I was at the Elliot Park Wells Fargo (at 8th and Park) today, biking through the drive-through ATM. After I'd completed my deposit, I noticed this sign, already turned around:



So... what the hell?

1. I am aware that many other forms of drive-through businesses, like fast food restaurants, suffer from some misguided notion that cars going 10-20 mph in a guided lane in a parking lot somehow pose unimaginable danger to cyclists, easily capable of going 10-20 mph in a guided lane in a parking lot.

2. Unlike a fast food restaurant or pharmacy, there is no opportunity for enforcement. Like, it's an ATM. It can't exactly refuse service to you on the offense that you're not in a car. So even if such a policy actually did enhance safety (it obviously doesn't), it can't really do that if there's no way to prevent cyclists like me from using the ATM.

3. I've been a Norwest/Wells Fargo customer for most of my life, and used countless drive-through ATMs -- and quite regularly use one in way more automotive areas than downtown, like 66th and Nicollet or 31st and Blaisdell. I have never had even a "close call" or remote safety discomfort -- much less an actual accident. And I've never seen a sign prohibiting bicycles.

I called the branch and complained. The woman said that "technically we don't allow it", but since there's no other walk-up ATM, they wouldn't enforce it.

Gee.

Yeah, I bike and walk to that ATM all the time. No problems.

Madder than fish grease

Side note: 365 comments!

Jerks. I frequently use an ATM on my bike.

There's no valid reason for this. I'd bet $10 it's because some drivers complained. And of course the corporate lawyers were consulted, and they issued their standard reply which was 'put up a sign saying we don't allow that'.

There's obviously no enforcement so all it means is if a driver mashes into you while blabbering on the phone or yelling at their kids, the bank AND the driver have no liability. Standard operating procedure for dealing with cyclists.

Yeah, just use it. I mean, most bank employees aren't going to come out there and fight you. MOST.

This post works in so many threads:

hahahaha, if I had a nickel for every time somebody yelled at me for ignoring a sign, I'd have a sock full of nickels for dealing with people who yell me for ignoring signs.

Its for your safety!

This is all pretty silly. I cant help but wonder if this isn't due to concerns about robbery. It would be pretty difficult to grab at someone in a drive-thru window if you were sitting in a car but if you were standing there in front of the window I think it would be easier.

This isn't going to happen at a bank because all the transactions are done with money logs that are delivered through the money log habitrail. At a fast food joint it's totally different. Maybe the same rules were just transferred to banks because...just because....

This thing has been beat to death on this website. It's a stupid rule for banks at least. You can't claim that you're trying to end the risk of hazards to cyclists and pedestrians when the same people are still allowed to walk and ride in the other 95% of your lot. If anything in the drive-thru they are going slower because they have to make sure they don't hit concrete filled poles and the money machine.

the robbery consideration falls away if they allow motorcycles and scooters. I wonder if they will help out if you are on horseback, you would need to dismount to use the device.

Someone can grab at a person through a window easier or the same while on a 350 lb. motorcycle as they can on foot or on a bicycle? No.

I'm simply trying to guess what they are thinking because the safety argument falls apart faster than the robbery theory.

Not necessarily (but still quite easy compared to through a car window), but it is super easy to put the kick stand down and step off. Or if you have a passenger, they can grab and you can drive off.

As of Wednesday, the sign is still there, even turned forward so it's actually visible to incoming traffic. I suggest ignoring it. I'll be continuing to turn it around to face backwards.

It appears Volsung has found out why drive-throughs are not safe on a bike... additionally, found out what words some people are offended by.

(I have edited the words in question, I've already had my issues with word-choice this week and do not want to reopen the issue. Feel free to check out Tip O' the Hat, Wag O' the Finger for the whole story and add any comments on the word issue there. I don't want to hijack this thread, too).