“Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?” is a question (cited in print since at least April 1994) that has made many lists of humorous questions. The answer is that the keypads of a bank’s drive-through banking machines (ATMs) and walk-up banking machines are the same; it would be more costly to make them different. Also, the person using a bank’s drive-through ATM might be a passenger and not the driver of a vehicle.
 
   
The Humor List
From: Doug Harter’s Initial Logs Processor
Subject: HUMOR Digest - 6 Apr 1994
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Date:      Wed, 6 Apr 1994 12:49:58 -0400
From:      Srikumar Lakshmipathi

Subject:    Some Questions(clean)
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Why do they put braille dots on the keypad of the drive up ATM?
 
The Funny Pages
Oxymorons and Contradictions
Thursday, 06 October 1994
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Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?
 
26 Decemer 1994, Salina (KS) Journal, “Cuff Stuff” by Gordon D. Fiedler, pg. 3, col. 5:
Why do they put Braille dots on the key pads of driveup ATMs?
     
Google News Archive
15 July 1995, Gettysburg (PA) Times, “Deep thoughts from the pickle barrel…” by Larry Rhoten, pg. A4, col. 2:
Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?
 
Google Books
World Wide Web Explorer
By Steve Rimmer
New York, NY : McGraw-Hill
1996
Pg. ?:
Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?
 
9 July 1996, Rockford (IL) Register Star, “‘Cyber Jokes’ nets a geekload of humor” by Erick Hendrickson, pg. 4B, col. 2:
Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?
     
Ars Technica Forums
Fluogen
Posted: Mon May 13, 2002 8:02 am
(...)
Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines?
 
Google Books
Oxymorons and Other Contradictions
By Wrong Way
Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse
2005
Pg. 117:
Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?
 
Google Books
552 Questions That Make You Go “Hmmmmm!” / 87 Great Put Downs!
By Wayne Cundal
Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse
Pg. 11:
Why do they put Braille on drive through banking machines?