What is it about Banks?

I recently had occasion to enquire about a loan for the purposes of debt consolidation. Well there's a credit crunch on so I thought I might be able to bag a bit of a bargain. Well I was quoted 22.1% APR for a loan, a rate I associate more with credit or store cards. The bank assistant then asked who provided buildings and contents insurance, no doubt fishing for an opportunity to do more business after having the gall to charge and arm and a leg for a loan.

No let me say at the outset this is not a back street banker but one of the main players. Yes one of the band of big banks whose activities brought the country close to financial ruin. Not content with having now cost us taxpayers billions in rescue packages, they now want to fleece me personally. They want their cake and to eat it too.