Pre-pay petrol stations

[Pogo2]

Dont you just hate it. You pull into a service station and the pump says pre pay. You walk up to the counter and perhaps wait until people to be served. When you get to the counter and say that you want to fill up the attendant says go ahead (without pre paying) What a waste of time.

What cant service stations only use pre pay at night or something.

Possibly done to eliminate "drive offs" but a pain for us law abiding citizens.

Does anyone else find this to be a pain in the bum or is it just me. Next time I'll think I'll have a word to the attendant about their stupid signs!:whocares:

[Sniper]

I just start filling and only go in if the pump doesnt work and ask for them to turn it on. No point in chatting to the attendant, they arent the ones who put the signs up, they just do their job.

[Highlander]

Generally refuse to pre pay my fuel (cell phone is different). I want to fill, not have a guess at how much it needs.

Last one I pulled up in I picked up the hose looked at the atendant and pointed to my tank. When he nodded I filled up then went in and paid.

[crashe]

Mobil is prepay 24/7 which is a pain in the butt... cos of the people driving off and not paying.

Shell refuse to unlock the pumps after 10pm

I tend to usually go to BP....

If I have to refuel when they have gone over to prepay (after 10pm)
I try to get the guy/gal behind the counters attention and signal to unlock the pump...

Most will do it... occassionally they will refuse.
Even after explaining that bikes dont just take $10 or $20 worth of gas as it does depend on how much fuel in in the tank.
Most are very good........

I had a dude at a mobil refuse point blank at 9.55pm..... lucky for me I was staying just up the road for that night. Next morning I went in... they apologised for the newbie attendant on the night before..
That newbie was obeying the memo sent out to the letter... hadnt learnt about bike riders and the size of there tanks... guess he knows now.

Another Mobil and I was trying to get the pump to work (daytime). It wouldnt start to let the fuel out cos the attendent hadnt released it from the last person using it.... damn frustrating to have to walk all the way in to tell them to unlock it....... I got a huge apology from them and a FREE hot chocolate.

[Titanium]

Never had a problem, either in the cage or the bike .......

Just get the petrol guys attention and the liquid flows out .....

Must be what I ride / drive ...:yes:

[Devil]

Mobil is prepay 24/7 which is a pain in the butt... cos of the people driving off and not paying.


Must just be the ones you go to :P I rarely see them on prepay. Only at night or for the pumps furthest from the Shop.

I always go to mobil because of eftpos at pump. No forking around, dont hvae to worry even if it is on pre-pay you still get to fill the tank and dont have to take your helmet off.

[notme]

Luckily for me, i have Shell and BP fuel cards. If pumps are on prepay, simply holding up the fuelcard so they can see always (so far) gets it unlocked.

[Karma]

Must just be the ones you go to :P I rarely see them on prepay. Only at night or for the pumps furthest from the Shop.

I always go to mobil because of eftpos at pump. No forking around, dont hvae to worry even if it is on pre-pay you still get to fill the tank and dont have to take your helmet off.



Yeh, pay at pump is good stuff, plus my bike seems to like their 98 octane stuff they've got, so Mobils good enough for me,

[Wenier]

Yea never had a problem with gettin it unlocked. But then i haven't found one that is locked during the day.

And go the 98 it good shit. Whats happening weasel nice to see ya upgraded.

[Big Dog]

Dont you just hate it. You pull into a service station and the pump says pre pay. You walk up to the counter and perhaps wait until people to be served. When you get to the counter and say that you want to fill up the attendant says go ahead (without pre paying) What a waste of time.

What cant service stations only use pre pay at night or something.

Possibly done to eliminate "drive offs" but a pain for us law abiding citizens.

Does anyone else find this to be a pain in the bum or is it just me. Next time I'll think I'll have a word to the attendant about their stupid signs!:whocares:
The attendants do have the ability to overide the prepay and will do so if you ask to fill.
Most attendants will do this if you wave (or otherwise get their attention) while they can read your license plate.
Keep in mind they are just doing their job and do get in trouble if there are too many drive offs.

If you want to be annoyed by this security measure be annoyed at the people who drive off without paying deliberately.

[Highlander]

If you want to be annoyed by this security measure be annoyed at the people who drive off without paying deliberately.

The annoying part is being treated like a crim. What hapened to innocent until proven guilty?

[thehollowmen]

If it is prepay, and they don't have a nightpay window so I can keep my gear on, I'll just head to another station.

Quite frankly I can't be arsed pissing around and being treated like a criminal.

