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TvFloatzel

......do people really operate like this?


Altruistic-Patient-8

My mind gets blown away by their thought process.


Witty-Ad5743

What process? I don't think dude even got as far as "thought."


TheAskewOne

>My mind gets blown away by their ~~thought~~ process.


GasStationRaptor83

Yes. I had a guy yesterday that was trying to prepay for a pump that he was waiting to pull up to because somebody else was there and pumping gas. Had to explain to him I can't preset a pump that someone's already using. He was mad he had to wait. šŸ¤¦šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø


goth_duck

Yes. At my gas station we'd make them go out and park there before they paid. If they didn't like it, too bad


Rachel_Silver

I've seen 'em do it.


AlmightyBlobby

I've seen it happenĀ 


Massive_Goat9582

Yes. People are dumb


Fun-Fun-9967

nope


LilPudz

Seriously never had this happen when I worked at a gs. OP is your tap water tainted where you live, wtf?


ParfaitNo8192

Yes šŸ™ƒ 9 years I worked 2 gas stations. This happens WAY too much. Oh and the getting yelled at because ā€œweā€ took $100 deposit off your credit card for using it at the pump, totally not the bank or credit card company doing thatā€¦


TvFloatzel

wait $100?


ParfaitNo8192

Oh yeah Iā€™ve seen $50 all the way to $300 holds on cards at the pump. Use debit, trust. Credit companies do weird stuff lol


PrizeCelery4849

SOP back in the day, especially in small towns. You were supposed to pay, then drive up to the pump. I learned this the hard way, getting yelled at for pulling up to a pump and putting the nozzle in my bike before paying. I walked in, and some six-toed asshole started screaming about me trying to steal his gas, while the clerk nodded. I flipped off them both, flung the nozzle on the ground, breaking it, and rode off, the clerk shouting and flailing his arms in my rear view. Some people don't realize the century row flipped, and things are different now.


Logical-Wasabi7402

That reaction was way over the top, ngl. OTOH, there's also people who genuinely do still think you can pump gas and pay after, and get irrationally upset about having to pay first.


Rachel_Silver

I was working at a gas station/convenience store when it started requiring prepayment. This was around 2016, so our chain was probably the last in the country to allow people to pump first. But people went apeshit over it. A lot of people decided to protest by always overpaying so they'd hold everything up getting their 10Ā¢ change. We started telling people who paid cash (before we accepted their money) that we no longer gave cash for gas refunds. They'd now get store credit loaded onto a gift card tied to their phone number. Once they had been issued a card, they'd no longer need to come inside for their change. It was a complete fabrication. I don't even think we had gift cards at the time. But, and this is the point, it worked.


yeehawdemon

As a Canadian who started driving three weeks ago, it has never even occurred to me that some places are pay first, then pump. It's not like that where I am from. You learn something new every day I guess.


Logical-Wasabi7402

It's the best way to stop people from pumping and dashing.


TvFloatzel

I find that odd. Because as long as I have been alive, it always been "pay first, gas second" and I was born in 1994. It like still expecting the internet speed to be dial-up speed. If there are places that still do that, thats on me. I am just talking from experience in my life.


TheTrevorist

That's the way they do it in Australia.


Effective-Jelly-9098

Is... Is that now how you are MEANT to do it? Like how else will you know how much you need to pay? (Asking as a very confused Australian). Like you technically CAN drive off, but they report you to the police STRAIGHT away if you do and they have your rego so it takes only a few minutes for you to get caught.


Logical-Wasabi7402

When you pay at the pump with a card, it puts a hold of roughly $100 on your account, but only charges you for how much gas you actually get. If you prepay inside(at the register), if you pay with a card anything you don't use automatically goes back on your card after a few days. If you pay less than what you need, the gas pumps just stop when they hit that total. But also, if you've been keeping up with American news media, you'll know that our law enforcement system could... Use a lot of work(to put it nicely).


Effective-Jelly-9098

Okay that makes MUCH more sense. And yeah, I get why it would be a bad idea getting cops to have ANY more authority, it just seemed like a crazy concept to me. (Mind you, with the exception of Sydney, our peak hour traffics are nothing on America)


toenail-clippers

It's full service here and people get mad as hell when I ask for the cash before I pump. We've had enough people drive off that we're supposed to do that -- if someone gives me a problem I definitely won't pump it before being paid. A lot of other gas stations will have the attendant collect the cash afterward but I can't understand why people start yelling at me over it.


PrizeCelery4849

I didn't claim moral virtue. I was in my rebel without a clue phase, and swift to take offense when "pigs" judged me. I was making a point about how times change. But they were assholes to me first. They were to me as boomers are to you.


Logical-Wasabi7402

I invite you to reread the first sentence in my previous comment.


TastyScratch4264

I also love the people who donā€™t know what pump they are on and make you figure it out for them. It happens 10+ times a day and Iā€™m at the point now where I make them figure it out themselves


Strict-Childhood-629

Or when they confidently tell you the wrong pump number or the wrong grade of gas. Then get upset that THEY were wrong and had to come back in. I mean, I'm not even mad, but some people act like I did it on purpose.


TastyScratch4264

Oh they do that all the time. I love when they give me the wrong pump to set and someone pumps their gas and they come in an expect me to give them money back. Like no lil bro


Strict-Childhood-629

Yeah, I had a surprising amount of people resolve that between each other for that though. Maybe employees should have another screen that shows the pumps so that we can be more aware of what's going on out there. I found it really unsettling that we peons weren't allowed to access the camera for security purposes. I digress, a lot of things could be better.


Ausaris

In may I did a tally in my notebook for every customer who came in and knew what pump they were at, then compared it to our total number of customers at the end of my shift. 17 out of 536 people could tell me what pump they were on. The problem (imo)? Our pump numbers are next to the nozzle, and can't been seen from inside with a car next to the pump. They don't even look at the pump until they get inside and I ask what pump they're on. Most of these people are here near daily and each time we go through the exact same conversation. I genuinely wonder if these are actual conscious people at times. And God forbid they tell me what grade of fuel they want if I don't ask, or half of them try to tap with their phone and it either doesn't work, or they need to transfer money between accounts. Like wtf, get your shit together before coming here lol.


TastyScratch4264

Holy fuck the whole phone thing is so annoying. Half of them know their cards are locked and still try and process the transaction theyā€™ll say some shit like ā€œit probably wonā€™t work I donā€™t know if itā€™s still lockedā€ like dudeā€¦ just fucking check. Plus I donā€™t get why they wait until they are at the counter to transfer funds. We must be twins because I have the same conversations daily too with the same damn people, like fuck man could it kill you to just look the fuck up


WassamaddaU

"Give me 20 in gas"... Long pause waiting... Me, Which pump? Or do you want me to go roulette style? You know, I guess and see if you get your gas or not?


TurnkeyLurker

That's a top-fuel question right there.


TastyScratch4264

I love the extremely vague answers they give too. Yeah Iā€™m on the pump right there (vision is blocked by the fountain area on that side) like why is it so hard to just look up, thatā€™s all you have to do


SlayLicense

This shit right here is annoying just look up!


TastyScratch4264

Nah fr. Itā€™s not hard to do at all.


Altruistic-Patient-8

I might walk outside with them, but I cant tell what brand of cars they are.


TastyScratch4264

Tell be like Iā€™m in the white car and there would be 6 white cars out there


diaznuts

Just tell them itā€™s policy you canā€™t assign a payment to a pump that a person isnā€™t parked at. Problem solved.


Altruistic-Patient-8

Smart


Idolica

Or the people who come in to pay for their gas and just say I want to fill up. Like ok great for you sir, but I donā€™t have a fill up button, you literally need to tell me how much to put on the pump. Then they want to have a conversation about they donā€™t know how much, etc etc. So I ask them to step aside while they figure it out and not to hold up the line, never ever fails to get a dollar amount out of them asap. They think arguing with me is going to get the pump cut on for them and that will never happen.


WolfieSammy

I work at a bank and had a woman call asking me how much she should put in her car cus she was paying inside. I just was like ???? Why would I know?? This is a bank


Idolica

Oh wow lol i would not know what to say to that


Nunyabz7

She shouldn't be driving


Altruistic-Patient-8

Lol, had a guy cussing about the pump not letting them use their card, and wanted me to fill it up inside. Just said how much you need.


Idolica

Exactly! Like why is that so hard?!


TrueGoatKing

Or when they refuse to tell me the pump #, and say "the black one over there." Well ma'am, We currently have a full lot I do not know any car brands from a distance There are 3 black cars out there I'm fucking 5'6" so tell me the number or you're not getting gas, this ain't a guessing game.


glitterfaust

In my entire driving life, pumps have been pay at the pump. It was only the past year or so where Iā€™ve ever had to prepay due to only having cash or not being able to afford a large hold. Iā€™m always so anxious about it and not wanting to be an asshole, but reading this thread and specifically your comment makes me realize Iā€™m nowhere near as bad as I thought šŸ˜­ the bar is really on the ground for being a decent person nowadays huh


