Folks, if any of you know someone in management at South Carolina Federal, Union (SCFU) now is your chance for a possible reward. Please call and let them know that their ATM machines have been vanishing. Gone is the machine at the old Food Lion across from the old Cross Seed, the one at the old Food Lion at Wappoo Road and Highway 61, the one at the old Wal-Mart on the Glenn McConnell, and someone even swiped the unit attached to the building at their branch on Sam Rittenberg. Indeed, Bigfoot sightings are more common in West Ashley than SCFU ATMs.
It was my understanding that the machines saved money for the banks. Fewer tellers were needed on payroll and thus overhead was reduced. Same idea with self- checkouts at grocery stores. Have you ever counted the number of teller stations or checkout aisles and noticed how few of them were actually staffed? These businesses could probably raise some serious cash by selling off the unused machinery.
Back to the lack of ATMs, I have a theory. It involves black helicopters, UFOs, and crop circles. Just kidding … maybe. However, if mutilated ATM carcasses start showing up in agricultural fields and witnesses report seeing strange lights in the sky, remember where you heard it first.
With the exception of the branch machine, perhaps SCF lost or let their leases expire at the other locations. I hope the bank has plans to relocate the ATMs in other places. It sure would be nice.
Actually, I’m not overly concerned with the temporary lack of ATMs. I’m sure they will be replaced shortly. Bankers are not dumb people. To not have them back up and running would be as idiotic as closing one lane of the bridge going downtown to car traffic … Like that will ever happen.
James David Altman is a local writer who lives in West Ashley and has been a contributing columnist for The James Island Journal, The Free Times, and several other publications. He is the son of the late former S.C. Republican House of Representative of John Graham Altman III. You can reach him at rabidreb@gmail.com.