[scracha]

You've gotta see it from their point of view though. The attendants are just doing their jobs. The garage owners probably make less than $1 on 50 bucks worth off gogo juice (most make more from the shop side these days) so a drive-off really hits them where it hurts. I prefer the credit card fed pumps myself. 24/7 and don't even need to get off the bike.

[sunhuntin]

i finish work at 7pm...my boss is trying to get prepay used after that time, when there is only one staff member on. if there are too many drive offs attributed to one staff member, then it comes out of their pay...same with cheques that bounce [if the person isnt on our cheque list]

i can understand why stations do it, i only go to bp, and the sites here in town all know me [staff member] i try and make sure i top up during the day.

[Big Dog]

The annoying part is being treated like a crim. What hapened to innocent until proven guilty?


do you lock you bike every ride or only when known criminals are visible?

[thehollowmen]

do you lock you bike every ride or only when known criminals are visible?

But we don't go out of our way to inconvenience people with these measures do we?

[Highlander]

do you lock you bike every ride or only when known criminals are visible?

Valid point.
I suspect in that case the only ones getting upset about it would be those with dishonerable intentions, where as in the prepay pump situation it is those of us who never had any intention other than paying for it.

[Pogo2]

The attendants do have the ability to overide the prepay and will do so if you ask to fill.
Most attendants will do this if you wave (or otherwise get their attention) while they can read your license plate.
Keep in mind they are just doing their job and do get in trouble if there are too many drive offs.

If you want to be annoyed by this security measure be annoyed at the people who drive off without paying deliberately.

Now that the price of petrol is lower than what is was a month or two ago I wonder if the frequency of drive off's is down. As usual it is the few that stuff it up for the rest of us.

[jtzzr]

If pumps are on prepay, simply holding up the fuelcard so they can see always (so far) gets it unlocked. Thats what I do as well But I try and go to the same shell everytime and I think they know my ugly mug now, had no issues thus far.

[terbang]

Unless I'm getting desperate I make a point of driving on through. I aint their sucurity company and prefer to fill up at a station that doesn't use its customers as part of their security measures.
However after eight on any Auckland night it is getting harder to find a station that isn't pre-pay. A sign of the times we live in.

[Pogo2]

Unless I'm getting desperate I make a point of driving on through. I aint their sucurity company and prefer to fill up at a station that doesn't use its customers as part of their security measures.
However after eight on any Auckland night it is getting harder to find a station that isn't pre-pay. A sign of the times we live in.

See if the AVSEC lady can get you some JetA1:yes:

[terbang]

See if the AVSEC lady can get you some JetA1:yes:

Fat chance of that. It won't be in her procedure manual and we all know how good they are at thinking laterally.

[Wenier]

See if the AVSEC lady can get you some JetA1:yes:

Ya bike wouldn't run on JetA1.

And how can the owner expect a staff member to have their pay docked just because people drive off. Its not their fault i think that is rude and bad management. Why not use cameras (get them if not installed) and track down the people who are driving off.

[terbang]

Ya bike wouldn't run on JetA1.

Unless its a Diesel.


And how can the owner expect a staff member to have their pay docked just because people drive off. Its not their fault i think that is rude and bad management. Why not use cameras (get them if not installed) and track down the people who are driving off.

Totally agree with you there. However its not the fault of the sevice station owner that there arn't enough police, who in turn are not to blame for the government they work for who also tax us on our fuel purchases along with registration and GST and all involved with petrol... Except the ones that dock it from the staffs wages (fuck them). Most service station operators have fairly thin margins .

[Wenier]

Its one massive cycle thats getting worse then ain't it.

[gixermike]

Do you guys take of helmets when you go in the garage to pay then? I never have so far, just leave it on and the ear plugs in...some don't seem so happy though.

Mike

[judecatmad]

We were in Rotorua at the weekend (a post is about to go up about that road trip to hell and back! LOL) and the Shell on Fenton Street was on pre-pay at 8pm. Had to leave a damned credit card with the attendant cos she wouldn't switch it on even after we'd asked. It's not like you can do a quick drive-off on a bike....but then I guess you pay peanuts, you get monkeys - she's not using her noggin, she's just doing exactly what she's been told **sigh**
It's the first time we've ever come across a station that wouldn't switch the pump on without security being left.