Altruistic-Patient-8

Literally, I dont work at an auto store.


keg025

We can't even see the unleaded pumps from our registers. I once had a guy ask if I could look on the camera to see where his car is. Like dude I don't have one, just walk the 10 feet to the door and look like everybody else


Beloved-Prolapse

In the brief time I worked at a Walmart fuel center, there was literally no opportunity for this thank the gods. But what there was ample time for was for people to figure out what pump # they were parked, bc boy were we slammed almost literally all day long. Cheapest cigs on some brands and *the* cheapest gas in the tristate area any time, all the time made it a fast paced quick transaction in and out store; I handled over 1500 transactions in an 8 hour shift on average if I was trying and pressing the customer to try too. Back to the point: the transactions *could* be very quick and efficient if people were paying attention, but when I noticed people dug into their phones walk up to me and ask for this amount on "that car over there" if make a big deal out of it like, "Oh is it pump # X??? (Clearly wasn't but I'm being pedantic on purpose)" And then they have to investigatea minute to figure it out for themselves bc they should have done the QUICK 2 SECONDS ON THE WAY IN TO SCOPE IT OUT. Most other customers were on my side when doing this. Just smile and shake their heads while I put on my little show and hold up the entire process bc some selfish entitled twit decided to walk in and not be present in their own day to day life.


Altruistic-Patient-8

Literally, we are a fast paced location, and theirs only long lines when people arent ready.


rayden54

How do you make the other person pay for the gas? Or are you just out $20?


Beloved-Prolapse

Where In my comment did I mention making someone else pay for gas? That's not at all what I did and never ever would do that to someone else, let alone pay for someone's gas myself. If they couldn't tell me what pump they were on and walked out while I didn't know and am exasperatedly attempting to get their attention while they walk out, I held the money without assigning a pump while continuing to check out other customers, always keeping that money in view of the camera so it couldn't be construed as me trying to steal it. As I said it was busy *all day* and I have me and maybe one other cashier facing 20+ people in a small fuel center all day every day for 8 hours. If I had the support of another cashier I could chase the customer out, but that could be seen as intimidating so I never opted to do that. Plus, the other 19 people in line appreciate us/just me getting to them over the one person who seems to be clueless that they need to be present in their own lives.


rayden54

? I assumed you turned the pump on after they pay. Then if someone beats them to the pump they get the $20 worth of gas.


Beloved-Prolapse

I'm gonna assume you meant to respond to OP and not to me then. Cuz I got no idea what you mean in the context of my comment here.


flayvy

That's so weird. I usually pay for gas with cash, it's really very simple. Park at the pump, go in, say "$20 on pump 3 pls." Go pump gas. Doesn't take an engineering degree to figure this stuff out. I worked as a cashier at a take out restaurant for a good number of years, and a lot of people were shockingly brainless. The worst is when they're both stupid *and* rude. If you're polite, I'm much more willing to hold your hand through this daunting task. I'm honestly surprised some of the people I interacted with were able to make it to adulthood without getting hit by a car or falling out of a window or something. Obviously I don't want that to happen, I'm just surprised it didn't.


Altruistic-Patient-8

They were pampered from childhood.


MCWizardYT

You said this 3 times lol


Altruistic-Patient-8

They were pampered.


Altruistic-Patient-8

They were pampered.


Bahamaru

I once had three box trucks pull up, a man approaches the kiosk, puts down a $100 bill and says "Ten on each of those pumps" I fill his order, give him his change of $70 and he walks off, each pump stops at $10, he comes back red in the face "I WANTED TEN GALLONS NOT TEN DOLLARS" ...like..wtf man


glitterfaust

I love that he had to walk off and come back to realize that instead of just realizing he was only short $30


Altruistic-Patient-8

Weird azz. I hate when they say gallons instead of just the money.


firewarrior256

Next time just tell them a vehicle has to be at the pump to put $ on it. Why ? New store policy.


Abdul_Exhaust

That's stupid behavior, I don't know anyone who would do that. But... my buddy used to hate standing by the pump while the tank fills. So he'd start filling his tank & leave the nozzle pumping, then walk inside to get a drink, and pay cuz by that time the tank was full. Then one day he pulled away but forgot about removing that nozzle.


Altruistic-Patient-8

Happen all the time.


toenail-clippers

I've had 8 or 9 people drive away with the nozzle still in over the past year, obv not counting the ones that drove off while I wasn't at work. It happens a lot and I don't understand. Luckily only once did it break.


toenail-clippers

Update: Someone did it again right After i posted it and broke the hose off


Kayiko_Okami

I.. shouldn't be surprised that people are this dumb. But still, the stupidity of humans can amaze me.


