Six bucks to Sunday

[Amethyst Hunter]

Semi-sighting courtesy of my local gas station's cashier.

Anyhoo, was popping in tonight at the town gathering square (aka the local convenience store) for some milk, and the cashier was telling me and the other customers there that she'd had a drive-off today. (Drive-off is as it sounds: someone who pumps gas then takes off without paying.) Evidently someone pumped a whopping six bucks' worth of gas and then left without tendering appropriate compensation. Because the register location is in a 'blind spot' inside the store, the cashier couldn't have caught a license plate - nor was there really any way she could have done anything else about it, because who wants to confront someone who may or may not be a) hopped up on drugs, b) carrying a loaded weapon, c) having a BAD mental day, or d) all of the above?

I suppose that *maybe*, the person could have forgotten to pay. But the cynic in me says that forgetting is too easy an explanation, and considering the economical/fuel state at present, these stories don't surprise me an ounce. The cashier said "if I get written up for this I'm quitting" - so I hope for her sake she doesn't get penalized over such a pissant deal.

Folks, if you're going to steal - and I do not for one second condone criminal activity - for god's sake, STEAL BIG. Six bucks ain't worth getting your ass hauled to the cooler for. Look to Bernie Madoff, he should be your inspiration. (Actually he's not the best example to use since he got caught - a better one would be that dude in the 1970s who ripped off something like 75 million (?) bucks and then jumped out of an airplane with it. They never found him and it's possible he's alive somewhere living it up...)

[LingualMonkey]

(Actually he's not the best example to use since he got caught - a better one would be that dude in the 1970s who ripped off something like 75 million (?) bucks and then jumped out of an airplane with it. They never found him and it's possible he's alive somewhere living it up...)

D. B. Cooper

[One-Fang]

Because the register location is in a 'blind spot' inside the store, the cashier couldn't have caught a license plate

That right there is why she should not be written up, if there is any justice in this world.

[Becks]

the register location is in a 'blind spot'

And who thought that would be a good idea?

[Dips]

who wants to confront someone who may or may not be a) hopped up on drugs, b) carrying a loaded weapon, c) having a BAD mental day, or d) all of the above?

Absolutely. If any boss of mine seriously thinks I'm going to put *his* money ahead of *my* health and safety, he's laughably delusional.

[Custard Chick]

I didn't realize there were still gas stations out there that didn't require pre-paying. I haven't been able to pump before paying since before I got my license nearly a decade ago.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I didn't realize there were still gas stations out there that didn't require pre-paying. I haven't been able to pump before paying since before I got my license nearly a decade ago.

Virtually none of my local gas stations require pre-paying.

It'd wouldn't really be a shock to me to end up someplace where that was required, since I usually put gas on my credit card.

[Midnight_Angel]

All gas stations in Germany I know of allow you to pump before going into the station to pay.

Most of them have video surveillance, though...

[bainsidhe]

Just playing devil's advocate here, but some people really do forget to pay. My coworker told me how she recently forgot to pay for gas and only remembered late that night as she was falling asleep. Of course she called first thing in the morning and took care of it right after. She's a regular and always buys a coffee, she just habitually paid for the caffeine and left without thinking of the extra step of paying for gas. It can happen. Though I suspect it's pretty rare.

Doesn't this gas station have cameras? All the ones around here do and the police will simply track him by his plate number.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Doesn't this gas station have cameras? All the ones around here do and the police will simply track him by his plate number.

Nope. At least, none that I know of - I've never seen any around that place.

With reports of drive-offs increasing over the past year or so, I'm surprised more places haven't gone to pre-pay or installation of security devices. I know that when I lived in Florida I was surprised to see that every station there (at least, the ones in my area) required pre-pay without exception, and coming from Illinois where I'd yet to encounter any pre-pay places that was something new to get used to (which was kind of a pain because I don't have a credit card so I had to estimate how much in cash I could put in, and then if necessary go back and get a refund of whatever part of the estimate I hadn't spent).

[Bella_Vixen]

I begged the powers that be at the Q to go to all prepay all the time because we kept getting so many drive offs.

Corporate's response? "It'd make the customers feel bad."












And since I've given my opinion MANY times before on such things, I'll go merrily on my way.

*scampers off*

[PepperElf]

they need better video surveillance then on the area =(

[wagegoth]

I love pre-pay using my debit or credit card. I don't have to wait in line. My receipt prints at the pump. Some chains accept cash at the pumps. I'm not tempted by the goodies in the mini-mart. I'm in and out in less than half the time.