michael Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Does anyone else get wound up when they are expected to pay for fuel before the garage chap will turn the pump on? Went to my regular Shell station tonight (I visit a couple of times a week, £60+ a pop, you know the story...) and pulled in as normal, flap open, pump nozzle inserted... nothing... fair enough sometimes the chap is busy so I wait a while... still nothing.... So I glanced over at him and he's shaking an A4 sheet at me - I move closer and focus, eventually I see "Pay here first" on it in biro. I'm offended when this happens, not only do I feel like I'm being accused of planning to steal fuel but I also get annoyed at the fact that I have no idea how much it's going to cost me so I can't really pay in advance. Their solution to this is to leave a card with them while you fill up... this obviously opens you up to all kinds of fraud. I appreciate that they might have a small problem with splash and dash types but at 9pm in the evening with lots of people around and a distinctive car that is always in there... would it really be so hard just to let me fill my car up at the same pump and same garage I've used 3 times in 4 days? And the Shell garages in the area now sell blunts in various flavours... why? Anyway I was forced to leave my card with him, I'm £63 lighter from 89.9p fuel (I was forced to put £10 @ 93.9p in last night, I couldn't bear to fill it!) and I'm going to be checking my statements really carefully for the next week or two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbeh Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Must have had a lot of people running away from the pumps without paying. They do this quite a bit in the US. Say you want 20$'s worth of gas and they set the machine to that level and thats your lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 I prefer the pumps that you can pay at to be honest, you bung your card in, it tells you the max amount you can purchase (usually way more than you need) and away you go. No need to interact with someone of limited social capacity, no temptation to buy random crap like solar garden lights or a 98273 piece screwdriver set for £2.99 and you can stay near your car and make sure the fool who has pulled in next you but far too close doesn't hit it. I hate refuelling, those fighter pilot types have the right idea, stay in your seat and fill up on the move, avoid contact with humans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Matt Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 You still online Mcanny? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 You still online Mcanny? I shouldn't be but I am, I've had 3 hours sleep in the last couple of days and I'm like a zombie but I can't be bothered to move Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbeh Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 No need to interact with someone of limited social capacity, avoid contact with humans. Indeed, I hate the general public Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Matt Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Me too, glued to lap top with coffee firmly in hand! Sorry to hunt you down, but i posted a thread on Technical about putting a Vortex Turbo conversion on my N/A, and the thread kinda turned into a 'it'd be good to meet up with a few other members' kinda thing. Womble from Yeadon commented that he'd only met your good self, and Dale was kind enough to point out the Lake District Thread to me, (for which i am obviously going to!) i noticed you are also, and didn't know if you were from round these parts and fancied meeting up to drive up to Penrith next month in convoy, or sooner if not too busy working, or surfin on here! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 i'm known at our local shell garage so they've never asked for my card first. back home though i give it in first because there's 5 massive signs sayin "PAY FIRST AFTER 8PM".... it is a bit annoyin not knowin how much i'll be "shell"in out! *Gets coat* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Pay first? WTF? I've never, ever, heard of that before. You don't get that down here. You want to move dan sarf mate. Folks are a lot more trusting in these parts. Maybe it's due to the shortage of tight Yorkshire gits and dodgy Naz wannabees Any station that pulled that crap down here would have zero customers. It's like calling you a thief! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 You want to move dan sarf mate. but the women are sooo much easier up here i've seen this done in birmingham when i was at uni too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 Me too, glued to lap top with coffee firmly in hand! Sorry to hunt you down, but i posted a thread on Technical about putting a Vortex Turbo conversion on my N/A, and the thread kinda turned into a 'it'd be good to meet up with a few other members' kinda thing. Womble from Yeadon commented that he'd only met your good self, and Dale was kind enough to point out the Lake District Thread to me, (for which i am obviously going to!) i noticed you are also, and didn't know if you were from round these parts and fancied meeting up to drive up to Penrith next month in convoy, or sooner if not too busy working, or surfin on here! LOL I've been losing track of threads recently so apologies if I seemed antisocial in light of the other one I'm generally always up for a meet if my car is looking respectable - right now it's filthy and has no front brakes to speak of so I'm driving a van but give me time to get it ready and I'm game Lake District meet should be great, I'm just trying to juggle on call duties to ensure I can make it - in the meantime if you fancy a natter just let me know. I like Harrogate and was planning a trip over to look at something in Harrogate Horseless Carriages soon so we'll have to sort something. Now the weather is improving we should try to gather up the people in the area for a bit of a drive out somewhere, just need to let a few people finish builds so they can join in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliot Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Pay first? WTF? I've never, ever, heard of that before. You don't get that down here. You want to move dan sarf mate. Folks are a lot more trusting in these parts. Maybe it's due to the shortage of tight Yorkshire gits and dodgy Naz wannabees Any station that pulled that crap down here would have zero customers. It's like calling you a thief! I'm pretty sure I've read signs on the pumps down here saying they might ask for payment in advance, but I've never had it happen. I must admit, if someone did ask for payment first I'd tell them to stick it & use another station out of principle, unless it was some silly hour, or I couldn't be bothered to drive somewhere else, or I wasn't feeling so tough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Matt Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Worse than payin first is those ignorant old giffers that close a whole shop off and serve you through