Don't run out of gas in Matata

[BigAl]

Last week I had the experience of running out of gas 1km short of a petrol station.

No worries Pete said I'll just pop up and borrow a can, sweet we thought.

5 mins later he returned with no gas, apparently the operator, a lady in about her 60s wouldn't lend a can, sure he could buy one for $38 but what the hell would we do with it afterwards?
So he thought he'd buy a bottle of V, drink it and throw a bit of gas in as he was filling his bike.
The lady stood over him and wouldn't let him even squirt a bit in, saying "it is against the law etc".

So Pete returns with his bike full but no extra fuel.

Dan sez "give me a go" and he shot down to the station, filled his bike and tried to quickly throw a bit into the empty V bottle. But this lady was quickly on to him and wouldn't let him, short of having a scrap with the dragon he then returned with full bike but no fuel for me.

We them spent the rest of 45mins bailing cap fulls of gas from the top of both bikes tanks until I got enough to start the R1, by the way 2/3s of a 330ml bottle of V was required.

I, by then was pretty hot under the collar(some might say understandably) and roared of down to the station. Stuck 4l of gas in, paid the lady and then proceeded to give her a dose of verbal, calling her a "miserable old cunt" and "hoping that some mechanical misfortune occurred to her".
Her response was "you shouldn't run out of gas" as if this was done on purpose.????

FYI the station was 'Gasoline Alley in Matata'.

I then called in to the new BP just out of Te Puke and filled rest of tank up, the attendant at this station couldn't believe the previous stations attitude, saying it was against the law for them to fill unapproved containers but if someone filled their own they couldn't really stop it. Also they would lend a can with a deposit, to be filled on return, which is what I would have hoped for.

What do you guys think? Unreasonable or not?

[TheDemonLord]

Thats pretty shit house - the few time I have lost the petrol station game, I have either been loaned a can (with a deposit) or at one station where I filled up every morning, no deposit was required

[rustyrobot]

Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase

Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze

It means no worries for the rest of your days

It's our problem-free philosophy

Hakuna Matata!


Had the misfortune of staying in the campground there once while on a cycle tour of the East Coast. Shudder. Noticed a lot of turn-offs labelled 'locals only', there was a strict NO NOISE policy after something like 8pm at the campground, and lots of information about the early morning church service held on site. Thought I'd dropped through a wormhole into some oakie backwoods town in the States.

She's probably right - Don't run out of gas.... in Matata

[Geeen]

The only time I've run out was in Tauranga years ago. Was on my way home from work at midnight almost 1am. Had to push my bike to the closest gas station which turned out to be closed.... Luckily for me the tanker arrived just as I was about to start the long push to the next one 3km away, got talking to him and he told me there's usually some dregs in the pipes after filling up if I was keen to wait. Was just enough to get me going and down to the Mobil by 11th ave. Gotta love those truckies eh? But Al, I really think you got shafted big time and the old bat deserved the serve you gave her.

[Berries]

What do you guys think? Unreasonable or not?

She probably implemented her rules after getting a face full a shit from some previous biker for something that was their fault and not hers. So yes, unreasonable, you ran out of petrol not her.

I don't know how big BigAl is but you were less than 1km away. It might have been quicker pushing than sending Laurel and Hardy to deal with the old duck.

[G4L4XY]

Fuck that, what a right ol B***H. But then ya get those sad ol c*nts everywhere nowadays. I ran out of g on the motorway once, 2kms (uphill though) from the gas station. If I had known how long AA would've taken I'd have pushed the thing (was a hyobag at the time haha)

Sux to hear about your misfortune though and good on you for getting the bare minimum from her. hope you did a burnout on ya way out

[Dogboy900]

I have come across the "have to buy the can" thing a few times now. Last time was when I stopped in the car to help a bike rider stopped on the side of the road. He left me with the can after I got him back to his bike as he had no way of strapping it to the bike and didn't really need another one at home anyway.

I have spoken to a local owner of a gas station about it and he said they used to loan a can but now can't be bothered unless it is a regular as 9 out 10 times the can never comes back. I am surprised she was so on top of not putting any in the V bottle though!
So yeah it was rough but I guess them's the breaks! It is her business so she makes the rules.

It does make me think a small length of hose for siphoning gas might be a worthwhile addition to my little break down kit. It would have saved you a bunch of fuss if one of you had one!

[Tazz]

Cost of can bond, refund minus $5 or $10 when it comes back. What the fark is so hard about that? 10 uses and you've essentially sold it twice. People don't bring it back or bring it back farked (somehow?), it's already paid for anyway... Not rocket science but no doubt think they will make more money trying to force people into buying one outright

No excuse for crap service.

[jellywrestler]

.
apparently the operator, a lady in about her 60s wouldn't lend a can, sure he could buy one for $38 but what the hell would we do with it afterwards?
So he thought he'd buy a bottle of V, drink it and throw a bit of gas in as he was filling his bike.
The lady stood over him and wouldn't let him even squirt a bit in, saying "it is against the law etc".

jobs are hard to come by in a town like that, and many others, you can bet that lady didn't own the gas station and was doing her job as per the bosses rules.
Bet she didn't steal all the loan cans either, but by the way you're ranting seems like you're not going to think of anyone but yourself eh?

[pritch]

I don't know how big BigAl is but you were less than 1km away.

Umm it's not BigAl, it's BiGal

[BigAl]

jobs are hard to come by in a town like that, and many others, you can bet that lady didn't own the gas station and was doing her job as per the bosses rules.
Bet she didn't steal all the loan cans either, but by the way you're ranting seems like you're not going to think of anyone but yourself eh?

We'll charge $38 bond then, refundable on return. I'd have no problem with that.
Ever run out of gas mate?

[Blackflagged]

Alot of Gas Stations have that policy have done for quite awhile. Wouldn`t be surprised if it came down to Liability, on loan/rent can, yes it really does get that stupid.
But $38 for a can.

[jellywrestler]

We'll charge $38 bond then, refundable on return. I'd have no problem with that.
Ever run out of gas mate?

that would be fairer and yes and i carry a length of tube on most bikes to use when it happens

[Slorider]

been in their for gas a couple of times and they do appear to be mean spirited money grubbers

[R650R]

I would have ripped one of the over flow vent tubes off and siphoned long before resorting to bailing capfuls of fuel lol....

Well I spent about a year working at a small sole charge service station near Flaxmere in my younger days. You wouldn't believe the amount of ripoff artists and BS stories you have to put up with or deal to, and that was in the good days of 80 cents a litre before the modern day crimewaves, god knows what the job is like now.
I'd say that shop probably used to have a loaner and got tired of replacing it, much easier on paperwork and liabilities to just sell a new container and be done with it.
A good friend in currently works in a servo told me the huge amount of fines the labour dept pings them with should there be any accident involving petrol/DGs on premises. For a small shop it would put them out of business.
Sure at home you can pour into whatever but that lady was prob on CCTV and covering her butt.
Your prob lucky to leave town alive, everyone knows everyone on the east coast lol.
Years ago I ran out of gas on the 250 coming down the Whareratas into Gissy. Pushed the bike a fair way, bloke at second house I came to mowing lawn, dropped what he was doing and ran me into town