Petrol Station attendants - fill your car for you Sir?
Discussion
Having been driving for 25 years now, I am well used to filling my own car / motorbike obviously.
I'm well practised in getting the hose to NOT drag agross / scrape the paintwork, and getting the nozzle in / out just right so that fuel doesn't dribble down the side of my car / down the tank on the bike.
Weirdly, having travelled extensively through most of Spain, it's unusual to find a garage WITHOUT an attendant who insists on doing the filling for you. A bit annoying on the bike, as sometimes they get fuel over the outside of the tank, and on one or two horror occasions, spilt enough so that it's run down onto the red hot engine underneath and gone *ssssssssssss*
Anyway, my local Shell have suddenly decided to have a full-time forecourt attendant, who goes around trying to fill people's cars for them. He even wears a dayglo vest with 'Forecourt Attendant' proudly emblazoned 'twixt the back.
As I only use this garage on account of only using V Power, I've observed the poor sod for a few weeks now, vainly trying to help, but on each occasion being 'shooo-ed' away by bemused people who want to fill their own tanks as they've been doing for years.
He looks very bored and resigned already - as would you I guess, spending your working day on a forecourt, approaching people offering a service that they don't really seem to want. Must be costing the Station's Franchisees a lot in wages that don't actually bring them any more profit? I can't see it lasting.
Anyway, question is, does anyone else's local station have such a man doing this???
k off!Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
Having been driving for 25 years now, I am well used to filling my own car / motorbike obviously.
I'm well practised in getting the hose to NOT drag agross / scrape the paintwork, and getting the nozzle in / out just right so that fuel doesn't dribble down the side of my car / down the tank on the bike.
Weirdly, having travelled extensively through most of Spain, it's unusual to find a garage WITHOUT an attendant who insists on doing the filling for you. A bit annoying on the bike, as sometimes they get fuel over the outside of the tank, and on one or two horror occasions, spilt enough so that it's run down onto the red hot engine underneath and gone *ssssssssssss*
Anyway, my local Shell have suddenly decided to have a full-time forecourt attendant, who goes around trying to fill people's cars for them. He even wears a dayglo vest with 'Forecourt Attendant' proudly emblazoned 'twixt the back.
As I only use this garage on account of only using V Power, I've observed the poor sod for a few weeks now, vainly trying to help, but on each occasion being 'shooo-ed' away by bemused people who want to fill their own tanks as they've been doing for years.
He looks very bored and resigned already - as would you I guess, spending your working day on a forecourt, approaching people offering a service that they don't really seem to want. Must be costing the Station's Franchisees a lot in wages that don't actually bring them any more profit? I can't see it lasting.
Anyway, question is, does anyone else's local station have such a man doing this???
Not in Grimsby are you?I'm well practised in getting the hose to NOT drag agross / scrape the paintwork, and getting the nozzle in / out just right so that fuel doesn't dribble down the side of my car / down the tank on the bike.
Weirdly, having travelled extensively through most of Spain, it's unusual to find a garage WITHOUT an attendant who insists on doing the filling for you. A bit annoying on the bike, as sometimes they get fuel over the outside of the tank, and on one or two horror occasions, spilt enough so that it's run down onto the red hot engine underneath and gone *ssssssssssss*
Anyway, my local Shell have suddenly decided to have a full-time forecourt attendant, who goes around trying to fill people's cars for them. He even wears a dayglo vest with 'Forecourt Attendant' proudly emblazoned 'twixt the back.
As I only use this garage on account of only using V Power, I've observed the poor sod for a few weeks now, vainly trying to help, but on each occasion being 'shooo-ed' away by bemused people who want to fill their own tanks as they've been doing for years.
He looks very bored and resigned already - as would you I guess, spending your working day on a forecourt, approaching people offering a service that they don't really seem to want. Must be costing the Station's Franchisees a lot in wages that don't actually bring them any more profit? I can't see it lasting.