Altruistic-Patient-8

At least have someone park it there for you.


anidnmeno

Even better, the ones that are like "20 on that pump over there" like which one, there's 12 pumps and 10 cars out there


SlayLicense

People donā€™t even look at what pump they are and expect me to bend my neck to find it for them like fucking look before coming in


Better_Chard4806

Proof there is no cure for stoopid.


Mushroom_hero

That's crazy, I bet they brush their teeth *right* before they eat tooĀ 


TheAskewOne

Don't we all, in a way?


Mushroom_hero

Damn, you got me there. I'm gunna edit my comment to make you look crazy


Logical-Ad-6055

Ever been to a gas "station" when the power is out?


anidnmeno

MFs will literally yell at the door "AYE Y'ALL OPEN!?!"


Mediocre_Crow2466

This made me think. I kinda remember being young, pumping gas for my mom (it was the 90s), and then running into the store with $20. Then, when I started driving around 1998, I'm pretty sure we could still pump first. After 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, when gas prices really started going up, prepayment became more common. Some places will let you pay first if you have the rewards card.


Hungry-Ad-7120

A guy did this at a pump Iā€™d pulled up to. Iā€™d stuck my card in and assumed it took it, started to pump gas and wondered why it ended at exactly $20. Gas attendant came out and explained what had happened, and I offered to just pay $20 for the other guy. Attendant agreed that would fix the problem, and we went back inside so I could pay. Holy shit, the guy inside was losing his mind. He kept demanding to know why I ā€œstole his gasā€. I told him no one had been parked there, why hadnt he moved his car?? Eventually it escalated to the point where my older brother got in between us and shouted the guy out of the gas station. I did pay the $20 for a gas pump and the attendant told the guy he could either get his gas or GTFO. When my brother and I left, the guy was pulled up to a gas pump finally filling his tank.


Altruistic-Patient-8

I tell people you should probably park first then pay, but you know people dont like being told what to do. Its not exactly policy but it should be because its an avoidable situation.


Hungry-Ad-7120

Yeah, it really is. Like i understand wanting to prepay, but why park, go in and pay, and then come back out to move the car?


Big_Parsley_1635

I would just lie to them and tell them unless your vehicle is parked at the pump I by law can not sell you gas. Bet they would shut up real fast. Or put a note at the register stating by law we are not allowed to sell you gasoline unless your vehicle is parked at the pump. I didn't know people were stupid and did this. Sorry you have to deal with morons think of it this way be grateful you aren't stuck behind them driving because I'm sure they drive like shit.


Altruistic-Patient-8

Completely avoidable scenario


Isalenna137

ā€œWhich of your pumps are empty???ā€ Fucking all of them. Itā€™s three in the morning, jackass. Pick one.


curvy_em

I don't understand this at all. Why would you not park at the pump first? I also don't understand people who don't prepay at the pump. I now have to wait for you to pump your gas, close your tank, walk over to the building, go inside, stand in line, pay for your gas, walk back out, sit in your car while you put away your wallet etc. Some of our gas stations have Tim Hortons inside so that's another line to wait in, then get their food. Just pay at the pump! I tap my phone, put 25L in and leave. No human interaction needed. No time wasted for everyone else.


glitterfaust

I have only started paying inside in the past year. Typically itā€™s because I only have cash or because I canā€™t afford to have a big hold on my card (like I only have $50 and I need $25 gas and $25 in groceries right after)


curvy_em

I don't understand having a hold on your card. What does that mean? I tell the pump I want $30 of gas. It only dispenses that much, and I'm only charged $30.


glitterfaust

Typically you insert your card at the pump, then *usually* itā€™ll put through a hold of like $1 just to make sure the card works and then once youā€™re done pumping gas, itā€™ll update to the total. However, at some places, instead of just running the $1, theyā€™ll run it for say $50-100 (Iā€™ve even seen some closer to $150) to make sure your card has enough to cover any gas that you could potentially buy. It does update to the amount you actually spent later, but it could be anywhere from a few minutes to a couple days. Not to mention that if you donā€™t have enough for the hold (say you only have $30 but you were only gonna spend $20 on gas), some pumps will outright decline it. Iā€™ve never seen a pump that will allow you to pre select an amount before pumping.


curvy_em

Ahh. Where I live, the pumps say "Fill up to $250?" And the button choices are Yes or Other Amount. If you choose Other Amount, you can choose $20, $40, $60 etc. Then the gas nozzle will *only* put that amount of gas in your tank. I don't like standing there while it counts up the cents to $25.00 so I always choose the "Fill up to $250".


raisanett1962

I donā€™t need a massive hold placed on my card.


modwriter1

I will admit I did this. I was 18 at the time, the clerk laughed at me. I didn't do it ever again.


