simply Dan
Active Member
Americans don't seem to mind buying imported cars...
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- Thread starter Long Island Mike
- Start date
Americans don't seem to mind buying imported cars...
Dan416
Senior Member
simply Dan
Active Member
"RBC Bank" - Royal Bank of Canada Bank? Sounds like "ATM Machine" - Automated Teller Machine Machine...
afransen
Senior Member
That happens all the time. I decided not to let it become one of my pet peeves.
Dan416
Senior Member
At my high school instead of a library, we had The Learning Centre, which invariably got abbreviated to "the TLC". So yeah, it's all too common.
Tuscani01
Senior Member
lmao... god I miss high school.
adma
Superstar
Was the librarian named "Left Eye"?
androiduk
Senior Member
TD in New York
More Canadian trouble makers making headlines in New York.
News from The Globe and Mail
TD's Big Apple dispute: Bullet barriers on Broadway
TARA PERKINS
00:00 EDT Thursday, July 16, 2009
FINANCIAL SERVICES REPORTER
Toronto-Dominion Bank is battling the New York Police Department over potential legislation that would require bullet-resistant dividers, known as "bandit barriers," around bank tellers.
It's a high-stakes dispute for the Canadian institution that hopes to become "the first North American bank" and views New York, where it has 73 branches, as a key market. TD's strategy is to distinguish itself based on customer service by featuring extended branch hours, comfortable chairs, friendly staff and a generally welcoming environment.
Since acquiring New Jersey-based Commerce Bancorp last year for $8.5-billion (U.S.), TD has been calling its U.S. branches "stores" and luring customers with perks, such as free coin-counting machines and treats for dogs and kids.
Putting a wall of protective glass in front of its tellers runs counter to the image it is seeking to create.
TD spokesman Neil Parmenter says the fight is about something even more important - the safety of the bank's customers and employees.
Based on the bank's reading of police data, the majority of robberies that happen in New York occur in branches with bullet-resistant glass, Mr. Parmenter said yesterday.
"There's no evidence at all that they're in any way an effective deterrent. Much more troubling in our view is that they greatly enhance the risk of violence and potential harm to customers or employees," he said, because there is a greater chance that a robber would use a person outside the glass as a hostage.
TD hires NYPD officers to work in each of its 73 city branches, he added.
The state-wide New York Bankers Association is also battling the proposed municipal bylaw, but TD is front and centre in the dispute.
That is because most banks in the city already have bandit barriers. Police argue that branches without the barriers are accounting for a disproportionate share of robberies.
The bill that would require banks to install the barriers is being considered by city council, and is supported by NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
"We don't want to tell anyone how to run their businesses until it impacts our business," he said while testifying before council in favour of the new law.
There were 444 bank robberies in the city in 2008, a slight increase from 2007 that was attributed to the economic downturn. Roughly half occurred at banks without bandit barriers, although most banks do have the barriers.
In its efforts to head off the legislation, the bankers' association is putting the onus for safety back on police, arguing that the best deterrents to robbery include vigilant surveillance, aggressive investigations leading to the arrest and conviction of robbers, and stronger laws. Many robberies are committed by repeat offenders, the group notes.
"These robberies were note-passing, non-violent serial robberies in which, fortunately, no one was hurt and the only damage done was to the victimized banks," Michael Smith, chief executive officer of the bankers' association, said in a letter to city council.
"It is clear that once these serial perpetrators are apprehended by the NYPD, the increase in bank robbery statistics will diminish dramatically. However, unless the penalties for committing this crime are increased, all the bank security measures in the world will not deter criminals from attempting this crime ... particularly during times of economic stress," the association's letter said.
Lawrence Sherman, founding president of the Academy of Experimental Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania, testified before city council in support of TD, arguing that there is no clear evidence that bandit barriers reduce robberies.
"What is 100 per cent clear is that TD Bank has never had a customer or employee injured or taken hostage in a bank robbery," he said.
TD Bank (TD)
Close: $60.15, up $1.19
© The Globe and Mail
More Canadian trouble makers making headlines in New York.
News from The Globe and Mail
TD's Big Apple dispute: Bullet barriers on Broadway
TARA PERKINS
00:00 EDT Thursday, July 16, 2009
FINANCIAL SERVICES REPORTER
Toronto-Dominion Bank is battling the New York Police Department over potential legislation that would require bullet-resistant dividers, known as "bandit barriers," around bank tellers.
It's a high-stakes dispute for the Canadian institution that hopes to become "the first North American bank" and views New York, where it has 73 branches, as a key market. TD's strategy is to distinguish itself based on customer service by featuring extended branch hours, comfortable chairs, friendly staff and a generally welcoming environment.
Since acquiring New Jersey-based Commerce Bancorp last year for $8.5-billion (U.S.), TD has been calling its U.S. branches "stores" and luring customers with perks, such as free coin-counting machines and treats for dogs and kids.
Putting a wall of protective glass in front of its tellers runs counter to the image it is seeking to create.
TD spokesman Neil Parmenter says the fight is about something even more important - the safety of the bank's customers and employees.
Based on the bank's reading of police data, the majority of robberies that happen in New York occur in branches with bullet-resistant glass, Mr. Parmenter said yesterday.
"There's no evidence at all that they're in any way an effective deterrent. Much more troubling in our view is that they greatly enhance the risk of violence and potential harm to customers or employees," he said, because there is a greater chance that a robber would use a person outside the glass as a hostage.
TD hires NYPD officers to work in each of its 73 city branches, he added.
The state-wide New York Bankers Association is also battling the proposed municipal bylaw, but TD is front and centre in the dispute.
That is because most banks in the city already have bandit barriers. Police argue that branches without the barriers are accounting for a disproportionate share of robberies.
The bill that would require banks to install the barriers is being considered by city council, and is supported by NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
"We don't want to tell anyone how to run their businesses until it impacts our business," he said while testifying before council in favour of the new law.
There were 444 bank robberies in the city in 2008, a slight increase from 2007 that was attributed to the economic downturn. Roughly half occurred at banks without bandit barriers, although most banks do have the barriers.
In its efforts to head off the legislation, the bankers' association is putting the onus for safety back on police, arguing that the best deterrents to robbery include vigilant surveillance, aggressive investigations leading to the arrest and conviction of robbers, and stronger laws. Many robberies are committed by repeat offenders, the group notes.
"These robberies were note-passing, non-violent serial robberies in which, fortunately, no one was hurt and the only damage done was to the victimized banks," Michael Smith, chief executive officer of the bankers' association, said in a letter to city council.
"It is clear that once these serial perpetrators are apprehended by the NYPD, the increase in bank robbery statistics will diminish dramatically. However, unless the penalties for committing this crime are increased, all the bank security measures in the world will not deter criminals from attempting this crime ... particularly during times of economic stress," the association's letter said.
Lawrence Sherman, founding president of the Academy of Experimental Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania, testified before city council in support of TD, arguing that there is no clear evidence that bandit barriers reduce robberies.
"What is 100 per cent clear is that TD Bank has never had a customer or employee injured or taken hostage in a bank robbery," he said.
TD Bank (TD)
Close: $60.15, up $1.19
© The Globe and Mail
simply Dan
Active Member
I have visited a number of TD Bank "stores" recently in Washington, Boston and Philadelphia and I must say they are beautiful locations, particularly the old Commerce branches – much nicer than your average TD Canada Trust branch here in the GTA. Many of the TD branches in Canada will be undergoing a major facelift in the coming years as the brand is further integrated in both countries. Some very positive changes are just around the corner!
Filip
Senior Member
I'm in NYC right now, and the amount of TD branches in Manhattan is astounding!
They all have very posh locations too.
Dan416
Senior Member
I wish they'd change the name up here back to TD Bank, rather than TD Canada Trust. I never liked that name ever since they merged with Canada Trust.
I'd think now would be a good time for TD to go shopping for banks in the western part of the states to buy.
I'd think now would be a good time for TD to go shopping for banks in the western part of the states to buy.
I'm sure they are more interested in buying close to the existing branches in the northeast. The same way Royal was adding more to their network in the southeast.
Dan416
Senior Member
I wonder if there's any banks that are a good fit for either TD or RBC?
afransen
Senior Member
I'm sure they're shopping.
khris
Senior Member
Free coin counting machines! I want one of those at my branch, so I don't have to give 10% of my money to that machine in Metro.