Anyway, question is, does anyone else's local station have such a man doing this???
I saw one there in the Shell, was only offering to fill up cars driven by alone women though.
Dunno whether he thought it was going to get him laid.
I have a small village garage down the road from me with two pumps. It's probably one of not many privately owned fuel stations left. They have an old boy who comes out of his little office to fill up your car which everyone is very happy for him to do as he takes care whilst doing it and uses a bit of rag to catch any drips that's comes of the nozzle as he pulls it out.
Top service in my eyes.
Top service in my eyes.
There's an old petrol station in a small village by me, 60's tow truck and repair shop all there with two pumps out the front.
The old guy comes out and turns the pump on with a key and asks how much you want in between doing repairs etc.. Been like it for as long as I can remember. Drive past it today and their fuel is a bargain at 1.48 for normal unleaded
suprised he's still going!
The old guy comes out and turns the pump on with a key and asks how much you want in between doing repairs etc.. Been like it for as long as I can remember. Drive past it today and their fuel is a bargain at 1.48 for normal unleaded
suprised he's still going! Garlick said:
What is it with you and fuel today? 
Been spending my day constructively, by panic buying, and surveying local petrol stations to an almost investigative degree, so that I can amass plenty of sensationalist propaganda material, to post on here later on.Did well, didn't I Sir?
Sir?
I'll be bringing a nice fresh apple for you to the next Sunday Service...
/PH management Gods stalker
The first time I ever put petrol in my car was when I moved here from South Africa. It was nerve wracking 
You can always tell the South Africans at the petrol stations...they are the ones looking bemused and sneaking a look at the car next to them, trying to get a hint of what they should be doing.In South Africa the petrol attendant fills up the petrol, checks the oil, water and battery levels. Washes your windscreen, back window and side windows. You give him a big tip and off you go. If there is a problem with the car you only have to mention it and out comes the screwdriver, pliers and wire and hey presto, you leave the garage in a clean and (fixed) car. Far more fun than having to do it all yourself
You can always tell the South Africans at the petrol stations...they are the ones looking bemused and sneaking a look at the car next to them, trying to get a hint of what they should be doing.In South Africa the petrol attendant fills up the petrol, checks the oil, water and battery levels. Washes your windscreen, back window and side windows. You give him a big tip and off you go. If there is a problem with the car you only have to mention it and out comes the screwdriver, pliers and wire and hey presto, you leave the garage in a clean and (fixed) car. Far more fun than having to do it all yourself green944 said:
The first time I ever put petrol in my car was when I moved here from South Africa. It was nerve wracking You can always tell the South Africans at the petrol stations...they are the ones looking bemused and sneaking a look at the car next to them, trying to get a hint of what they should be doing.In South Africa the petrol attendant fills up the petrol, checks the oil, water and battery levels. Washes your windscreen, back window and side windows. You give him a big tip and off you go. If there is a problem with the car you only have to mention it and out comes the screwdriver, pliers and wire and hey presto, you leave the garage in a clean and (fixed) car. Far more fun than having to do it all yourself
Nice, but... You can always tell the South Africans at the petrol stations...they are the ones looking bemused and sneaking a look at the car next to them, trying to get a hint of what they should be doing.In South Africa the petrol attendant fills up the petrol, checks the oil, water and battery levels. Washes your windscreen, back window and side windows. You give him a big tip and off you go. If there is a problem with the car you only have to mention it and out comes the screwdriver, pliers and wire and hey presto, you leave the garage in a clean and (fixed) car. Far more fun than having to do it all yourself We've had a right cull of stations round here in the last 10 years. Gone from 9 down to 5. Only two are 24 hour.
Apart from in the dead of night, they're always busy. It's unusual during the day to pull up to an empty pump.
You get evil looks from the car waiting behind you as it is, if you dare to divert inside the shop to buy a Mars Bar before paying.
I would imagine if there was someone doing a mini service on cars at pumps, the queues for fuel would stretch half way down the road!
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