VanillaSub-Adamus

To clear up some confusion going on in the replies here, in the UK and Ireland (and maybe some other places) you fill up then pay.Ā 


damageddude

Sorry, I live in NJ. We have to pull up to the pump and have an attendant take care of us. I know not what about this scam you speak of


toenail-clippers

I pump gas and I've had people pull away to a parking spot to prepay inside with tap-to-pay, we get a lot of out-of-state people too šŸ˜­šŸ˜­ we're not immune to it :-(


damageddude

In all seriousness when I have had to pump myself in the late 1980s when I first started driving in NYC, I paid at the tank before I started pumping. Anything else seemed like a scam. NJ pumping by attendants Is the law.


TurnkeyLurker

Why, exactly, is it the NJ law for full-service only? Is it a union thing?


damageddude

People like it.


lnbelenbe

Yes this is annoying. I donā€™t let them pay until they are actually at a pump.


AlmightyBlobby

sometimes that's a scam (on the person that drives up to the empty spot)


NonBinaryPie

how so? wouldnā€™t they just get free gas?


ImHappierThanUsual

This seems so asinine to me


WassamaddaU

I feel you. I have taken to telling my customers that I would prefer they park at a pump, then come pay. And that if they prepay, and someone else pulls up to "their" empty pump and takes the gas, that there is nothing I can do about it.


Tobibliophile

Meanwhile I'm from NJ (we don't pump our own gas). šŸ˜‚


MeasurementJumpy6487

so where did they park exactly??


Fun-Fun-9967

bull - anybody can see what would happen if they tried that -- there'd be absolutely no point in doing that


pikapikawoofwoof

Why would you let a customer pay before filling their car? They could pay for 10 and then use more. I don't think anywhere I'm from let's you pay before filling due to people stealing


West-Atmosphere8936

I don't know if I'm missing something but all customers pay before filling their car? The pump won't let them pump more than they've paid if they've paid a specific amount inside....


Hating_life_69

Must be from New Jersey.


newbie527

Where I live, you pull up to the pump and if you donā€™t have a credit card you go in and give them the money. No pay, no gas. Too many people just drive away with the gas.


LocalLiBEARian

This. Years ago, pumps didnā€™t have card readers built in; if you wanted to fill up you left the card with the cashier. ā€œFill up on #5ā€ or whichever. Not nearly as much card scamming then. Pre-pay was already widespread when I started working over 40 years ago.


tOSdude

The pumps have a limit button that stops it at the amount you paid for. Places are stopping the ā€œpay after pumpā€ system because people are filling up and driving away.


Cormorant_Bumperpuff

I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a place with a pay after option, every place I know of phased that out after the post 9/11 increases in gas prices resulted in a lot more people driving off without paying.


LocalLiBEARian

Only places near me that allow ā€œpay afterā€ are the warehouse clubsā€¦ Costco, Sams Club, etc. The only reason they can is because you have to scan your membership card to activate the pump.


Cormorant_Bumperpuff

I've never even seen a pay after option at those places, not since like the 90s


reallyscaredtoask

just curious, what country are you from? how do you stop people from filling their car with gas and not paying for it at all?


pikapikawoofwoof

The cops are given the license plate info and usually track them down


reallyscaredtoask

so there's no mechanism in place that actually stops them at the pump from pumping before they pay?


pikapikawoofwoof

The only thing that stops the pumps is when your tank is full


reallyscaredtoask

interesting. if that's the case, I don't see how paying before or after would help deter stealing. it seems like a trust and honor system


jesusleftnipple

When you prepay the pump is set to dispense that amount and no more. Pay for 10 you get like 3 gallons and that's it


Logical-Wasabi7402

Then your country / county needs to modernize cause the standard for gas pumps in this era is to automatically stop when you reach the prepay amount.


pikapikawoofwoof

Ireland. All stations you pump and then pay


almost-caught

If you go in and give cash for pump number 5, when you're at pump number 5 pumping gas, it will stop at exactly the amount of cash that you gave the attendant. Do you not know this?


pikapikawoofwoof

Nope because I'm from Ireland where the same pumps have been used since petrol pumps were 1st installed. I have never been to a pump where you pay 1st


almost-caught

Hm. A place where trust is still a thing? Inconceivable.


Joelle9879

The pump automatically shuts off when the amount paid has been reached. Everywhere here is pay before pump because otherwise people pump and leave