ATM Etiquette.
I get
unreasonably annoyed by people who take their time at cash machines.
(I'm also annoyed when Microsoft Word unnecessarily criticizes my sentence structure - but that's another story.)
(Everyone’s a
critic.)
People at cash
machines often act as if the whole process has taken them by surprise; like
they were drawn in by the lure of the flashing slot and thought, “I’ve got
something that will fit in there perfectly”.
It’s as if
they’re playing a game of chess and are carefully considering every move.
Now, I understand
you don’t just use an ATM to draw out money – sometimes you need to check your
balance or request a bank statement – but is there really any
need to take as much time as opening up an account?
It’s the same when people buy train tickets: I approach the
machine knowing what I want; some people seem to save deciding on their
destination until they reach the front of the queue.
I also get
annoyed when a cash machine asks if I want an advice slip; I didn’t queue up looking
for a mentor.
To be honest, my
irritation on this subject probably says more about me than it does about the them; much as I try not to be, I’m often running late
– and an unscheduled stop only serves to illustrate the fact that I should have
left earlier.
I’m also often wound like a tightly-coiled spring; it doesn’t take much for me to burst.
(Nothing
like a mixed metaphor to brighten your day.)
Either way, a
little ATM etiquette wouldn’t go amiss –
and while we’re
at it, could someone pay some money into my account so I can draw it out next time I’m standing there?
