Unbelievable Incident at Bank of America

They are a national bank and should know better. I am so sorry this
happened to you.

I agree with you. The service at Bank of America is going down hill
quickly. I am writing the President of the bank about an incident
that happened to me. I also called their corporate office. Long story
short, I rolled change to take in to deposit, about $50, and the
teller told me 4 of the rolls were short changed, I said no there not.
She handed them back to me so I preceded to open the penny roll and
count it right in front of the rude teller-lo and behold-half of the
pennies fell on the floor. Humiliating to say the least-while a huge
line of customers watched. Then I scooped them up and sure enough 50
pennies. Then I proceeded to count the $5 roll of dimes-I told the
teller supervisor she needed to help me and she said-Oh you didn't
have to count them--if they were short we would have taken it out of
your account at the end of the day. I said to her then why did the
teller hand them back to me? The dime roll was correct also-$5.00.
How stupid is it for a bank of their magnitude to humiliate someone
like that. I am sending my letter to Kenneth Leavis Chairman and CEO
this week. The tellers were so rude. Also, I drive a Lexus--they
think anyone who brings change in rolls is beneath them. Good luck
with your quest for justice because I am certainly seeking mine.

Just curious if the OP heard back. Would be interesting to see what
kind of reply came from BoA.

Why didn't you call the police yourself if your husband was assaulted?
You don't need a bank manager to do that.

The manager should have notified the securites officer who in turn
should have notitifed the police.

Sounds like the OP needs to switch banks or find a different branch to
do her business at.

I supppose we could all spend the next several days arguing about who
was at fault, who escalated the issue the most and so on until our
wrists ache from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

But we're never going to agree. And it probably doesn't matter because
all we're doing is straying from the point of the letter which is the
bank manager's attitude about the incident. And I think the manager
was in the wrong. No matter who was at fault and who escalated the
situation, the manager should've taken control by at the very least
calling the police. (Although I do think the OP's husband should've
called himself.) The incident happened on his bank's property, and the
manager has a duty to maintain a safe environment for customers and
employees, even the ones who were not involved in the incident.

I live in St. Augustine and I know the exact location you're talking
about. The people inside ARE rude. I had a check to cash from my
parents in Texas and the guy behind the counter told me they couldn't
take it because he "hadn't ever heard of this bank before." I said my
parents live in a small town in Texas, and he said that it was a bad
check and he wasn't taking it. I took it to Wachovia and THEY cashed
it just fine, no questions asked. He didn't even look up the bank; he
just basically insinuated that I was trying to commit check fraud.

That said, you should have just rolled up your window as you
approached the parking space when you saw them with their leaf
blowers. It isn't their fault you had your window down.

Unless anyone here never said the words WTF, I don't think you have
any business saying the husband, in a moment of shock, should have
been calm, cool and collected and politely said, "Excuse me
gentlemen... but you just blew debris into my car (and possibly his
eyes), and I wish to express my displeasure with your actions".
Would that have been YOUR reaction? I can tell you right now, it
wouldn't have been mine.

It's so easy to say what he should have done or how he should have
reacted, but when something happens so quickly, it's pretty hard to
compose yourself and not react instinctively. I would love to see how
some of you would react if this happened to you.

Just wanted to clear up a few things in my letter:
First off, I can't believe all the responses! It's very interesting
and somewhat enlightening to read all the different viewpoints. This
is my first time on this site, and I didn't realize that what I was
writing would be sent to the CEO of the bank, or I wouldn't have used
the specific language that I did. Anyway, let me start by saying that
I totally agree that jumping out of the car and yelling was probably
not the best thing to do. In hindsight, my husband also agrees that
he could have handled it differently. The bank is actually on the
highway in front of the mall, and I don't believe that it is
technically part of the mall. The parking lot is extremely small, one
way in and one way out. He was turning into the parking lot, and a
car began to pull out of a spot in front of him. So he was stopped
next to a curbed grassy median that seperates the parking lot from the
drive-thru. The lawn worker was up on the raised grassy area, and my
husband had been stopped for about 5 to 10 seconds waiting for the car
to pull out when suddenly all these leaves and grass start flying in
the car! Totally unexpected, he said. He yelled to the guy, who
probably didn't hear what he was saying over the noise of the blower,
but just glared at him, he says. When I said he jumped out and said
WTF? I was glossing over the conversation, which he can't remember
word for word but quite possibly and probably did contain a four
letter word or two. The crazy thing was that he said it all happened
so quickly, that next thing he knew he was surrounded by three men,
all yelling at him. And believe me, in his health he definately could
NOT be perceived as any kind of physical threat to anyone. As far as
the lawn blower to the gut, it was definately intentional, it wasn't a
really hard hit, he said, it was more like a hard push that knocked
him back a few steps, and the guy said something to the effect of "you
wanna fight us? come on, then".
I didn't mean anything by mentioning that they were hispanic, after
all, I am hispanic, my intention was to maybe help the bank identify
the members of the crew, and to relate the prior incident, which may
or may not have been the same guys, where they stared me down and
called me awful names in Spanish just for trying to exit the bank.
Finally the bank manager: My husband swears he did not go yelling and
screaming into the bank. He said he was more shaken up than anything.
But he said the manager definately seemed like he just didn't want to
be bothered with any of it, and probably the manager did have other
issues going on at the time and we just caught him in a bad mood or at
a bad time. But still!
Anyway thanks for all the feedback, and I feel better just for having
vented about this!

What, exactly, prevented your husband from calling the police
himself?

He was assaulted, his car was vandalized. If it were me, I would have
called 911 on the spot.

Common sense and a sense of community also indicates to me the bank
manager should have called the police when asked. I find his behavior
odd.

The manager could have referred your husband to the mall security or
management to report this incident. And if he did not then your
husband should have.

And this is where your letter should be directed. If these workers are
as bold as you are saying I am sure there would be many more
complaints regarding their bothering the patrons of this bank/mall
area.

I think someone touched on it earlier, but I'm noticing that the bank
is located in a mall. Wouldn't the mall owners be responsible for
hiring maintenance companies to work there? Just because the workers
were in the vicinity of BofA, doesn't mean that the bank had any say
in their operation. This letter would be best written to the mall
itself, with a second letter to the bank, apologizing for the for the
disruption caused by your husband.

WTF are fighting words. Guess he showed them.

I think it is outstanding that they shoved a leaf blower in his
stomach, in response to whatever choice thing he said that was left
out of the letter.

Hispanics going postal on bank customers for a few scraps of leaves
and grass accidently blown in a car window. No, I don't believe it.

The window has a switch. I would have put it up.

Why woold you expect BofA to contasct the police. If someone had just
assulted me I would be dialing 911 right there in front of them. Of
course I highly doubt I would have jumped out of my car to demand WTF
from anyone. I have a tendency to get irratated quickly but I usualy
act with sense. Also, most of these lawn maintainance companies
usualy have thier name and phone number on the side of the truck. I
think instead of complaining to BofA, your husband should have went to
the Mall's office.

I am sure that the man blowing the leaves did not intend to blow them
into your car. He would have known that he would have been
responsible for what damage he caused. I think your husband jumped
out of his car yelling and cussing and the guy wnet on the offensive.
He probably used the leaf blower as a barrier between your husband and
himself. IS it not possible that your husband walked into the blower
in an attemp to get closer to the the man? Some people use getting
right up on you in an attemp to intimidate you.

I dont care mush for BofA but I can see them being rude to your
husband over this issue unless he went in there yelling and cussing
and demanding attention. And if you know that you have problems at
this location, why go there? BofA is on almost every corner, chose a
different location.

When the guy (race is irrelevant here)hit your husband, he should have
called the police.

Something is not sitting right with me about this. Something is
missing. I read that he was pulling into the parking lot. Is it just
possible that the worker had his back turned to where the cars pull
in? Every one I see has ear plugs in to cut back the noise. Is it
just possible that the guy was coming in a little too fast and/or a
little too close to the worker? Is it just possible that the worker
was turning and the stuff just happened to blow into the car?
If your husband slamed on the brakes and jumped out of the car
yelling, is it just possible the worker was scared for his life? Who
it first after the words where exchanged? If you husband hit first
and the guy had is hands full with the blower, is it just possible he
just reacted? Hit back with what he could? If your husbadn hit first,
HE would be the one arrested. Is that why HE didn't call the cops?

I am not saying who was 100% right or wrong. I am just throwing out
some thoughts.

If you don't get any results though B of A, your husband should call
up the TV stations in Jacksonville! If they were to air a story on
that, Bank of America's attitude will do a 360 turn just like that.

I have no idea if the crew intentionally blew leaves into your car or
not -- mot likely it was an accident and your car just happened to be
in the 'line of fire', so to speak. However, the crew physically
assaulting your husband was completely uncalled for and I think your
husband should have called the police immediately. While everything
that proceeded that jab to the stomach was pretty innocent, physically
harming someone is a crime and that particular crew member could be
charged and arrested for what he did (and I think he should be too).

