Why do people queue at petrol stations?

[tonygt3]

AvonRise said:

,Theoretical queue management says the average person has a shorter queuing time if a single queue feeds into multiple transaction points, as you get in a post office orlarge M&S store.

But in practice, a forecourt isn't big enough for this, which is why I always get stuck behind someone who does a weekly shop and spends 5 minutes filing receipts, adjusting seats and working out how to reset the fuel computer before commencing battle with the seat belt and finally clearing the pump.

you forgot "check for text message"

[daemon]

tonygt3 said:

as has already been said, the hoses are quite long enough to reach the over your car. why some folks have not worked this out is quite sad.

A lot of the hoses i've seen dont reach over from above, they come from out of the pump itself.

[strangehighways]

daemon said:

I suppose you do the same in banks and post offices then?

One queue of people waiting for a window to be free and you just rock up and stand behind someone at a window?

Same thing isnt it?

No it's not the same thing as a queue of people at a bank do not block the pavement outside (generally).

[PHmember]

daemon said:

I suppose you do the same in banks and post offices then?

One queue of people waiting for a window to be free and you just rock up and stand behind someone at a window?

Same thing isnt it?

No it isn't the same, you're talking about a queue of people in a designated area rather than one idiot standing in the doorway blocking the bank/post office for every other customer regardless of what they want.

Queue for a pump by all means, but do it sensibly if you must - not selfishly holding up everyone else - including other road users who aren't even going to the petrol station.

[Hoofy]

daemon said:

Hoofy said:

Ekona said:

I'm with the OP. Queue for each pump individually, not the whole station: That's just common sense.

Yep. Don't see what the problem is. Makes more sense than blocking a road.

So you would happily drive round everyone else, and park up behind a car thats already fuelling?

Brilliant.

No, the road would be blocked so I'd think the guy at the front is a fkwit and be forced to queue.

At larger forecourts, you'll see people wait and everyone drives round that single car. After a few seconds he'll twig.

[daemon]

strangehighways said:

daemon said:

I suppose you do the same in banks and post offices then?

One queue of people waiting for a window to be free and you just rock up and stand behind someone at a window?

Same thing isnt it?

No it's not the same thing as a queue of people at a bank do not block the pavement outside (generally).

Either way, if its that big a queue its out onto "the pavement" or road, i'd probably go elsewhere, rather than look a prick and walk in at the front.

[daemon]

Hoofy said:

I said no. Point is you should queue for each pump, not unnecessarily block the road.

Oops, misread it. Removed.

[PHmember]

daemon said:

Yeah, you personally might, everyone else would think "prick" as you queue jump

You're really not getting this are you? The scenario is ONE IDIOT (possibly you) blocking the forecourt entrance, not a queue of 10 cars patiently waiting.

[Osinjak]

PHmember said:

daemon said:

Yeah, you personally might, everyone else would think "prick" as you queue jump

You're really not getting this are you? The scenario is ONE IDIOT (possibly you) blocking the forecourt entrance, not a queue of 10 cars patiently waiting.

Exactly this. If there was a queue of three cars (or more than one) then no, of course I wouldn't go round them (frankly, I'd just go somewhere else), that would be inviting trouble but for the single dimwitted throbber causing problems, no problem with it whatsoever and I'll continue to do it.

[daemon]

PHmember said:

daemon said:

Yeah, you personally might, everyone else would think "prick" as you queue jump

You're really not getting this are you? The scenario is ONE IDIOT (possibly you) blocking the forecourt entrance, not a queue of 10 cars patiently waiting.

And you're not ready my posts.

From my very first line of my first post

daemon said:

If theres already a queue, join the queue.

We have moved on from the O/Ps scenario as people are talking about cars queued out onto the road which would be very hard to do with just one car????? - unless of course theres just one big long car with a big long trailer?

[robinessex]

I like a queue, it gives me time to put my false number plates on so I can do a fill and drive ......................!!!!

[TooMany2cvs]

daemon said:

A lot of the hoses i've seen dont reach over from above, they come from out of the pump itself.

Still PLENTY long enough to reach around the average car.

Sure, there are instances where you can't fill from the wrong side - a van, f'rinstance, where the filler is behind the front door - but for 90+ of vehicles in the average filling station? Dead easy. IF you engage brain. Which, of course, is the usual problem.

[Hoofy]

daemon said:

Hoofy said:

I said no. Point is you should queue for each pump, not unnecessarily block the road.

Oops, misread it. Removed.

Me, too.

[Hoofy]

daemon said:

We have moved on from the O/Ps scenario as people are talking about cars

Guess that's the problem with a popular thread. Most late-comers will read the first 4 or 5 posts then get stuck in.</guilty>

[otolith]

Pushing the queue back off the forecourt and creating inconvenience and risk for people on the road is just selfish tttery. Pick a pump and drive up to it.

[Hoofy]

TooMany2cvs said:

daemon said:

A lot of the hoses i've seen dont reach over from above, they come from out of the pump itself.

Still PLENTY long enough to reach around the average car.

Sure, there are instances where you can't fill from the wrong side - a van, f'rinstance, where the filler is behind the front door - but for 90+ of vehicles in the average filling station? Dead easy. IF you engage brain. Which, of course, is the usual problem.

Guess it depends if you are happy to rest the pipe against your bodywork. Personally, I don't give a st as it wipes the crap off the back of my car.

[Debaser]

Is one car waiting by the entrance, a long way from the pumps, a queue?

[daemon]

TooMany2cvs said:

daemon said:

A lot of the hoses i've seen dont reach over from above, they come from out of the pump itself.

Still PLENTY long enough to reach around the average car.

Sure, there are instances where you can't fill from the wrong side - a van, f'rinstance, where the filler is behind the front door - but for 90+ of vehicles in the average filling station? Dead easy. IF you engage brain. Which, of course, is the usual problem.

They're designed to retract automatically so you're going to struggle to not have them hit your bodywork.

[TooMany2cvs]

daemon said:

TooMany2cvs said:

daemon said:

A lot of the hoses i've seen dont reach over from above, they come from out of the pump itself.

Still PLENTY long enough to reach around the average car.

Sure, there are instances where you can't fill from the wrong side - a van, f'rinstance, where the filler is behind the front door - but for 90+ of vehicles in the average filling station? Dead easy. IF you engage brain. Which, of course, is the usual problem.

They're designed to retract automatically so you're going to struggle to not have them hit your bodywork.

Thank you for proving my point. You have two working hands, do you not?

[michael243]

oldcynic said:

Personally I'm interested to know how he's filled up twice in one day, but I drive a diesel so only fill up every other month.

That's a good point