Christiane Link writes with a wry and informed voice about the barriers she encounters daily. She has given me permission to translate some of her posts into English, so check out From helpfulness to accident insurance:
I went to my branch to cash a check. As I finished, I noticed that there was a crutch on the counter. When I pointed out to a bank employee that some customer had forgotten a crutch, he began to stammer. The bank had put it there, in order to start conversations with customers about accident insurance.
I was at the Wells Fargo ATM tonight at Coffman and Longs Peak Avenue. They put in a new machine to replace the one damaged by burglars a few weeks ago. This new ATM has a wheelchair symbol and “Open For Everybody.” But to get in, you have to swipe your ATM through a card reader that’s about four feet up outside the door. To even get to the door you have to navigate up a curb — there are no ramps or curb cuts. I’ll try to get some photos later on.
Oy, that’s just awful.
Shameless. At least the bank employee had the grace to be embarrassed!