Gas pump adventures

[ohiofarmer 3,383]

   Share your experiences with people I'm doing the gas pumps as parking spots. Extra points for stories that they don't pump any gas at all and just park so you cannot have access

    My story is yesterday I needed just a couple of gallons so I could use my stash of Kroger gas mostly a dollar off earned from fuel points.

   Speedway in Englewood Ohio takes the prize for half the pumps not working and shoppers parking at the pumps that do work. My wife was at one store and I was picking up some bits at harbor freight with that gas station close by. At least she was not angry at me for making her wait.  Never going to that station again 

    I have lots of ridiculous examples of selfish people, but I want to hear about yours 

 

[953 nut 60,914]

On the return trip from a weekend leave when I was in the Navy I would stop about an hour away from the base and park by the pumps of a closed gas station to take a nap. They opened at 6:00 am so that was my wake-up call in time to make morning muster on the ship.             

[ri702bill 9,656]

That type of "Got mine, up yours" entitled attitude I see occasionally at the market - idiots parking in the Fire Lane.

[adsm08 3,461]

I see lots of terrible parking in the course of my job, mostly by entitled people who are too lazy to walk more than three feet to the door, so the block the door to the shop. But we don't have gas pumps.

 

I think the worst one I've seen with gas pumps, and it was so much entitled as it was stupid, was this one guy at Sam's. He had one of those push-button start cars (don't get me started on how dumb those are). Anyway, he dropped his girlfriend off over at the store across the plaza and went to get gas. He shut the car off, pumped his gas, then remembered the key was in her purse.

[Ed Kennell 42,469]

My pet parking peeve is the ratio of the reserved parking spaces at our Giant Food store.

The first two spaces in each row are for charging the eees.  Still don't understand why it requires two spaces to charge one ecar.

The next two are for Handicap use.  always full.

The next four are for pregnant ladies.  very seldom used.

The next four are for employee of the month.   never used, how can there be more than one employee of the month

 

Mrs. K can walk with the aid of a shopping cart so I drop her at the door near an available cart then go to the rear of the lot to park.

 

[EB-80/8inPA 1,886]

The local station selling ethanol free gas has about 6 double-sided pump stations, with only the pair at each end dispensing the good stuff.  And one day there’s just empty cars parked in them.  I thought I was the only person finding this absolutely infuriating.  People have zero regard for others, it’s just me me me me me all the time these days.  That’s how they drive, too.  Be careful out there, it’s like some kind of zombie apocalypse.

[davem1111 2,200]

You've brought up one of my pet peeves. The only time I ever leave the car or truck at the pump is when there are at least 3-4 other pumps empty, no empty parking spaces, and I'm only going to be inside for a minute or 2.  But it irks me when people do this at a busy station with no empty pumps so you're waiting for them to saunter out when they feel like it...

 

My most recent experience like this was at one of the service plazas on the PA Turnpike, on my way back to Indiana about 2 weeks ago. Every pump was full but at least 3 were taken up by empty cars.  I sat there for a while but finally gave up on getting gas first, so I parked in one of the spaces by the store entrance and started to go in. Got out of my truck and was pointing to the empty cars to show my wife, and several of the inconsiderate jerks came out at that time. They looked at me like I was crazy - why was I pointing at their car?  They weren't doing anything "wrong".   

[JoeM 8,544]

It's their world......we are just living in it! 

 

I do have a story tho. i pulled into the station and all the slots were full. Wisdom kicked in and pulled up behind a car that a woman was putting gas in. I figured it was the best option for getting fuel quicker because she would see me waiting. She got done with the pump jumped into the car and bam, picked up her phone. I watching and waiting and thinking there is no way she could have not seen a full sized pick up two feet behind that compact car. Hmmm waited a few and then lay on the horn. Oh my it was great, she jumped and almost hit her head on the roof of the car. Pulled out right quick and I though that was just amazing. 

Once again It's their world......we are just living in it!

[ri702bill 9,656]

8 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

first two spaces in each row are for charging the eees.  Still don't understand why it requires two spaces to charge one ecar.

Ed, that's to allow room for the Firemen!! 

[F. Marra 17 91]

Been in the fuel construction industry my whole life, both ground up builds and maintenance. Ive seen it ALL. Been ran over by many people, had people park and wait for fueling next to dispensers still on pallets...Had people pull sideways between the fuel lanes.  But contrary to popular belief of self serve fueling, NJ seldom has this problem due to full service fueling.  When there is no need to exit the vehicle to start the dispenser, the lazy person will typically wait until fueling is done then drive the 50 ft to the spot closest to the convenience store.  A good fuel attendent not only pumps the gas for you, but also keeps the fuel lanes moving.

[squonk 44,093]

People who park at the pump and go shopping inside are probably buying lottery tickets 

 

 

[lynnmor 7,936]

I chose the end pump at a station where it was the only choice for my travel trailer.  The one ahead of me was a crappy little car emblazoned with greenie stickers.  The save the earth old codger took a look at my gas guzzling rig and decided to save the earth for a few minutes by slowly getting his change, then slowly counting it followed by carefully organizing everything in his wallet.  Then he went around checking his lights which triggered my reacting by getting in his face.  Only after the cops were called would he move on. 

[Treepep 707]

 

 

Young lady yapping on her phone enthusiastically.  She whipped out in front of me and pulled into the first available pump.  A normal human paying attention  would choose the next pump as someone (me) is clearly behind you

 

I went around her and backed in in front of her.  Same vehicles.  We both paid and pumped and I chose a parking spot to go in for some suds.

 

Came out as she got in her vehicle, started it and placed in gear.  I know that car.  Problem was she was still tethered to the pump.  I placed my stuff on the ground and ran towards her arms waving.   NO RESPONSE.  Still yapping and oblivious.  

 

Turns out Subaru designed it in a way that the gas nozzle will gently slip out when you drive off like a buffoon.  Ya guessed it.  She didn't see that either.  

 

No blinker, no looking around, just whipped back onto the highway in her murder machine. Yeesh .   Stay safe out there with these nutters

 

 

[Mickwhitt 5,171]

12 hours ago, Treepep said:

Still yapping and oblivious.  

In the UK pumps would be turned off if you were using a cell phone. You get a warning over the PA system but if you dont heed it they shut off the pump.

Thing is lots of people pay at the pump using....their cell phone. 

It's a fire regulation thing, we were told the same thing about personal radios on forecourts. 

[cleat 7,447]

6 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

In the UK pumps would be turned off if you were using a cell phone. You get a warning over the PA system but if you dont heed it they shut off the pump.

Thing is lots of people pay at the pump using....their cell phone. 

It's a fire regulation thing, we were told the same thing about personal radios on forecourts. 

 

What I have read is that the phone itself doesn't cause a fire but the issue is the distraction so you forget what you are doing.

[davem1111 2,200]

7 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

In the UK pumps would be turned off if you were using a cell phone. You get a warning over the PA system but if you dont heed it they shut off the pump.

Thing is lots of people pay at the pump using....their cell phone. 

It's a fire regulation thing, we were told the same thing about personal radios on forecourts. 

 

Turning off the pump would imply, to me, that someone who works there was watching the customers at the pumps... unless they have some advanced video surveilance and AI watching them.  Here, there's usually only one employee unless the station has more than say, 5-6 pumps. No one is watching....or cares.  Heck, I've seen people smoking within 10 feet of the pumps, with gasoline flowing, in one case I think it was an employee of the gas station. Imbeciles. 

 

I think early on they were saying that the cell phone could cause a spark, but I think that's been debunked. 

 

In New Jersey (where I still visit frequently), until recently it was the law that an attendant pumped your gas, now I think it's optional but most stations still have an attendant, which is a good thing - they'll be watching.  Also, many of those older stations don't have a convenience store anyway, so there's no reason to leave your car unless you're cleaning the windshield or something like that.  

 

[Edit to add:]

 

As JoeM said, "It's their world......we are just living in it!"

 

My wife and I once in a while remind ourselves of this fact:   Picture a person you know who you consider to have "average" intelligence.  Now remember that roughly half the people walking this planet have intelligence below that level.  Kinda scary....

 

 

Edited 5 hours ago by davem1111

[Mickwhitt 5,171]

We used to have pump attendants here when I was a kid perhaps 50 years ago.

But they went the way of progress and we all started filling our own tanks, and the number of drive off without paying offences rocketed. 

I went to menorca twenty years ago and tried to fuel my rental car myself. A very irate lady with a little leather cash satchell reprimanded me for trying to do her job. I dont think folk over here would take the job of pump attendant. We seem to have become pretty idle since the war.   

[Treepep 707]

 

 

Same ribbon... I think.  The only time in my life I had an attendant at the pump ended badly.I was in a town adjacent to mine (Papillon Nebraska)  I was 20.  Attendant was younger.  He filled up my gas checked all of my fluids under the hood.  He cleaned my mirrors and front rear window.  1995 Dodge 1500 4x4.  I tipped and thanked him and went on my way.  

 

As I reached operating speed on I-80 my Hood destroyed my windshield.  Been a volunteer first responder.  I do not panic@!  I let off the gas, hit my hazards and right turn signal and eased off of the freeway.  

 

Went back for some different words with that guy.

 

I check my fluids EVERY time I gas up.AND double check its latched.  In the end its really my fault for trusting another human to do the right thing.  That does not happen often sadly.

 

My hope is that the pendulum swings back the other way in my lifetime