"Activating" a new bank card

 should be a simple thing to do, yes?

No. The bank has sent me a new card. It has apparently sent everyone with that type of account a new card. There is some sort of technical reason for this, an "upgrade" of some sort no doubt.

I have the new card. It finally arrived in the post. I followed the instructions exactly. I read everything I was supposed to do not once but three times. This is a bank card. It is the way I get the money I need for day-to-day expenses. 

I followed those instructions very carefully. I triple checked each thing as I keyed it in.  An "apology" appeared on the screen. I need to go to the "nearest branch" to get it "activated". 

That was yesterday. It was too late to go to the bank. Today the forecast says 9'C and rain. The idea of pedalling off in that when the trike has been booked in for attention because it is complaining about the amount of work it has been doing (rideable but making a loud complaint about it) is more than I want to contemplate. 

What really infuriates me about all this is that I was required to set up "internet banking" recently. The bank has insisted. It is apparently "essential" before I can go off on a long overdue holiday in September. I have done it under protest. It was supposed to allow me to do things like "activate" the card on-line as well. Now I am wondering if it will allow me to do anything at all. 

I know this is all about "security" and "making sure your money is safe" but why do they have to make it so difficult? The closest bank is two train journeys away there and two more back. Given the weather I may end up relying on Middle Cat to provide a "taxi" service which I try to avoid.

Add to that the problems I am having in physically managing the touch screen on the new phone and I ended up in tears of frustration yesterday. It has been years since I did that. 

Why is it so hard to buy essentials and talk to people?