Advocacy & Safety - Using drive-up tellers, etc.

Go to the link for the rest of the story, which continues with his story of how the police refused to take an accident report when he was doored and broke his arm.

Biking in Buffalo
by Michael I. Niman
May.10.2003
http://www.corporations-suck.com/CKs/Niman/BikngBuflo.shtml

Trouble began in early October of 2000. I rode my bicycle up to the ride-through window of my neighborhood M&T bank, as I had been doing for years, to quickly deposit a paycheck and be on my way. Only on this bright fall day, a new teller was on duty. She told me that she couldn’t take my deposit at the “drive through” window—I would have to come inside.

I asked why, and she replied, “You need to have a car to use this window.”

“Is that all?” I asked. She responded, “Yes.” And I said, “OK,” and shot my deposit back through the deposit tube. “What are you doing? I said you need to have a car,” she chirped back at me.

“I have one. Do you want to see the registration?”

“No,” she bellowed back, with anger building in her voice. “You need to bring it here with you!”

I glanced back at my somewhat small luggage rack, then with a confused look on my face, I turned back to her, and pleaded, “You don’t seem to understand. My car is BIG. People can fit inside of my car. I can’t bring it here on my bike.” Cars started lining up behind me waiting to use the lane.
“You need to ride your bike home. Get your car, and drive it back here,” she replied sternly.

“Why would I want to do that?” I asked.

“It’s for your safety,” she explained, with tension still building in her voice.

“But I don’t get it,” I pleaded. “You want me to ride all the way home, in traffic, get in my car, drive it all the way back here, in traffic, wait in line again, just so I can be here where I am now? I don’t understand how that’s going to make me safer. Bad things can happen at any point during that process. Traffic can be dangerous for a cyclist you know.”

Frustrated, she took my deposit, warning me not to come back again without my car.
(continued)....

Well, that was interesting. I've had the same experience with drive-thru tellers, though having once been a drive thru teller, I always go into the bank if possible (you try dealing with people in their cars all day; something about the remove between you and the customer makes 99% of drive thru customers act like jerks). There was no "no bicycle" policy at the bank I worked for, although there was one against pedestrians using the drive thru.

However, I digress. When refused service at the drive thru, I just ask them if they'd wait on a motorcycle. Same risks-- exposed driver, etc. And I point out I'm in a street legal vehicle. Plus I smile and say "thank you" a lot, although that comes from having once been one of the poor harrased souls on the other side of the window. Always works.

I've not had any hassles (yet) at drive up windows, but do remember to beware of the oil and grease patch often present where the cars sit and idle.

Paul

I can't say I've ever used a drive-up teller while on my bike. I use drive-up ATMs and drive-up windows (I'm really liking the drive-up Starbucks) while on my bike though and have never been hassled about it. If they gave me lip, I'd simply walk inside with my bike. Since they prefer to treat me like a pedestrian when I'm on my bike then they should treat me like a pedestrian when I walk in with my bike. If they have a problem with my stinky sweaty odor, clanking cleats and me decked out in tight-fitting lycra offending their sensibilities then they should have let me use the drive-thru. That said, many stores and businesses do have a right to refuse services to anyone.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/visual_tao_of_cycling/PICT0001.jpg

Originally posted by Poguemahone
However, I digress. When refused service at the drive thru, I just ask them if they'd wait on a motorcycle. Same risks-- exposed driver, etc. And I point out I'm in a street legal vehicle. Plus I smile and say "thank you" a lot, although that comes from having once been one of the poor harrased souls on the other side of the window. Always works.

I have never taken my bike through something like this simply because I've never had any reason to go through one of those "drive thru" places anywhere. However, if I was ever refused service at one, I'd simply tell them in no uncertain terms that I would be taking my business elsewhere from that point forward.

This is really the way it seems to go. Though our bicycles are considered lawful vehicles on the road, some businesses simply choose to ignore this. In fact, they ignore the most basic thing of all: the customer pays the bills.

It's embarrassing. It's frustrating. It's wrong.

But all depends on the situation. I was told I couldn't use the drive-through at my local water company when I came to pay a bill. But when I started bringing my bike into the foyer, nobody said a word.