[slimjim]

yup seem's that it's slowly becoming the norm, petrol station's in good old USA are mostly pay before you get petrol,so a rough guess and go back to counter to get refund,after tank filled ,

[Big Dog]

But we don't go out of our way to inconvenience people with these measures do we?
So get on the blower or put pen to paper.
Get your local MP to do his job.
The reason these "unreasonable" measures need to be taken in the first place is becuse (my first point) that people are stealing it.
The reason Gas stations take the law in to their own hands is because the police will do nothing about it. Even with photo's and witnesses they will not prosecute offenders.

armed with the knowledge you cannot ever be punnished beyond a debt collection fee I am surprised that more people don't steal their gas.

While i can see your point that only the honest people are ever inconvenienced, I think that you need to recognize that this is a sad sign of the times. If you don't like it shop at another gas station where if they are not prepaying then you are probably paying for their losses elsewhere. eg Those expensive outdoor cameras got paid for by someone, oh and there goes more of your privacy.

Once again, get angry at those who do drive off without paying not those who are just trying to make a living.

They are afterall stealing from you, not the gas station, because if the gas station losses money they just put prices up to compensate.

would you invest millions of dollars in a industry that was going to yeild no profit?

[Big Dog]

yup seem's that it's slowly becoming the norm, petrol station's in good old USA are mostly pay before you get petrol,so a rough guess and go back to counter to get refund,after tank filled ,

Unless you look like a drive off waiting to happen.

Park where your license plate is visible.
Toot your horn and offer a freindly wave.
Every gas station I have ever visted under these conditions has immedietly unlocked the pump, some have written down my plate first, even at night.

Some noobs need a little sign language but this is minor.

This is the way life is going, like it or hate it.

Get over it or only buy gas during non prepay times.

[sunhuntin]

Ya bike wouldn't run on JetA1.

And how can the owner expect a staff member to have their pay docked just because people drive off. Its not their fault i think that is rude and bad management. Why not use cameras (get them if not installed) and track down the people who are driving off.

people are stealing plates off other cars and using them for drive offs...so when the cops get the security tapes, the plate wont match the car. times when it is busy [which it often is at my site] then drive offs are let off, but when it comes down to staff in attention, then it gets docked. ive never had a drive off on my site....had one about 3 mins after my shift ended as i was walking out the door...i did chase him, but didnt catch up.

when it comes to bike riders, im fine with helmets. only tricky one is when i get 5 or six bikes at once, and they all use the same pumps. gotta make sure i get the right sale, lol. i dont take mine off either [open face] but i do take my sunnies off and leave them with the bike.

they have dropped with the decrease in petrol, but one of our new guys had one last week....asked the guy twice if he had any fuel, and guy said no both times. so not really the staff members fault as he did ask. staff inattention is the reason behind a fair few drive offs....our worst staff member has since been got rid of.

[BAD DAD]

I prefare not to call them "service" stations anymore. Lack of service seems to be company policy. I pump my own fuel and then walk over there and pay for it at their convenience, can't see the service in that.

[crashe]

Do you guys take of helmets when you go in the garage to pay then? I never have so far, just leave it on and the ear plugs in...some don't seem so happy though.

Mike

Yep I leave mine on.... but from the time I have left the bike I have my wallet out so that I am walking inside with it in my hand...

But if they ask me to remove it, I would...

[sunhuntin]

I prefare not to call them "service" stations anymore. Lack of service seems to be company policy. I pump my own fuel and then walk over there and pay for it at their convenience, can't see the service in that.

my sites all have service until about 7pm, where the pumps are self serve, and we cant do oil and water checks anymore after that time [another guy got ripped doing a water check...had his till cleaned out while he was under the bonnet, and then got paid with money from the till]

we pump peoples gas, usually we do in order of first in first served. sometimes ill buck the trend and serve the most needy customers first [ie, the elderly who dont have the strength to hold the pumps, plus i dont think elderly ladies should have to.] the younger people have no excuse not to do their own gas other than laziness. again, ill serve female over male, and age over youth.

i do find service gets less the furthur north or south you go, so its a good idea to know what your doing.

[Big Dog]

Ya bike wouldn't run on JetA1.

And how can the owner expect a staff member to have their pay docked just because people drive off. Its not their fault i think that is rude and bad management. Why not use cameras (get them if not installed) and track down the people who are driving off.


Their pay is not normally docked but they do normally have to face disciplinaries if their shift is consistantly worse than other peoples without getting license plates.

Cameras cost money and a lot of it. Police don't help. Nor do radio dj's who announce national drive off days.

[BAD DAD]

Helmet off? Same as Crashe these days