How much fuel would you use...

[durbster]

...waiting for a pump at a petrol station.

Or to put it another way: which is cheaper?
a) Go straight to a pump but pay 1p more
b) Wait 8 minutes for a pump for and pay 1p less

I popped to the supermarket to do the weekly shop the other day and passed the three-car deep queues at the petrol station.

Assuming they crowd there for the 1p saving compared to the alternative petrol station down the road, I smugly concluded that it's costing them more by idling for 7-8 minutes than it would if they went straight to a pump at the slightly more expensive station.

However, after scouting round the net to find out how right I am ( ), I'm not so sure. It seems idling uses much less fuel than I thought but I can't find anything from a reliable source.

[nobodyknows]

Why don't you just turn the engine off?

[Kiltox]

Turn the engine off when you know you're going to be stopped for a while?

I imagine you'd be better paying 1p more though - in my car that's < 35p a tank.

[durbster]

nobodyknows said:

Why don't you just turn the engine off?

I do - most people don't.

[Shmee]

doogz said:

But they've wasted 8 minutes of their life to save 50p.

Emphasis on that, do you value your time at more than £3.75 an hour; if you do then move along to the 1p more expensive petrol station. (Actually probably £3 an hour or less after the above discussed cost of sitting at idle)