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I disagree that it's personal responsibility and making INFORMED choices. I added that word for good reason - if you're not informed before the event, it eliminates the personal responsibility aspect of the arguement. I don't think anyone here thinks that X didn't deserve to get the first overdraft charge. As others have said, too bad, dumbass, at least as far as that line item goes. But it's the second one that rankles on the rest of us - which actually puts us in the majority of banking consumers.
Personally, I started working with my bank, Chase, to make sure that I didn't get overcharged when I made a mistake. I've gotten my accounts set up so that it doesn't happen, but I'm the one who had to make sure that it was going to work in my favor and it took a while. The relationship, from the outset, was set up in their favor. Luckily, once I had enough money with them to get some attention from an actual banker, it became an easier process because I have someone who takes personal interest in my accounts and making sure that my money stays with them. If my wife overdraws her account and they hammer us with fees, he knows that I'll move enough money to be noticable (to him at least) to somewhere else that will provide better service.
Really, this boils down to a systemic failure of customer service within the banking industry over the past 20 years. They've become less interested in providing it - at all - and more interested in their bottom lines. There are exceptions here and there, especially if you have the luxury of having a big enough bank account, but for the most part, the average consumer is much better off using a credit union for their banking needs.
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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin
"There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush
"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo
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