Refused petrol this morning.
Discussion
I was refused petrol this morning. The guy in the booth was gesticulating to remove my helmet. Luckily for me, I only really stopped to get some milk, and was having a quick top up, so I didn't NEED petrol and was able to give the finger and ride off.
I know removing a helmet isn't a BIG hassle (unless you wear prescription glasses and a earpiece like me), but it is highly insulting to be asked to remove a helmet at a garage you have been using for 7 years without any previous requirement to do so.
Am I getting upset over nothing or do you boycott stations that do the same to you?
I know removing a helmet isn't a BIG hassle (unless you wear prescription glasses and a earpiece like me), but it is highly insulting to be asked to remove a helmet at a garage you have been using for 7 years without any previous requirement to do so.
Am I getting upset over nothing or do you boycott stations that do the same to you?
I’ve never been asked to remove my helmet (one of the advantages of flip-front helmets), but if I was I would refuse and would not frequent that garage any more.
As an active member of the ‘Motorcycles are God’ religion, it is against my religious beliefs to remove my head covering at any time while I am involved in worship!
As an active member of the ‘Motorcycles are God’ religion, it is against my religious beliefs to remove my head covering at any time while I am involved in worship!
Probably worth finding out why you were refused. Maybe they've had bikers do a runner (cameras are usually front-facing at petrol stations, so no plate ID). Some people just feel threatened by helmets, which I can understand.
My local station is 'pay at pump', so I never even need to dismount
My local station is 'pay at pump', so I never even need to dismount
I would leave (unless desperate for fuel) and never return even in the car.
Most garages round here don't seem to mind and I have seen ones that have a 'Bikers remove helmet' sign at the shop door but don't enforce it, if they let you pump the fuel they can't then force you to remove your helmet in the shop.
As long as they have their 'precious' ANPR system why would they be worried? I mean the whole country's security relies on ANPR and similar systems......
Most garages round here don't seem to mind and I have seen ones that have a 'Bikers remove helmet' sign at the shop door but don't enforce it, if they let you pump the fuel they can't then force you to remove your helmet in the shop.
As long as they have their 'precious' ANPR system why would they be worried? I mean the whole country's security relies on ANPR and similar systems......
surfsofa said:
Probably worth finding out why you were refused. Maybe they've had bikers do a runner (cameras are usually front-facing at petrol stations, so no plate ID). Some people just feel threatened by helmets, which I can understand.
My local station is 'pay at pump', so I never even need to dismount
Well I don't get it, because I've been using the same station (and even the same pump most days!) for years. My local station is 'pay at pump', so I never even need to dismount
Maybe they had a policy change, or maybe the guy in the booth was being an ass. Either way, I have just written a quick comment to Somerfield who own the station, and perhaps they will tell me.
shouldbworking said:
Um. forgive me for asking but why is this a problem?
Or is this a bikers are superior and thus should be exempt thing?
Because it's a hassle. I drive a car and ride a bike so I feel I'm qualified to comment.Or is this a bikers are superior and thus should be exempt thing?
When driving a car, all you have to is undo and do up your belt.
When you ride a bike, you have to take off your gloves, take off your helmet, take off any neck/head warmer you're wearing, take out ear plugs if you're wearing them, find somewhere safe to put all of these things (you don't want to be dropping a £500 helmet!) go into the shop pay, come back out and do all of this again.
Thinking it's bikers being 'superior' is very narrow minded. It's nothing to do with being superior, it's to do with wasting motorcyclists time. They have cameras to safeguard themselves, so what's the problem?
Within reason I'd simply refuse to use any petrol station where I was asked to remove my helmet, particularly during the working week when I'm commuting.
Additionally being asked to prepay and leave a card or cash purely through being a motorcylist once at a BP station in Clapham got me so angry with the staff I've simply refused to ever use that place again.
Being told we've had a lot of scooters riding off recently was never going to work with me!
Additionally being asked to prepay and leave a card or cash purely through being a motorcylist once at a BP station in Clapham got me so angry with the staff I've simply refused to ever use that place again.
Being told we've had a lot of scooters riding off recently was never going to work with me!
The one time I was told to take my helmet off when trying to pay I asked why and the cashier told me it was so he could "serve me better".
I slowly put me gloves down, took my helmet off, took my plugs out and paid with a smile then, without moving, slowly put my card and receipt away in separate pockets, plugs back in, helmet on, gloves on. The whole thing took about 2 minutes and as I turned and left I said to the irate people in the queue behind me, "Sorry, he said it would improve service".
A bit childish but I think I got my point across.
I slowly put me gloves down, took my helmet off, took my plugs out and paid with a smile then, without moving, slowly put my card and receipt away in separate pockets, plugs back in, helmet on, gloves on. The whole thing took about 2 minutes and as I turned and left I said to the irate people in the queue behind me, "Sorry, he said it would improve service".
A bit childish but I think I got my point across.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff