ATM Rant - Bad Luck or Bad Customer Service?

Remember the Ziggy cartoon strip? As you recall, Ziggy seems to be followed by a black cloud. Today I was reminded of Ziggy. I use an Automated Teller Machine maybe once or twice a month, and even more rarely to deposit a paper check.

In my infrequent experience, I have been the frequent victim of "this ATM is out of service" messages as I pull up to the machine. What?! I have observed a pattern . . . I drive by my ATM on the way to work each morning so that's when it's convenient to me to stop. I would think that an ATM would have a high rate of use during the morning drive times, but it also seems to be the time when bank employees shut down the ATMs for service (refilling it with cash I guess).

Don't they study these things? I suppose I'm the victim of my own expectation that the ATM should be up and running at my convenience - not at the convenience of the bank. Ziggy would just frown and try again another day. Which is what I'll do, too.