Petrol station ettiquette
Petrol station ettiquette
Author
Discussion

vixen1700

Original Poster:

29,021 posts

299 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
The petrol station I tend to use quite often is usually very busy as it's the only one for miles and it also has an M&S food bit in it, so people tend to stock up for their evening meals etc.

This means there is often a queue of cars waiting to fill up. Now when people go to pay for their petrol, they invariably walk round and look at the food stuff in M&S while the person sits behind them for about 10 minutes while the person in front pays for their petrol (& food).

If there is somebody waiting behind me, I fill up, then get back into the car and move forward so the person behind can start filling up their car.

This generally gets a thank you, or as in the case last night from the bloke in the black Alfa, a thumbs up.

A simple thing that saves people a little time and is all round good karma.

NOW WHY AM I THE ONLY fkING ONE WHO DOES THIS? mad

Why do people leave their fking cars for a quarter of an hour to go fking shopping while there's a queue of cars waiting to put petrol in.

[/rant] smile

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

214 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
The one that pisses me off the most is when you pull into the petrol station behind someone and they approach a row of two pumps, and proceed to stop at the first one rather than driving through to the furthest one. Some people are oblivious to everything going on around them, and other people, it's untrue.

KardioKate

1,584 posts

183 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
I quite agree.

I used to pull forwards of the pumps until one rather rotund, and possibly, quite special attendant started bellowing to me through the tannoy system about driving off without paying.

I generally now pay at pump and be done with it. Although none of the stations I use have associated stores (nothing more than drinks or pasties).

SturdyJ

10,443 posts

196 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
Chicane-UK said:
Some people are oblivious to everything going on around them
[1950s attitude]
Ahh, you've seen women drive too?
[/1950s attitude]

Stefan DS3R

3,620 posts

227 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
Two things that P me off are the people who stop in the entrance, blocking it up and wait for the first car to go, I personally just pick a pump, pull up behind the car/van/bike and wait in turn and secondly with the recent increase in these mini-supermarket combined petrol stations, why isn't there a dedicated till marked 'Fuel only'?

Stef

kambites

71,471 posts

250 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
I think they should just make most of the pumps pay-at-pump only. Then they could refuse to serve anyone in the shop whose car is at one of the pumps.

Mind you, since most of their profit comes from selling things other than petrol, they probably wouldn't.

jdw1234

6,021 posts

244 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
vixen1700 said:
The petrol station I tend to use quite often is usually very busy as it's the only one for miles and it also has an M&S food bit in it, so people tend to stock up for their evening meals etc.

This means there is often a queue of cars waiting to fill up. Now when people go to pay for their petrol, they invariably walk round and look at the food stuff in M&S while the person sits behind them for about 10 minutes while the person in front pays for their petrol (& food).

If there is somebody waiting behind me, I fill up, then get back into the car and move forward so the person behind can start filling up their car.

This generally gets a thank you, or as in the case last night from the bloke in the black Alfa, a thumbs up.

A simple thing that saves people a little time and is all round good karma.

NOW WHY AM I THE ONLY fkING ONE WHO DOES THIS? mad

Why do people leave their fking cars for a quarter of an hour to go fking shopping while there's a queue of cars waiting to put petrol in.

[/rant] smile
I genuinely didn't know you can do this!

I assumed (wrongly) the pump is reset after you pay.

In future I will always move the car forward - ta!


freecar

4,249 posts

216 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
I always watch who was in the car in front of me when I am queueing, if they are about to pay when the first pump become available and the cars are tight I#ll wait for 30 seconds and pull right forward leaving a spare pump behind.

I tend to watch in my rear view and the reactions are priceless, first confusion (why hasn't he moved?) then frustration (it's a bit tight, I doubt I'll be able to squeeze past) then relief (you beauty, you waited so we could both get fuel, cheers!)

Most people are oblivious to everyone else, since looking after my mum I've taken to doing the weekly shop and the number of people who just abandon their trolley right smack bang in the middle of the aisle meaning nobody can pass is ridiculous, same as the number of people who decide to walk half pace like they're enjoying the experience!

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

219 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
Chicane-UK said:
The one that pisses me off the most is when you pull into the petrol station behind someone and they approach a row of two pumps, and proceed to stop at the first one rather than driving through to the furthest one. Some people are oblivious to everything going on around them, and other people, it's untrue.
Although if you want superunleaded or diesel sometimes the other set of pumps doesn't have that fuel wink

bozmandb9

673 posts

209 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
The worst thing is when you're there for LPG, invariably there is only one LPG pump, and some idiot who's probably never even heard of LPG uses that pump as a parking spot whilst he goes to pretend not to peruse the top shelf for an hour or so whilst waiting for the shop to be empty so he can grab one and take it to the counter!

I think the retailers should do a better job of 'encouraging' good etiquette, it should be compulsory to move off from the pump immediately when you finish filling, then park and pay, or just pay at a barrier at the exit.

