People at gas stations, really?

[Huskerguy]

The bride and I have been doing some traveling lately, nothing serious or long and along pretty much the same interstate which means we gas up in the same 2 or 3 places coming and going.

It might just be in my neck of the woods of Western Kansas but we get travelers from all over the U.S. Tell me why people do these things at a gas station/convenience/fast food store on the interstate. In our area, these places are busy a majority of the time during the spring and summer when people travel most. It makes no sense aside from pure laziness.

People pull up to the gas pumps, pump their gas, clean their windshield, return the nozzle to the pump and then go inside and shop, go the restroom. All the while their vehicle is blocking the pump so no one else can get gas. All they would have to do at this particular station is pull ahead 20 feet into a store front parking place which are nearly always open but NO that would be too easy. If you pull up behind one of these people you expect them to fill up and pull out but noooo, they have to use the #6 pump for a personal parking spot under the canopy.

Then there are those who pull up, get the pump going and head into the store. The pump shuts off with the familiar "click" before they even hit the front door of the store and they are no where to be found for quite some time. I guess they think it is better than the first example since the nozzle is still in the gas filler of the car even though it has long been shut off. Eventually they return and act like they can't believe the car is full already. Duh

We have had a Subaru for 5 years now and it took a while to get accustomed to the gas filler being on the right side. OK, I get that but why can't people figure out which side to have next to the pump to fill it up. I have watched people pull in with the left side to the pump only to find the gas filler on the right just to spin around the pump and you guessed it, the fill is still on the wrong side.

Lastly, and this happened on today's trip. There isn't an abundance of room for vehicles between two pumps and for some reason people want to test how far the pump hose can reach by keeping a 10 foot distance from the pump. So I pull in and barely have enough room to let my wife out on the pump side and I am holding my door and squeezing out to keep my door from hitting his car.

OK, I am done. Surely I am not the only person who sees this happen?

 

[Rustyt1953]

I had no idea that Ruthie was in Kansas.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

See it more often at Interstate Truck Stops than at local in town places.
These folks are in a hurry and want to do several things fast so they get on down the road.

 

[Kevin J.]

Recently I have found that as we get older it's best to calm down. With that in mind…..

 

[Rudi]

I'm just glad we can still get gas.

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[BigBoy99]

My pickup takes diesel fuel and most stations have only one or two pumps which will dispense both gas and diesel fuel. I was told I was extremely rude for asking a woman to move her car if she was through getting gas because she was sitting in her car, talking on her phone, blocking access to the diesel pump.

 

[Baxter6551]

Husker …. Trust me and others … it's not just in Kansas or the Midwest. It's all over. It's the "it's all about me" syndrome. No one else matters.

 

[6518John]

I don't know if it's a local, regional or national trend, but many of the stations around here have the little monitors that play various advertisements with blasting sound.

Over 30 years of reading cases has taught me that there are two places that the ordinary person needs to keep their head on a swivel—the gas station and the ATM.

It is virtually impossible to maintain any sort of auditory situational awareness with those damn monitors blasting some idiotic advertisement.

After having a ner-do-well approach me from behind because I could not hear him, I have taken to simply getting back in the vehicle and locking the doors. That is probably the best policy anyway.

 

[BloodyThumb]

We've had a recent rash of purse / loose items grabbers in local stations. I gotta say it... almost always a female driver.. gets out, pumps gas while paying zero attention to surroundings (often still talking on the phone) and all the doors on the vehicle are unlocked. Finishes and gets back in and notices the passenger side door or doors are barely open and purse, grocery sack, shopping bag, whatever was loose... is gone.

If there is video it almost always show a strategically worn plain hoodie hood hood who casually opens the doors, grabs what he wants, and closes the door just short of latching (no noise).

People at other pumps are usually oblivious to what is going on as well.

A lot of newer cars have an auto-unlock feather that will unlock ALL doors of a vehicle when the driver opens their door, or when the unlock button is hit on the remote. It can be turned off almost always, but few do.

