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Rockland Trust shuts most of its branches to walk-in customers, although drive-up windows remain open

Rockland Trust announced today it's closing some of its retail offices, although some will remain open by appointment only. All branch drive-up windows remain open, the bank says.

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Many banks are doing this.. but question...

I don't own a car, and if i have to do a teller transaction (that has to be done at a teller, not an ATM), can I walk up to the drive thru?

You can't cater to cars and not pedestrians!

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Did you read the link? It says it in there.

"Meetings By Appointment
If you require in-branch assistance to do your banking, we will have branch offices that will be accessible by appointment only. To make an in-branch appointment, please click below."

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What if I need funds available to me sooner than the appointment date that they give me and the amount I need to withdrawl exceeds the daily limit they set in place! Soo annoyed people still have bills to pay that they don't want to fall behind on. Currently doing a home renovation and I have to pay people. I need my money and I can't wait!

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I've had friends walk and bike up to drive-through restaurants. Sometimes they don't blink an eye and sometimes they demand you be in a car.

Pretty stupid business if the bank rejects someone who's lacking a car. Good way to loose a customer.

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Except they are accepting appointments, it says it in their announcement.

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I probably should have read the release !

But many banks are doing so I just asked a general question.

But good to know! I hope my bank is doing the same.

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We weren't allowed to serve anyone who wasn't in a car. It was an insurance thing.

That said, given this particular situation, I hope banks will find a way to make drive-ups work for customers who are on foot.

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Besides being a traffic safety/insurance thing (people standing in the car lane)...

any outside "walk-up" window* would be a safety-liability issue - people outside, non-secure area, trying to handle wallet/cash/id... potential crime risk (and useless if raining/windy/snowing)

* I vaguely remember a bank or two from my childhood having a walk-up window, but can't remember what banks or where. I think they were service windows in a foyer/lobby.
For some reason now, all I can think of is that former Friendly's on Hancock St in Quincy. It's some bank or another now. That restaurant had a walk-up ice-cream window outside.

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Long ago, the East Cambridge Savings Bank on Highland Avenue in Somerville was a Friendly's.

Much more recently, the Friendly's in front of the Watertown Mall became a Chase Bank branch.

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Can I ask what needs to be done?

II think it’s starting to become a little foolish for people to show up to branches now. Banks have been asking customers for a month to gear up for something like this. Here are a few scenarios why you might be doing this, and a few alternatives to it:

Cashing a check? Mobile deposit. Or ATM deposit. Either way... It’s there the next morning. Most people aren’t pressed for getting cash right now. Aside from the fact that cashing a check is withdrawing the same amount you already have in your account until the other bank clears it. Also, ATMs are fully stocked and employees are dispatched to be sure of it.

Opening an account? Again, I’m not sure who needs to do this ASAP. Many account openings can be done online, except for complicated things like trusts & estates that require furnishing original documents.

Have a passbook? The last company in the nation who makes those printers went out of business. For security reasons, you can’t withdraw from a passbook without the physical book. Banks have been trying to wean people off these for years. Which begs the question — why not a statement account with an ATM card for emergencies...

Other questions? Call centers are open and employees are practicing social distancing there.

Sorry if I’m jumping the gun here, but it’s been very clear that in-person transactions like these in branches are not always essential. Especially in these times. Things like direct deposit, online banking, phone banking, and debit cards have been in practice for decades. Bank employees do NOT want to continue to run the risk of being in public just as well as anyone else, and the thing is — we don’t really need to be there in person all the time.

Please, if you need to make it to a branch, make it for something worthwhile like learning about accessing your accounts on your own. Now is not the time to go out because it’s routine; we are not in routine times anymore. I’m not holding my breath that this will be this way for long.

I do, however, think that people’s access to cash will not change. Unless you have a tax levy, are in escheatment, or collect social security after you’re dead, banks can’t yank your cash.

Also, if anyone has any questions about banking, feel free to ask. Nothing is too crazy to ask as long as you’re open to an honest answer.

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is also closed except for the drive-up window. A sign on the door explicitly says that walkers and cyclists should also go to the drive-up window.

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Mr. Potter is smiling from the grave.

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I'll leave my original question up but my own bank sent out an email about it and at the bottom it said

"Appointments will be held at your local branch. Visit www.com for a list of branch locations"

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