Altercation at petrol station, am I wrong?
Altercation at petrol station, am I wrong?
Author
Discussion

lornemalvo

Original Poster:

4,112 posts

92 months

I stopped to fill up with diesel this morning. Pulled the nozzle from the pump, nothing happened, still showing £25 from the previous sale. Waited a while, then waved and shouted hello to the woman in the shop/kiosk. She put a thumbs up, still nothing for 15 or 20 seconds or so, then the pump zeroed and started humming.

I filled up. went in the shop and she had a right go at me, said I should have just started pumping. I explained that I never start pumping until the pump is zeroed. That's how the system works and how customers know they're not getting ripped off because they are definitely starting at zero. Only then does the pump sound as if it's working anyway. She argued that she'd been doing her job a long time and you don't wait until the pump zeroes, you just start pumping. She then had a go at me for shouting at her through the window. I asked how was I to get her attention across a forecourt and through a window without raising my voice? ( I waved and said hello once)

She was a nasty little piece of work and my parting shot was probably unnecessary, when I said no wonder she had a black eye (which was unsuccessfully concealed under a load of makeup).

It's my nearest filling station but needless to say, I won't be calling there again.

keo

2,809 posts

194 months

Sounds like she has already been told once. Shouldn’t need telling again biggrin

davek_964

10,753 posts

199 months

I never look at whether it's zero. I lift the nozzle, put it in the car - choose whether I'm paying at pump / cashier if necessary - then fill the car.

vikingaero

12,434 posts

193 months

At least at at Pay-at-pump you don't have to deal with a human being!

When I was a teenager, I went to fill up, and the 2 people at the tills were chatting and ignoring me. I put the pump back a few times thinking it wasn't working. It was working, just that neither of them could be bothered to authorise it. So I left the nozzle on the floor and drove off so one of them would have to do some work and pick it up - yes petty.

P675

748 posts

56 months

Just be glad you don't have to stand behind a petrol station counter for 8 hours a day.

John D.

20,328 posts

233 months

davek_964 said:
I never look at whether it's zero. I lift the nozzle, put it in the car - choose whether I'm paying at pump / cashier if necessary - then fill the car.
Me neither.

biggbn

30,519 posts

244 months

keo said:
Sounds like she has already been told once. Shouldn t need telling again biggrin
Classy...

Groomio

546 posts

4 months

Back in the 80's I had a part time job whilst I was at college at a non self service petrol station, some impatient knob head filled his Porsche with diesel biglaugh

Ezra

884 posts

51 months

Of course you're not wrong. Pumps should be zero'd out before you start pumping. Those who don't wait will, at some point, end up paying for fuel they've not pumped. Also, the attitude of some folks in customer facing positions is dreadful. If you weren't rude, the woman in the kiosk shouldn't be either.

snuffy

12,474 posts

308 months

Don't they have a sign on them that says something like "Ensure the reading is zero before commencing delivery?

davek_964

10,753 posts

199 months

Ezra said:
Of course you're not wrong. Pumps should be zero'd out before you start pumping. Those who don't wait will, at some point, end up paying for fuel they've not pumped.
OK.

In almost 40 years of driving, I'm pretty sure that hasn't happened. But I'll definitely watch out for it now..........

ETA: And if it did happen, I would notice - because like most people - I know roughly what it will cost to fill the car up.

KungFuPanda

4,589 posts

194 months

I didn't think that they dispensed anything until the reading is back to zero anyway. Doesn't that happen automatically when the person behind the counter authorises the pump?

snuffy

12,474 posts

308 months

Yes. It always shows the last amount and it won't start until its reset.

joshcowin

7,318 posts

200 months

lornemalvo said:
I stopped to fill up with diesel this morning. Pulled the nozzle from the pump, nothing happened, still showing £25 from the previous sale. Waited a while, then waved and shouted hello to the woman in the shop/kiosk. She put a thumbs up, still nothing for 15 or 20 seconds or so, then the pump zeroed and started humming.

I filled up. went in the shop and she had a right go at me, said I should have just started pumping. I explained that I never start pumping until the pump is zeroed. That's how the system works and how customers know they're not getting ripped off because they are definitely starting at zero. Only then does the pump sound as if it's working anyway. She argued that she'd been doing her job a long time and you don't wait until the pump zeroes, you just start pumping. She then had a go at me for shouting at her through the window. I asked how was I to get her attention across a forecourt and through a window without raising my voice? ( I waved and said hello once)

She was a nasty little piece of work and my parting shot was probably unnecessary, when I said no wonder she had a black eye (which was unsuccessfully concealed under a load of makeup).