 

[Telecaster]

I also hate the ads and video on the gas pumps. I don't want to be entertained while pumping gas.

I can't say using the pump as a parking space while shopping is widespread here, but it's not unheard of.

BJs has a sign saying the hose is long enough to reach the other side, so use the "wrong" side if you want. Guess what, it isn't long enough.

 

[pantannojack]

I get mad when I see them smoking while holding the hose nozzle into the gas tank inlet.

Then when at a SLOW pump where I had to hold the trigger at minimum to prevent auto shut off, a agitated tourist gives me trouble for taking too much time.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

My mother once spoke of "people who can't spend more than 10 seconds a day thinking about anybody but themselves/"

 

[NFrameFred]

It is, unfortunately, pretty common behavior most everywhere you go these days. In fact, (also unfortunately) that a display of respect for others and manners is more the noticeable exception instead of the norm.

I was brought up with the example and mindset to be aware that I was not the only one waiting in line, to conduct business in such situations with as much speed and as little dawdling as possible and not to take up all the space in the aisle or the time of the cashier, receptionist, teller or whomever any more than was necessary as others were waiting for service. To clear the checkout lane or gas pump in a timely fashion in recognition of other's time and needs.

Today's norm seems to be the opposite. It's more like how my late father used to characterize some folk's attitude as "Hooray for me and to #*&& with everyone else".

The wife is a bit kinder in her assessment and often tells me "they're not doing it to irritate you, they're just oblivious to anything but themselves". Just so. That's my point . Consideration for others takes a back seat as most move through life fat, entitled and happy like royalty.

As far as the mopes who can't put down their cell phones long enough to pump gas (too busy to read the signs warning of possible static ignition of fuel fumes) to the ones pumping gas with a ciggie hanging from their slack jaws - it would be Darwinism at it's finest if they only incinerated themselves . . . unfortunately they always take innocents with them when they do. (for those that would think that's an exaggeration I could show you an empty lot just off the interstate where a detonation of a gas leak leveled a large area and took several out, destroying the station and everything around it).

And then there are those that are so important that they must walk around with the phone up to their face with the speaker on at top volume carrying on inane private conversations anywhere and everywhere, particularly at the checkout while fumbling for purse or wallet having stood there gabbing until the cashier is waiting expectantly for payment after ringing up their order . . . whew !. . . >huff< >puff< <inhale> >exhale< . . . . excuse me while I retreat to my cave for some isolation, peace and quiet

 

[6518John]

I get mad when I see them smoking while holding the hose nozzle into the gas tank inlet.

Then when at a SLOW pump where I had to hold the trigger at minimum to prevent auto shut off, a agitated tourist gives me trouble for taking too much time.

I always figure Charles Darwin will take care of the first problem.

I would also figure the tourist would get ahold of the right local and get taught some manners too.

 

[NYlakesider]

The bride and I have been doing some traveling lately, nothing serious or long and along pretty much the same interstate which means we gas up in the same 2 or 3 places coming and going.

It might just be in my neck of the woods of Western Kansas but we get travelers from all over the U.S. Tell me why people do these things at a gas station/convenience/fast food store on the interstate. In our area, these places are busy a majority of the time during the spring and summer when people travel most. It makes no sense aside from pure laziness.

People pull up to the gas pumps, pump their gas, clean their windshield, return the nozzle to the pump and then go inside and shop, go the restroom. All the while their vehicle is blocking the pump so no one else can get gas. All they would have to do at this particular station is pull ahead 20 feet into a store front parking place which are nearly always open but NO that would be too easy. If you pull up behind one of these people you expect them to fill up and pull out but noooo, they have to use the #6 pump for a personal parking spot under the canopy.

