Petrol Station Peeves

[Lace Neil Singer]

Just need to vent; it seems that all my pet peeves were visited upon me today. -.-

1. People who do it wrong and have an attitude. If you're Doing It Wrong, ie not putting the nozzle in the car, then don't get all nasty when you're told as much. Especially since I generally prefer to go out and tell customers personally rather than use the intercom; some of these people's reactions make me wish I'd chosen to humilate them instead. -.-

2. Mobile phones. Look retard, there's a sign on every pump with a pictorial warning about not using mobiles on the forecourt. I don't give a crap about you seeing on Science Abuse or Top Gear that mobiles are safe, it's the law, dammit.

3. Asking over and over. This is something that a lot of people do. They ask for a VAT receipt at the beginning of the transaction; I say "Sure" and continue. They then ask again at the end. -.- I am not stupid, or forgetful, or deaf. Sure, if I've obviously forgotten, then yeah, remind me. But I do have to press a button to get the receipt, so it's not going to come out instantaniously. Repeating your request over and over is not going to get it to come out any quicker, it's only going to make you look like a dick.

4. Personal remarks. Such as, "Why do you have your hair like that?" or "Why did you get all those holes in your ears?". I would prefer it if you kept your inane comments to yourself. You wouldn't say these things to a stranger in the street, so please don't say them to a cashier.

5. Repetition. The only reason why I should ever have to repeat myself is cuz a) the customer is deaf or has hearing problems or b) there's background noise. If a customer doesn't hear me cuz they're either yacking on a mobile, cooing over their havoc wrecking children, bitching about something which I have zero control over or just staring into space, it irritates me to death and makes me feel like breaking something. -.-

6. Children. Not all of them, mind; just the ones that cause chaos by running up and down the shop, grabbing stuff off the shelves and screeching like banshees while their parents just stand there and do nothing to control them. If you can't make your children behave in the petrol station, then lock them in the car before you come in to pay. There was once this child who grabbed a load of chocolate bars off the shelf; I pointed this out to the mother, and all she did was pull the chocolate from her child's hands and drop it on the floor. -.- She didn't tell him off or anything; worse, when he started screeching and bellowing cuz she'd taken the chocolate, she bought him some sweets.

7. Moaning about the queues. There are busy times and quiet times. If you happen to come during a busy time, then suck it up cuz there isn't anything we can do about the queues. Sometimes there's just two of us in the shop, so we can't magic an extra staff member out of midair to put on the third till.

8. Money throwers. I've had people just throw their money down and leave, often pushing in, cuz they're too impatient to wait in line like everyone else. I even had some arsehole throw a wadded up couple of notes at my head. O_o

9. Demanding cashback. We have a sign on every till stating we don't do cashback, it would be nice (tho asking the impossible) if people could, you know, READ THE EFFING SIGN rather than asking for cashback and getting all pissy cuz we don't and never have done it.

10. Last-minuters. There have been some very rude and abusive SCs who have rolled up after closing time and then started hurling abuse just cuz we refused to reopen the petrol station for them. These idiots are why I hate working Sundays (we close at six on Sunday) cuz we always seem to get a dozen of them. Not to mention the less vitriolic but almost as irritating people who wander into the shop to dawdle around and look at everything, delaying my cashing up and getting the hell out of there. -.- I'm not paid after six, so I resent having to work after six cuz of people who can't just grab something, pay for it and get the hell out.



There will probably be more as they come to me. XD Feel free to add on to this list if you have another petrol peeve.

[Pagan]

Are you kidding? No, no I'm not kidding about how much your prescription costs. Why would I kid about that? No, I don't know if it's cheaper at X Pharmacy, I don't work there. I also don't know why your insurance no longer covers it/requires a PA/is making you pay more. Call them!

4. Personal remarks. Such as, "Why do you have your hair like that?" or "Why did you get all those holes in your ears?". I would prefer it if you kept your inane comments to yourself. You wouldn't say these things to a stranger in the street, so please don't say them to a cashier.

I have been getting both of those questions a lot lately. This is why I quit wearing my rings to work, too.

I finally answered one about my ear, "Because I do." Felt like saying they represented the people that I've smacked for asking that question.

I'd love to fire back at them, "Why are you/do you have <blank>?" Of course, I'd get in trouble....

8. Money throwers. I even had some arsehole throw a wadded up couple of notes at my head. O_o

I'd treat that as a tip.

[Gibbo]

I have plenty of peeves but these are my main petrol station ones.

Read the sign Every pump we have displays a sign that says that under 16's won't be served if they have been sent to pay for the fuel, so don't come in and throw a hissy fit because you have actually had to walk in and pay for it yourself instead of sitting on your lazy arse and have your 8 year old run into the shop while avoiding cars. But then again it would be OUR fault if your ickle pwecious got run over wouldn't it?

Pump display light off = pump off At around 7 o'clock we will lock and turn off the pumps at the far end of the forecourt. Now you would think that anyone driving in would see that these pumps are turned off and go to a pump which is still on, but no, they will drive up to one of the pumps that are turned off and get out and stand there trying to pull the nozzle out of the holder. When they realise that it isn't going to happen they then go and fill up at another pump, and then come in ranting about how they should be a cone by the locked pump, as if it is our fault that they can't tell the difference between something that has been switched off or not.

Cones are not there for decoration When a tanker is on the forecourt we have to switch off the air machine and keep that area of the forecourt clear to allow the tanker to leave safely. The area will have a line of cones to block it off as we always stupidly assume that people will come to the conclusion that blocked off area = no entry, but of course people will either drive through a gap in the cones or drive around the other side to get to the air machine. The driver will then come into the shop to ask if the air machine is working in that "I want to use it so make it work" tone of voice, so we then say that it has to be off while until the tanker has left.

[edible_hat]

2. Mobile phones. Look retard, there's a sign on every pump with a pictorial warning about not using mobiles on the forecourt. I don't give a crap about you seeing on Science Abuse or Top Gear that mobiles are safe, it's the law, dammit.

All those shows have proven is that it's very difficult to do on purpose. In theory if you have a tiny gap (like the gap between the nozzle and the edge of the hole it goes into) of just the right size it can act as an antenna and you can get a spark jumping that gap. In an environment full of petrol fumes, not a good thing. It's the same reason that fireworks display people twist the wires around each other - to eliminate those gaps and loops.

4. Personal remarks. Such as, "Why do you have your hair like that?" or "Why did you get all those holes in your ears?". I would prefer it if you kept your inane comments to yourself. You wouldn't say these things to a stranger in the street, so please don't say them to a cashier.

They probably would say it to random people in the street, the rude gits.

5. Repetition. The only reason why I should ever have to repeat myself is cuz a) the customer is deaf or has hearing problems or b) there's background noise. If a customer doesn't hear me cuz they're either yacking on a mobile, cooing over their havoc wrecking children, bitching about something which I have zero control over or just staring into space, it irritates me to death and makes me feel like breaking something. -.-

The ones I really hate ask you to repeat yourself before you've even finished saying it the first time. e.g.

"that's t..."
"How much?"
"Two fifty."

9. Demanding cashback. We have a sign on every till stating we don't do cashback, it would be nice (tho asking the impossible) if people could, you know, READ THE EFFING SIGN rather than asking for cashback and getting all pissy cuz we don't and never have done it.

According to some SC's, my store is the only one in the universe that doesn't do cash out (yes one or two have said that exact thing). I guess we've just proved them wrong about one more thing...

People who have trouble with doors Especially sliding doors, but any kind of door will do. Sometimes the automatic door at the entrance to the shop is a bit slow, and sometimes SCs bang against it because they're too impatient to wait an extra 8 seconds (I timed it). Then there are the ones who leave the doors open on the donut cabinet, pie warmer, ice cream freezer, etc.

[Muses_nightmare]

2. Mobile phones. Look retard, there's a sign on every pump with a pictorial warning about not using mobiles on the forecourt. I don't give a crap about you seeing on Science Abuse or Top Gear that mobiles are safe, it's the law, dammit.

Hate these people with a passion.

I'd like to add:
Smokers People who think it's just fine to smoke 5 feet from the pumps. I had to tell one guy that no his buddy could not be smoking in the car while he pumped the highly flammable liquid. When they bitched all I said was "listen, you may want to ignite 100 000 plus litres of fuel and make a big pretty explosion, but I want no part in this, tell your buddy to put out his smoke." This also includes coworkers, who will stand right outside the door of the store and light one up. One of them even lit up while walking through the pump islands.

Cones are not there for decoration

I once saw someone stop their car, get out, move the cones that were in front of a broken pump then back up and pull out in front of it. Only to be told that, no you can't use that one, it's broken, hence the cones. Another person ran over and dragged the cone out into the intersection.

[Lace Neil Singer]

We've had countless cones splatted cuz some dickhead has decided to mow down a cone rather than get their head out of their arse long enough to realise that the cone is there for a reason. -.- Like that it's the end of the day, and the forecourt is being blocked off cuz the petrol station is closed. Or cuz a pump is out of fuel/broken. And of course the sign is invisible.

Hate these people with a passion.

I'd like to add:
Smokers People who think it's just fine to smoke 5 feet from the pumps. I had to tell one guy that no his buddy could not be smoking in the car while he pumped the highly flammable liquid. When they bitched all I said was "listen, you may want to ignite 100 000 plus litres of fuel and make a big pretty explosion, but I want no part in this, tell your buddy to put out his smoke."

I remember once telling this extremely dimwitted girl that no, she couldn't smoke next to the pump while her boyf was filling up. -.- I eventually got thru to her by telling her graphically how explosive the vapour was.

There was also the case of the numpties who drove in a tanker right into the tanker bay, got out of said tanker... then they both lit up. -___- FAIL.

[Nyoibo]

According to some SC's, my store is the only one in the universe that doesn't do cash out (yes one or two have said that exact thing). I guess we've just proved them wrong about one more thing...

Do you have an ATM? I never got that, people wanting cash out being told no and being told there's an ATM behind them, and them then saying "But then I have to do two transactions"

[sms001]

I'd love to fire back at them, "Why are you/do you have <blank>?" Of course, I'd get in trouble....

This one could probably be done within the bounds of propriety:

"Why do you have so many holes in your ear?"

"Same reason you're wearing khaki dockers - a way to express my individual taste."

[ParkingWitch]

them then saying "But then I have to do two transactions"

Or they start hollering, "I'ts not in my system and will charge me a fee"

[fireheart]

Do you have an ATM? I never got that, people wanting cash out being told no and being told there's an ATM behind them, and them then saying "But then I have to do two transactions"

Depending on their bank or their type of account, they should be able to get it for free. Obviously people are stupid. I get people who bitchrantwhine etc. about how "but it's gonna charge me a fee !!eleventy!1!" I've tried telling people that EFTPOS ain't exactly free either-it charges up to $1.80 per transaction.

Or they start hollering, "I'ts not in my system and will charge me a fee"

Again, depends on the account. But I've had a few bitch sessions about the fact that no, we are NOT a bank, if we run out, that's it, no we cannot pull another $500 out of our asses.

[PepperElf]

it's the law, dammit.

that's a law?
wow didn't know... always figured the stores were putting that rule up themselves.

Demanding cashback.

is that for over-paying the gas? like paying for 10 bucks of gas and finding out the car only needs 8?

that's why i hate prepay. i'll pay at the pump instead.

[Slytovhand]

NO ENTRY Those gits who think it's ok to drive in the opposite entry to the peak hour traffic that is trying to fill up, to avoid the long queues. Though, it gets fun when you don't authorise their pump (ie, turn it on), and tell them to back it up, they ain't getting served til they come in the other way. Especially fun when they bitch and whine and say "I didn't see any signs"...ah, well, you've ignored 3 of them, including the one your standing right next to Had a manager do that to a few ppl (she was a pain in the butt, but those times were good!)


Cos I said Really, that's all that matters. You're on my workplace, if I give you a directive, you damn well do it (usually the mobiles, the cigarettes type of stuff).

Can't you just??? Ah, no. Don't you think if I could, I would have?? Usually in the context of 'I can't pay you now, so can't you just...". Nope! Not gonna happen!


My card - I can do what I want with it Which is the way it goes when they use one of those petrol cards for companies. Especially the ones that have specific stipulations - such as only for a particular rego, or only a particular fuel type... yeah... I love declining those! I had one moron who said that it was *his* card, so he could do what he wanted with it. Then, told me that his mate had no money at all, and neither did he, and he desperately needed the fuel, so he said he'd put it on the card. No, no no and no.. which bit don't you get (and insulting me isn't going to help your cause!!) He goes to his mate, who comes inside, whips out his wallet and hands over the cash... said wallet was loaded with $20's, $50's and the odd $100 - nope, no money at all.

But revenge was sweet once. Same sort of deal, same sort of insults... phonecall about 3 hours later "Hey, my mate came in a few hours back, and you refused to take his card and he threw a hissy-fit... he's lost his wallet - have you seen it there??" hehehehehe



ETA:

Demanding cashback.

No, cash from a transaction - like an ATM. aka Cashout. eg. $20 fuel, and $50 in cash.

[blas]

Oh the memories it brings back! I'm not sure about the law as far as how old you have to be to pump gas, but it used to irk me to NO END when someone would think it'd be SOOO cute if Little Johnny pumped the gas, and as you can imagine, several gallons of gas would go spilling out and the dumbass parents would (try to) refuse to pay for what they spilled.........

And ohh...the money throwers. There were times I just wanted to scream "Does it look like I am fucking dancing naked for you on a stage right now? Quit fucking throwing money at me!"

But towards the end, I'd just throw it right back at them. Some people were just never taught any kind of manners and decency.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Oh the memories it brings back! I'm not sure about the law as far as how old you have to be to pump gas, but it used to irk me to NO END when someone would think it'd be SOOO cute if Little Johnny pumped the gas, and as you can imagine, several gallons of gas would go spilling out and the dumbass parents would (try to) refuse to pay for what they spilled.........

That's against the law over here; anyone tries to get their kiddie on the pump will have said pump not authorised, or if they started then handed the hose to their pwecious, pump is then turned off. Cue much bitching from the parents of the year.

[Muses_nightmare]

Oh the memories it brings back! I'm not sure about the law as far as how old you have to be to pump gas, but it used to irk me to NO END when someone would think it'd be SOOO cute if Little Johnny pumped the gas, and as you can imagine, several gallons of gas would go spilling out and the dumbass parents would (try to) refuse to pay for what they spilled.........

Where I live in BC it's 16 to pump gas, basically if you can't drive legally, why would you need gas.

Also, at the station I worked at we had a little girl get sprayed in the face with gas because her dad was letting her pump (my coworker probably didn't see the child otherwise the pump wouldn't have been authorised)

oh and one more to add!

Non-newsreaders In BC we had a law passed last febuary that all gas stations have to be prepay. Included in this was another part that stated unless there were 2 or more people working there must be a barrier between the customer and the employee after 10pm. When I quit in April people were still either bitching about pre-pay, or trying to tell me that there was no such law. You know, because they don't read the paper, listen to the radio or watch TV, heck it was on the front page of a few papers at least, some were free papers!