On Jan 9, 10:30*am, Bolwerk wrote:
On 1/9/2012 5:31 AM, Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at
23:44:00 on Sun, 8 Jan 2012, Bolwerk remarked:
I don't really ever see a need to go to the bank, and if I do I
prefer to use the ATM and skip the line.

Here in the UK the ATMs often have a line as well.

Well, let me elaborate: ATMs often have lines here, but generally not as
bad as tellers' lines. *It's probably because people to 2-3 predictable
things with ATMs (withdraw, deposit, balance check) while all unusual
business probably goes to the teller (e.g., withdrawing dollar coins or
$2 bills).

While people at ATMs are usually doing fast transactions, there are
usually more of them on line than there are on a teller's line.
Unfortunately, when you get on a teller line, you usually are behind
some bozo who wants to do 6 months of banking in one visit. That's
also true of the drive-through- where people sit with their engines
idling for 30 minutes (I turn mine off, on the rare occasion I use it)
while they wait.

But I get dollar coins about twice a year- I use a roll of them as
stocking stuffers for my kid at Christmas, and I sometimes stock up on
them to use at Muni-Meters...I keep a roll or two hidden in the car
for those rare times I need to feed a meter. It's worth the wait. I
will say that there have been times that my bank (TD) told me I had to
call ahead to get rolled dollar coins- they only had loose ones- but
they always had some to give me.

As an aside, TD Bank also has a nice system, but few people are aware
of it. Most branches have 2 ATMs in the lobby, but only one will take
deposits. That speeds things up for people who just want some fast
cash for lunch or something.

Chris


And getting back to trains, so do automatic ticket machines, which
can have a longer line than the windows.

In NYC, our most immediate option for subway fare purchasing is a TVM.
I'm not sure buying from station attendants is an option anymore, and if
it is it's limited to certain types of rides.

But pre-purchased tickets can only be collected from the machines.

That, unfortunately, is something we don't have. *Amtrak does it well
though.