Very strange world we live in. I think it makes much more sense to serve a cyclist outside, at the drive-through. That way, no dirty bike inside, no sweaty cyclists waiting in line. The cyclist is better off, too, because it's simply easier at the window.

Right?

(As for fast food drive-thru's, or whatever, they can keep it, I don't want any. Loaded with lard...)

i have used various drive-thrus with usually no hassle... bank drive-thrus, etc...

if the bank or somewhere ever gave me problems, i would threaten to remove my account and discuss it with them once and if they didn't change their policy, i would move my account.

but i have had a few problems. the main one was with Taco Bell which apparently has a national policy of "no bicycles or pedestrains in the drive-thru" although they allow motorcycles.

funny thing is, when i was in Massachusetts where bikes where rare, they never gave me any problems (probably b/c they never say anyone else on a bike). the only problem was the stupid "sensor" where you usually need a huge hunk of metal to activate. if there was a line, i would wait for the driver behind to get close enough or ask him to pull up. if there was nobody there i would simply ride up to the window.

BUT, in bike-friendly Portland i had a Taco Bell about 3 blocks away and frequently had problems. most of the guys who worked there would serve me if their managers weren't watching, but quite a few times i had long conversations about why i couldn't get service. they would simply say "it's corporate policy. you can contact Taco Bell Corporate and discuss it."... so i few times i came inside all sweaty (had no lock) and about half the time the manager then told me i could not bring my bike inside. i simply said "serve me in the drive-thru or my bike comes inside" and did it.

oh course the worst was that the inside closed at 10:00pm and the drive-thru was open until midnight and i frequently got refused service. one time after discussing it for a while, a customer behind me offered me to hop in and i put the bike down, got in the back seat, ordered and then ok. (one other time years ago i got refused service in Texas at Taco Bell and did this and they STILL refused to serve me because it was not _my_ car!)

i had asked them often about _why_ and surprisingly they did _not_ say it for liability reasons (i.e. that a cyclist would get injured and sue the business - but here, why is it different from a motorcycle or car?), but they claimed that it was for the safety of the workers! that a pedestrian or cyclist could more easily threaten/rob the window workers... which sounds pretty bogus, b/c i think you can conceal a gun in a car just as well as on a bike. i guess the only difference is with a car you have a big "thing" and license plates but of course any not-dumb theif would not rob a drive-thru with his car and real plates... but it made me laugh, except they were serious!! that a bike in the drive-thru was a safety threat TO the workers!!! (to be fair, i _think_ they were basing this on the fact that a few pedestrains had come to the window and robbed the tellers, and bikes were just lumped in with pedestrains)

Originally posted by nathank
(to be fair, i _think_ they were basing this on the fact that a few pedestrains had come to the window and robbed the tellers, and bikes were just lumped in with pedestrains)

Yep and that's why I use the logic of if they're going to treat me as a pedestrian when I'm on my bike and pedestrians are refused service in the drive-thru but are rather told to go inside then I should be able to walk inside with my bike and receive service. Technically, following that train of logic, I should be able to ride my bike inside too... although that may be pushing it a bit far. :D

My bank pulled that junk on me, too. I walked inside, bike and all, (no bike rack), and asked for the manager. She came trotting up and told me I couldn't bring my bike in, and I retorted they needed to supply a bike rack. That set her back a bit. I then asked about the supposed no bike rule at the drive through & asked her to show it to me in writing. She produced the bank's operation manual which stated "all drive through customers must be in/on vehicles". And the wild laughter just bubbled right up out of me. I proceded to gleefully quote title, chapter & paragraph of the state vehicle code that stated bicycles were considered vehicles. End of problem.

Somehow, it just didn't seem fair using logic on the poor lady, she just couldn't deal with it.

There may be another way to play this issue. Many cities require some sort of use permit for any business installing a drive-through window. If you are reasonably well-connected with your city government (I am) and live in a reasonably bike-friendly city (I do), you may be able to get the city to demand pedestrian and bicycle access in exchange for granting the permit. It may be hard to do this retroactively, but it is worth a shot.

At least before-hours and after-hours drive-up service should not be restricted to motorists. The one time I had a problem, I had parked the car elsewhere in a large shopping mall and had walked up to the driveup window before the lobby opened. I finally go the teller to accept my deposit, but she made a big point of saying that she would not actually post the depost until 10:00, when the lobby opened.

