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Oklahoma man's expired license almost stops key life changes

By: Pete Knutson

Posted at 1:49 PM, Apr 07, 2022

and last updated 2022-04-08 09:51:58-04

TULSA, Okla. — A trip to the local bank, which his family has used for generations, hit a snag for an Oklahoma man who hadn't noticed that his driver's license had expired.

"I said no, no, this is wrong, it's wrong," Cecil Betterton said.

Betterton needed to withdraw enough cash to replace some carpet as he remodels part of his home, but there was a hitch with the teller and bank policy.

"She looked at my driver's license and said I can't do that because you're out, your driver's license is no good."

Betterton's license, the teller told him, had expired a couple of days earlier.

"And I said, no big deal, I still need the money. She says I can't give your more than $100."

A seemingly insignificant situation to many can be a high hurdle to a few.

Betterton avoids using credit, and the carpet store wouldn't take a check either, because of that expired license. Then, he says, he ran into another hitch, some of those recent "news-making" delays getting his license renewed.

"Something like that is too much of a hassle for me."

Yet improving the house was important. After all, he was finally getting remarried, after his late wife passed away many ago. Moving on, Betterton concedes, hasn't been easy.

"She was a good woman.”

It's unusual and emotional times like these, that made what happened at the bank, loom large, Betterton told us. Especially, since the bank has pictures of its account holders to help cut down on fraud.

"They've got a photograph and everything, and they know who it is, why hassle? Why hassle a person?" he said.

Betterton says he understands it's the bank's job to secure your money and protect you. Still, he says there could be exceptions for cases like his, an ID expired by just two days, at a local bank he's used for years. Now, he's offering some advice.

"Check your driver's license, make sure you're up to date."

After Betterton called the Problem Solvers, we checked on the bank's policy, which again is for a customer's protection.

Since Betterton and his family have been customers there for so long, and his ID hadn't been expired for very long, managers there decided to allow him to withdraw the money he needed to improve his house, before his remarriage.

Contact the Problem Solvers: