Impatient dickhead

[Lace Neil Singer]

See, you'd think that, but having seen a trial of them locally, I can tell you it doesn't work like that. It causes even more SCs than normal, and despite the best efforts of the staff, folks either couldn't or wouldn't learn how to work them.

It got so bad that they had to drop them after a few months and let them have the pump then pay system. It might be catching on in other places, but I don't think they'll be trying that again in a hurry round by me.

I heard about that; wasn't it the blue stripy supermarket that preaches "Every little helps"?

[MannersMakethMan]

I heard about that; wasn't it the blue stripy supermarket that preaches "Every little helps"?

Yes, it was them... In my limited experience of petrol stations in Shropshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire they've all let you pump first and pay after. Have I just managed to miss the authorisation everywhere, or is it catching on elsewhere in the UK?

[SG15Z]

I think the problem with that would be that people are really dim and would come and bang on the window shouting, "Why isn't my pump turning on?!!!1!eleventy!". It's easy enough saying "Everywhere should have prepaid pumps" when you come from a place that has always had that system, but just try implementing that system in a place that has always had pump first then pay. It would be mayhem. We already have tons of people who can't read the signs on every pump that say "No mobiles, no smoking, switch your engine off, don't let under 16s use the pump" so I doubt those people would read signs that told them how to use a prepaid pump; they'd just come into the petrol station and bitch. -__-

Agreed. In fact you can't even use our pump until you press a couple buttons on the computer then it tells us a pump needs authorization. We can't turn on a pump at all without that authorization promt or we do a prepay transaction. I can't tell you how many people just put the pump in the car without following instructions on the screen and then yell at me, "Are you gonna turn it on!!!eleventy!!!"
me: "you have to press the pay-at-window-button!"
SC: Just turn it on!
ME: I can't!!!

God help me if we ever went to prepay only...I think I would die.

When Texas(our number 1 vaction desitination) implemented a state wide pre-pay law, I was a little irritated, because when we go on vacation, we normally try to pay from gas with cash. Honestly, by the end of our vacation, this really didn't bother me at all. When gas prices sky rocketed, a number of our local gas stations implemented pre-pay due to the number of run-offs. I absolutely understand why, and it would totally resolve issues such as the one in the thread.

.....What prepay law?? If there is one I know of several stations that don't follow it (including Kroger). I know a lot of stations are prepay only though. If there is a law it isn't state wide. Probably just a county or city law. Some of the local governments are pretty strict when it comes to gas stations.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

It's easy enough saying "Everywhere should have prepaid pumps" when you come from a place that has always had that system, but just try implementing that system in a place that has always had pump first then pay. It would be mayhem. We already have tons of people who can't read the signs on every pump that say "No mobiles, no smoking, switch your engine off, don't let under 16s use the pump" so I doubt those people would read signs that told them how to use a prepaid pump; they'd just come into the petrol station and bitch. -__-

I live in British Columbia, Canada, and the province just implemented a 'pre-paid only' policy for ALL gas stations in the province. Really, it hasn't been that bad. From what I hear, for the first month or so there were a few SCs but everyone has come to accept it and moved on.

The reason was because a young man was dragged to death while trying to stop a gas'n'go theft... There really was a lot of public push behind the law.

[Primer]

.....What prepay law?? if there is one I know of several stations that don't follow it (including Kroger). I know a lot of stations are prepay only though. If there is a law it isn't state wide. Probably just a county or city law. Some of the local governments are pretty strict when it comes to gas stations.

You beat me to it! I think it's station to station, but I may be mistaken. I know that while I used to prefer to pay cash after pumping, in the last few years I've really come to prefer the credit card at the pump. I get fewer cat-butt faces from people waiting in line behind me!

[aurelemsrealm]

Being a convenience store clerk, I am totally in favor of a pre-pay or pay-at-pump only system. If you don't like it, tough. You just don't get gas unless you're willing to do it on OUR terms. That's the way it should be.

We have two pre-pay/pay-at-pump only pumps at the far end of our lot. Every day that I work, at least one moron comes in whining or throwing a hissy fit that they "want to fill it up, and don't know how much it will hold." Well, there's this big red and white notice sticker which says pre-pay or pay-at-pump only. More often than not, these sucktards act surprised, "Oh, I didn't see that!"

Yeah, kind of hard to be observant when your head is up your ass, I guess.

I had this old man today, in fact, who started complaining about how he would much rather pump first because it's just easier. I flat out let him know my opinion that all pumps at all stores would be pre-pay/pay-at-pump only if it was my decision, and that he would just have to get used to it or do without.

Can you tell it just really annoys me when they start whining about it? As for me, I get most of my gas at one of the MurphyUSA stores at one of the local Wal-Marts. That way, I can use the Wal-Mart gift card to save 3 cents per gallon. Yes, by the way, I usually pay-at-pump for my gas, then go in to get anything else I might want. My wife and I just put our gas money on gift cards when we buy groceries each week, then we each keep a gift card for gas when we need it.