a hardly ever used serving hatch surrounded by BBG Coal and dead flowers in a broken stand, instead of letting you into the shop incase you attack them or demand any amount of normal conversation. I love pissing tham off by asking them to fetch me the furthest thing from them in the shop, and then when they get back, say, 'oh, and i'll have another one of them too please!' Then watch them chunter there way back round the counter and back down the shop again! Loadsa fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Haha I think I'd walk around unhooking every nozzle and laying them on the floor before driving off -Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Matt Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 I've been losing track of threads recently so apologies if I seemed antisocial in light of the other one I'm generally always up for a meet if my car is looking respectable - right now it's filthy and has no front brakes to speak of so I'm driving a van but give me time to get it ready and I'm game Lake District meet should be great, I'm just trying to juggle on call duties to ensure I can make it - in the meantime if you fancy a natter just let me know. I like Harrogate and was planning a trip over to look at something in Harrogate Horseless Carriages soon so we'll have to sort something. Now the weather is improving we should try to gather up the people in the area for a bit of a drive out somewhere, just need to let a few people finish builds so they can join in. You're not antisocial are ya m8!? LOL. I live 2 mins from Horseless Carriages (seriously!), so let me know when you're coming up by sending me a PM or something! A drive sounds good too, get my shiny new Veilside kit on next week, so i'll be desperate to parade around in my car as often as i can get! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 I'm pretty sure I've read signs on the pumps down here saying they might ask for payment in advance, but I've never had it happen. With that dodgy spoiler I'd ask you pay for it 3 days in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 Haha I think I'd walk around unhooking every nozzle and laying them on the floor before driving off -Ian pretty antisocial ...but a good idea, nonetheless, it would annoy them at least as much as they annoy the public, and it's not illegal. I've had one worse 2 weeks ago: Letter from the local police station, asking if I am the owner of such-and-such, because it was involved in theft from a BP garage station. Huh? I called the cops, they wouldn't accept any calls outside 8-5:30, very useful if you're away all day. Called next day, they demanded to record my 'admission' of owning the offending vehicle, without even telling me where that BP station was. They said that I'd be now prosecuted and the reg number would be on the 'runaway' register to protect the other petrol stations from my kind. WTF... I had to go and actively prove my innocence, instead of these jokers having to prove my guilt. Cops said that they had CCTV pics of me and the car being at the forecourt at the time of the alleged 'theft'. Of course they did, that's where I filled it up, what sort of evidence is that? Anyway, I spoke to the manager, asked what fuel it was that I stole, he said 'petrol', my car was diesel. The number of litres was over what the Astra can take anyway, but he was adamant that I had to pay! Thankfully I found the receipt, and I had paid by credit card too, only then did he change his tune. I demanded a free refill two days later, to compensate me for distress caused, I must have looked very angry, he agreed and that was that. Makes me think now, if I had paid in cash and lost the receipt, I'd be in trouble with the law now. My word against the word of a Somali temp --- no way could I win! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 No WAY! Thats terrible. And I've never seen the pay first stuff either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliot Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 With that dodgy spoiler I'd ask you pay for it 3 days in advance. You love it really! You're just jealous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 5, 2005 Author Share Posted May 5, 2005 LOL JohnA - that reminds me of when I had my little first car Fiesta, just filling up the tank and a mate pulled in next to me, chatted to him for a couple of minutes and went in and paid before heading in to town to park up and do some shopping. As I pulled in to a space on the High Street a policecar pulled in behind me and I'm suddenly accused of stealing around 60 litres of petrol.... nah mate, try the Jag that was over the other side, if you can fit that much fuel in my car you are better than me. Sadly common sense isn't something you find in garage staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 The petrol station attendant I know claims he uses the pay first "option" if the customer is wearing a "young persons cap", is one of more than 2 young male occupants, is a Gippo, or is driving a flash, but cheap car.... I wouldn't like to comment further, as I don't know you I asked if he's use the option on me, in my Volvo. He was running out of funds for beer, so he said if I stood him a pint and gave him the reg he'd go and take a *iss when i came on to the forecourt and I could do what the hell I wanted. Was tempted to buy him two pints and fill the wifes car at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 ...Sadly common sense isn't something you find in garage staff. I think that they probably had a cash 'deficit' and tried to bully innocent people into paying up yet again. Their whole attitude smacked of "we hold you by the balls, we've got CCTV footage and we know that you've thrown away the reciept". They kept demanding payment despite being told that my car was a diesel FFS. The cops were not interested in anything I had to say, if the garage were claiming that I didn't pay, they would stick it in the 'register' and that was that. It was this 'guilty until proven innocent' mentality that made me mad and demanded (in no uncertain terms) a free tank refill as compensation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbeh Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 I had to go and actively prove my innocence, instead of these jokers having to prove my guilt. Sounds familiar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzeh Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 Here if you pay cash, you need to go inside the booth and pay how much you need. If you use your credit card, you just go to the pump, insert card, then pump as much you need, then get charged. I like the latter, self serve and it's quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted May 5, 2005 Share Posted May 5, 2005 I demanded a free refill two days later, to compensate me for distress caused, I must have looked very angry, he agreed and that was that. hope you turned up in the supra for a free refill! that'll really annoy him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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