JonnyFive

29,897 posts

218 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
Chicane-UK said:
The one that pisses me off the most is when you pull into the petrol station behind someone and they approach a row of two pumps, and proceed to stop at the first one rather than driving through to the furthest one. Some people are oblivious to everything going on around them, and other people, it's untrue.
Yep, this one annoys me.

They just stop at the first one whilst you're sat there mad

bakerstreet

5,043 posts

194 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
Another classic is the people who don't realise that pump hoses can reach accross to the otherside of the car!

People will que for 15 minutes at one pump whilst the other one is available and all they would have to do is pull the blasted hose a bit!

Agree about the M&S food shops and petrol stations. I got fuel in city centre and this food shop was obviously popular.

I wasn't in a hurry, so I just sat there patientl until I became bore and pulled to another pump. I happen to check the time and the lady in question had been in the shop for just shy of 20 minutes!

kambites

71,471 posts

250 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
bakerstreet said:
Another classic is the people who don't realise that pump hoses can reach accross to the otherside of the car!

People will que for 15 minutes at one pump whilst the other one is available and all they would have to do is pull the blasted hose a bit!
Plenty of people don't want to pull the hose across the car. I'd rather queue for 15 minutes to get one on the right side, than drag a gritty hose across the top of my car, personally.

JonnyFive

29,897 posts

218 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
kambites said:
bakerstreet said:
Another classic is the people who don't realise that pump hoses can reach accross to the otherside of the car!

People will que for 15 minutes at one pump whilst the other one is available and all they would have to do is pull the blasted hose a bit!
Plenty of people don't want to pull the hose across the car. I'd rather queue for 15 minutes to get one on the right side, than drag a gritty hose across the top of my car, personally.
Me too.

I'm not touching the rubber hose against my car.

alsem

580 posts

219 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
I wonder why in heavens name you should spend a quarter of an hour wandering around in a petrol station, the stuff you can buy is mostly the same in every station, and it doesn't even matter whether you buy a snickers or a mars, people are like zombies in petrol stations sometimes!

I do it mostly running, get into the shop, if i'm hungry grab something random to eat (it's all st anyway) throw it on the counter, yell my pump number put my pass in the machine and i'm gone whitin a minute.

please stop queuing in a petrol station, that's not what people are made for!

Risotto

3,933 posts

241 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
JonnyFive said:
kambites said:
bakerstreet said:
Another classic is the people who don't realise that pump hoses can reach accross to the otherside of the car!

People will que for 15 minutes at one pump whilst the other one is available and all they would have to do is pull the blasted hose a bit!
Plenty of people don't want to pull the hose across the car. I'd rather queue for 15 minutes to get one on the right side, than drag a gritty hose across the top of my car, personally.
Me too.

I'm not touching the rubber hose against my car.
Seriously? Wow.

Jayho

2,413 posts

199 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
kambites said:
I think they should just make most of the pumps pay-at-pump only. Then they could refuse to serve anyone in the shop whose car is at one of the pumps.

Mind you, since most of their profit comes from selling things other than petrol, they probably wouldn't.
There's a Tesco near me which have 4 pumps out of their 12 dedicated to pay at pump, its quite a good idea TBH, and Pay at pump can still be used at the other 8.

Unfortunately for me my card cannot be used at pay at pump. :/ Took a very fustrating night where I needed petrol and the kiosk was closed to find out. Ended up requiring the girl I took out to pay for the petrol and me pay her back in cash later. frown

Its funny sometimes when you see a queue forming because everyone is wanting to use the pump on the same side as their petrol cap. Dont people realize that there is actually plenty of pump to go round to the other side?

anonymous-user

83 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
Similarly, although not petrol station related, is the number of old farts on pension day (Thursday/Friday around here) who walk through the front door of a supermarket/shop, and just stop walking. YOU STUPID GERIATRIC OLD , GET THE fk OUT OF THE WAY! Just because they want to decide whether to piss their pants, have a heart attack, go for a cup of hot chocolate and a scone, or just block every fking aisle they visit.

kambites

71,471 posts

250 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
Jayho said:
There's a Tesco near me which have 4 pumps out of their 12 dedicated to pay at pump, its quite a good idea TBH, and Pay at pump can still be used at the other 8.
yes Our local Asda is the same.

SD1992

7,278 posts

187 months

Wednesday 29th June 2011
quotequote all
bakerstreet said:
Another classic is the people who don't realise that pump hoses can reach accross to the otherside of the car!

People will que for 15 minutes at one pump whilst the other one is available and all they would have to do is pull the blasted hose a bit!

Agree about the M&S food shops and petrol stations. I got fuel in city centre and this food shop was obviously popular.

I wasn't in a hurry, so I just sat there patientl until I became bore and pulled to another pump. I happen to check the time and the lady in question had been in the shop for just shy of 20 minutes!
Not all of them do... The ones that used to be at my local Tesco didn't, and I found that out the hard way once when I looked really stupid re maneuvering my Astra to get fuel in, and it was pretty damn close as it was!

Plus, I don't want to scratch my paintwork by dragging a dirty hose over my car. I will happily wait another few minutes smile