Then there are those who pull up, get the pump going and head into the store. The pump shuts off with the familiar "click" before they even hit the front door of the store and they are no where to be found for quite some time. I guess they think it is better than the first example since the nozzle is still in the gas filler of the car even though it has long been shut off. Eventually they return and act like they can't believe the car is full already. Duh

We have had a Subaru for 5 years now and it took a while to get accustomed to the gas filler being on the right side. OK, I get that but why can't people figure out which side to have next to the pump to fill it up. I have watched people pull in with the left side to the pump only to find the gas filler on the right just to spin around the pump and you guessed it, the fill is still on the wrong side.

Lastly, and this happened on today's trip. There isn't an abundance of room for vehicles between two pumps and for some reason people want to test how far the pump hose can reach by keeping a 10 foot distance from the pump. So I pull in and barely have enough room to let my wife out on the pump side and I am holding my door and squeezing out to keep my door from hitting his car.

OK, I am done. Surely I am not the only person who sees this happen?

I think I might have mentioned this before but it fits here.

Wife and I were about a 100 miles from home and stopped into this convenience store to get gas and lunch. She went into the store and I was pumping gas. Filled the tank and this place all paying was inside so I moved the car and parked it up next to the building. FWIW I have many years of working at my buddies garage and know how to have good manners at the pumps.

By the time I made it to the counter my wife heard the manger telling the state police that I was a driveway. He hung up the phone and my wife told him that orange Vette is my husbands and I doubt he is going to abandon me up here. Knowing him he moved it not to block the pumps.

By the time the manager recalled the police station a car pulled in ,as the station was only about a 1/2 mile down the road. A little talk took car of everything, but trying to do the right thing I had the cops called on me.

 

[Greyman50]

Hummmmm, seems the "I'm the only person in the world" mindset is everywhere, see it more Every day especially in any drive through.

FWIW, by chance anyone actually LOOKS at Their GAS GUAGE in their dash there is a little gas nozzle showing WHICH SIDE their gas fill port is located.
Agree regarding the time waisting video commercials on has pumps. -ams Club is he worst. There are usually 6-12 vehicles Lined up waiting for gas. One has to insert membership card, wait , then insert payment card, punch in required info and wait for the ok to pump gas. Once finished you have to watch some irrelevant commercial before getting receipt. Give me a break.

 

[ladder13]

All the time.

I am happy that the local Sams Club finally installed the longer hoses. With the way the gas pumps were configured it was impossible to get to the open pumps, the ones made for right side fill. Folks queuing up for the drivers side fill blocked the flow. Now the longer hoses mean you can pull up to any pump.

Amazingly many people with drivers side fills refuse to use the other pumps. They que in line while the other pumps are wide open, though they no longer block the flow of cars.

Such is life today.

 

[ZGrand]

I've seen just about all the dumb things listed in previous posts. Another one that bugs me -- there is a convenience store up the road that sells non-ethanol gas, which I use in all the motorcycles (they all still have carburetors). The pump that has it has two nozzles, one for non-ethanol and one for normal fuel. There are 9 other pumps for normal fuel or diesel. It seems like every time I take one of the bikes there for a fill-up of non-ethanol, even if there's only one car there getting gas, they're at the only pump with non-ethanol getting normal fuel. When I pull up behind them to wait, I've had several people look at me and say, "Hey -- there's lots of other pumps here ya know", and then I have to explain that I'm waiting on this pump for the non-ethanol. Aarrgg......

 

[zeke]

Our local gas stations had so many drive aways, they require payment up front for a specified amount, or use credit card. While some may consider it polite to move their car up after pumping, and before payment is made, if the employee doesn't know you or loses sight of you, be prepared to get arrested. Have no idea how it works in big cities, as i don't go to them.

Course it is a different story if you pay by credit, pump and then move your car up. The annoying advertisement at our local station is one button away from being silenced. Have had several people next to me while i was pumping gas that got out of car with a lit cigarette. I was right on the edge of being impolite about it, but you betcha it was mentioned.