The bank manager should be pretty darn concerned, though - one of his
employees assaulted a customer in a manner that was not self-defense
(I think your husband would have had to strike first for their move to
be considered self-defense). That could not only ruin business for
that particular branch if you happened to spread the word that the
lawn crew was attacking people, but I think it could also land the
manager and his nutjob lawn crew in court. I'd bet a good chunk of
money if you say the word "lawsuit" to this manager, he'll shape up
right quick. He ought to thank his lucky stars you didn't seek legal
action because I think many people would, even if your husband
sustained no real or lasting injuries.

Why is it relevant that the lawn guy is Hispanic?

My only disagreement with this letter is that the OP's husband
should've called the police himself. Being hit in the stomach with a
leaf blower qualifies as battery, and the maintenance person could've
(and should've)been arrested.

Gee, and I thought my condo maintenance people were jerks for stealing
my bug spray this morning.

"wtf" IS RIGHT! I can't BELIEVE how many people here are blaming the
husband for parking where he did. It's a place of business where
people are coming and going in their cars all day. If the lawn crew
can't accommodate that and work around people, then they shouldn't
have those kinds of jobs.

The husband had every right to confront them about how his car was
treated. Who's going to clean that mess up? Surely not the lawn crew
idiots.

The husband did absolutely nothing to warrant getting hit in the
stomach with a leaf blower. Unless he physically attacked the man
first (and that sure doesn't seem to be the case), there is no call
for it whatsoever.

THe lawn crew should be fired (at least those who were involved in
this altercation), and so should the bank manager that her husband
spoke with.

Shame on anyone who thinks the husband has any responsibility in this
whatsoever.

I feel bad for your husband and am appalled at the behavior of the
lawn crew and the bank's management.

I personally think this belongs on the evening news. I think you
should contact them.

This will more likely get a response if your husband, the person who
this happened to, wrote the letter himself. Without profanity.

WTF why didn't you call police.

Hoodlums = thug,gangster,agressive young criminal. I'm surprised they
even have a job. I suppose they should all be fired.

I would never park my car where it was even a remote chance of leaves
and grass being blown in the window.

Do you think they blew the leaves and grass in your car on purpose? If
that were the case I'd be pissed too.

I can't believe these comments.

The lawn company is clearly in the wrong: first they blow leaves into
the guy's car and then physically assaults him.

Then when he reports it to the bank, they talk down to him and sweep
it under the rug.

And this is HIS fault? Because he said "WTF"? That is no excuse for
violence. You had better believe someone blows leaves & grass into MY
car, I am going ask them what they were doing? And I bet every single
one of us would do the same.

It sounds like your husband parked way to close to where the workers
and got in their way. He then chose to start a confrontation with the
workers. How did you expect them to react?

If your husband was healthy enough to start a confrontation with the
workers then his apparent illness and chemotherapy have nothing to do
with this situation and appear to be a transparent sympathy grab.

What does the ethnicity of the workers have to do with anything? Such
references only make you look like a racist.

The terms WTF and ass do not belong in any business letter.

Snotty and rude are hard to define if we are not actually there.
For the leaves and grass to blow into the car, your husband must have
pretty close to where the guys were working. I have to assume he saw
them. Maybe they thought he was being a jerk and decided to give a
little jerkiness back.
I'm not sure why you felt the need to refer to the worker as Hispanic,
but I find that and your husband's "WTF" interesting in a letter that
demands sensitivity.

What did you think would happen when your husband jumped out of the
car and said "WTF"?

You have to realize that none of this would have taken place if your
husband would not have jumped out of the car with his potty mouth and
started a confrantation.

Ever think maybe it was an accident? It is just leaves and grass, it
comes out.

Yes the incident was wrong, yes you were in the right, but the way
your husband reacted was out of line and escalated the situation.


Good Day

What happened in the bank?

I have to wonder why the bank manager was so incredibly rude? Was it
because this person really is a horrible person? Or was something
else going on?

The answer to the original issue is, in fact, to call the police.
Yourself.

The fact that the manager refused to allow you to use their phones to
call... well, that is a problem.

Oh, and by the way... when someone blows leaves into your car, jumping
out of your car and yelling WTF is not a civilized thing to do. It
may be a natural reaction, but it leads me to wonder if your husband
continued to "jump" and use profanity when he went into the bank.

Say that's not so, Karin. Tell us that he was calm and polite.

The lawn maintenance company is most likely contracted by Ponce Mall
and not BofA. Your issue is with the gardening company, not BofA, so
you need to find out the name of the company and file your complaint
with them. Personally I feel that the exchange, both verbal and
physical, between your husband and the landscaping workers won't work
in your favor.