time keeping track of my spending when I use a debit card, @ least with a check I have a localized paper trail, those damn debit card reciepts are all over the house, my pockets, billfold...

Anyone have a good way to keep track of the little slips of paper?

Oh yeah, there's a freaking ATM every place I go to, but they won't all let me make deposits. My bank specific ones are handy for that though...

it's called ONLINE BANKING!!!!!

Agreed!

Paper SUCKS.

 

[glen]

Alabama is kind of like a foriegn country.

 

[dullard]

1) Availability: Some places (like my hometown of 20,000 people) don't have ATMs.
2) Safety: Tellers are pretty much safe, ATMs are asking to be mugged.
3) Guarantee: If I deposit $100 cash in an ATM there is no guarantee the money will be deposited - a teller could pocket some or a theif could steal the ATM. I have no proof of the deposit and it is gone. I like to have a receipt showing the deposit made it into my account.
4) Cost: Tellers are free to use, ATMs come with pages of fees. Some charge a fee for any use no matter what (even your own bank). You might be charged for using a different banks ATM. Some charge for printing the receipt. Some charge a percent fee for withdraws. Etc. ATMs are money makers for banks, why am I going to fall into that trap?
5) Banks are everywhere - my banks are on the way to any store/restaurant/entertainment I've ever gone to. So an ATM isn't any more convenient than a bank branch. Plus at least with the ATMs on campus there is at least a dozen people in line for the ATM. It takes 20 minutes to get your money. I'd rather go to the bank right next door and get my money in 2-3 minutes.
6) You get next to no service at an ATM. What if you need a fee disputed, or a cashiers check, or loan, or new checks, or another debit card, etc?

So why should I pay fees for a less safe, unguaranteed transaction, that provides fewer services?

The day all ATM transactions are 100% free and they start charging to use the expensive tellers then I'll switch most of my business to an ATM.