Don't confuse drive-thru with auto teller. Round here, or at least my family and friends, have used "auto-teller" (as in "automobile-teller") to indicate we have been going to the bank for years. "Drive Thru to me, means "food". But I would expect a bank to be a bit more forgiving over a Taco-Bell.

Originally posted by ehenz
Don't confuse drive-thru with auto teller. ... "Drive Thru to me, means "food". But I would expect a bank to be a bit more forgiving over a Taco-Bell.

Actually, I think most people here were complaining about both banks and fast food joints.

Originally posted by nathank
in bike-friendly Portland i had a Taco Bell about 3 blocks away and frequently had problems. most of the guys who worked there would serve me if their managers weren't watching, but quite a few times i had long conversations about why i couldn't get service. they would simply say "it's corporate policy. you can contact Taco Bell Corporate and discuss it."... so i few times i came inside all sweaty (had no lock) and about half the time the manager then told me i could not bring my bike inside. i simply said "serve me in the drive-thru or my bike comes inside"

I don't know which Taco Bell you patronized in Portland (I also don't know why you'd want to eat at a Taco Bell in the first place...), but you'll be glad to know that Critical Mass Portland, all 250 or so of us, 'did' the Taco Bell drive through on NW Burnside a couple of months back (w/o ordering anything, of course)...

I really can't imagine why a person would want to use a drive-up window, sitting behind exhaust-belching cars. I'd rather leave the bike and walk inside.
To me, it sounds like some people are looking for a confrontation.

Dave, there are times the inside of the bank is closed and the drive-thru remains open. Most bank drive thrus, at least the ones around here, have longer hours than the lobby. It's not so much a matter of confrontation as convience. When I have the choice, I always use the lobby-- even on the rare occassion I'm driving my car.

BTW, I eat at Taco Bell, although I'm unsure why I'd want to use their drive thru, as the dining area is always open...

Originally posted by Dave Stohler
I really can't imagine why a person would want to use a drive-up window, sitting behind exhaust-belching cars. I'd rather leave the bike and walk inside.

To be honest that would be my preferred option too - although I've been to some areas where I'd be less than keen to leave my bike anywhere out of sight.

I really can't imagine why a person would want to use a drive-up window, sitting behind exhaust-belching cars. I'd rather leave the bike and walk inside.
various reasons:
* don't have a lock
* sweaty or dirty and don't want to go inside and/or be "anti-social"
* often quicker
** espcially when dining area CLOSED and only way to get served!

but regardless of whether or not YOU see a reason why... auto drivers have the option to choose the drive-thru (i.e. you could also say they don't need to go inside and could just as easily park and go in), so cyclists should have the choice too. if you never do, then fine.

i personally found it much easier and quicker to go through the drive-thru than to park, lock the bike, go inside, order, walk out, unlock bike, etc... then when i had no lock i would have to take the bike inside--- and often i was returning from a muddy mountain bike ride where neither my bike nor myself were in the best state to stand next to other people...

of course the worst was when the dining are was closed so a car was REQUIRED to purchase anything after the dining area closed.


BTW, I eat at Taco Bell, although I'm unsure why I'd want to use their drive thru, as the dining area is always open...

In Portland, the Dining area closed 2 hours before the Drive-Thru -- i think 11pm/1am weekdays and 12am/2am weekends, but i forget.


I don't know which Taco Bell you patronized in Portland (I also don't know why you'd want to eat at a Taco Bell in the first place...), but you'll be glad to know that Critical Mass Portland, all 250 or so of us, 'did' the Taco Bell drive through on NW Burnside a couple of months back (w/o ordering anything, of course)...
yep, that one. anyhow mabe they've changed their policy now. that was 1997-2000. i used to live on NW Glisan - first at NW 21st, then on the corner of NW 23rd... au, such a cool neighborhood!

Note: i used to eat lots of fast food... and slowly improved... but Taco Bell is not that bad (since i've been in Germany i've eaten fast food about 4 times in 2 years always when friends wanted to go). there are no Taco Bells here, but every time i go visit the U.S. i do make a point to eat Taco Bell!