It's my nearest filling station but needless to say, I won't be calling there again.
I would have waited as she may be busy doing something in the shop, if it took a while I would have walked into the shop and spoken to the worker, I would never shout across a petrol forecourt at someone, its rude.

By your own admission your last jibe was unnecessary. You've come out of this looking as bad if not worse than her!






lornemalvo

Original Poster:

4,112 posts

92 months

P675 said:
Just be glad you don't have to stand behind a petrol station counter for 8 hours a day.
I've done worse jobs, no excuse to be nasty

lornemalvo

Original Poster:

4,112 posts

92 months

snuffy said:
Yes. It always shows the last amount and it won't start until its reset.
Exactly, I tried to explain that it hadn't zeroed and was silent, so not activated. All I got was "just press the nozzle!!"

lornemalvo

Original Poster:

4,112 posts

92 months

joshcowin said:
lornemalvo said:
I stopped to fill up with diesel this morning. Pulled the nozzle from the pump, nothing happened, still showing £25 from the previous sale. Waited a while, then waved and shouted hello to the woman in the shop/kiosk. She put a thumbs up, still nothing for 15 or 20 seconds or so, then the pump zeroed and started humming.

I filled up. went in the shop and she had a right go at me, said I should have just started pumping. I explained that I never start pumping until the pump is zeroed. That's how the system works and how customers know they're not getting ripped off because they are definitely starting at zero. Only then does the pump sound as if it's working anyway. She argued that she'd been doing her job a long time and you don't wait until the pump zeroes, you just start pumping. She then had a go at me for shouting at her through the window. I asked how was I to get her attention across a forecourt and through a window without raising my voice? ( I waved and said hello once)

She was a nasty little piece of work and my parting shot was probably unnecessary, when I said no wonder she had a black eye (which was unsuccessfully concealed under a load of makeup).

It's my nearest filling station but needless to say, I won't be calling there again.
I would have waited as she may be busy doing something in the shop, if it took a while I would have walked into the shop and spoken to the worker, I would never shout across a petrol forecourt at someone, its rude.

By your own admission your last jibe was unnecessary. You've come out of this looking as bad if not worse than her!

Not worse than her, nasty piece of work, really wound me up.

Skodillac

9,064 posts

54 months

User name, terrifyingly, checks out.

joshcowin

7,318 posts

200 months

lornemalvo said:
joshcowin said:
lornemalvo said:
I stopped to fill up with diesel this morning. Pulled the nozzle from the pump, nothing happened, still showing £25 from the previous sale. Waited a while, then waved and shouted hello to the woman in the shop/kiosk. She put a thumbs up, still nothing for 15 or 20 seconds or so, then the pump zeroed and started humming.

I filled up. went in the shop and she had a right go at me, said I should have just started pumping. I explained that I never start pumping until the pump is zeroed. That's how the system works and how customers know they're not getting ripped off because they are definitely starting at zero. Only then does the pump sound as if it's working anyway. She argued that she'd been doing her job a long time and you don't wait until the pump zeroes, you just start pumping. She then had a go at me for shouting at her through the window. I asked how was I to get her attention across a forecourt and through a window without raising my voice? ( I waved and said hello once)

She was a nasty little piece of work and my parting shot was probably unnecessary, when I said no wonder she had a black eye (which was unsuccessfully concealed under a load of makeup).

It's my nearest filling station but needless to say, I won't be calling there again.
I would have waited as she may be busy doing something in the shop, if it took a while I would have walked into the shop and spoken to the worker, I would never shout across a petrol forecourt at someone, its rude.

By your own admission your last jibe was unnecessary. You've come out of this looking as bad if not worse than her!

Not worse than her, nasty piece of work, really wound me up.
I wouldn't be very happy if a stranger was shouting at me from a distance, when all they need to do is pick up a petrol pump and pull the handle like everyone else.

joshcowin

7,318 posts

200 months

lornemalvo said:
snuffy said:
Yes. It always shows the last amount and it won't start until its reset.
Exactly, I tried to explain that it hadn't zeroed and was silent, so not activated. All I got was "just press the nozzle!!"
She is correct, just pull the handle, the pump will reset and your diesel will start to pump! How long have you been driving? Is this your first time at a petrol station?