Gassing up and paying with helmet on?

**Starky307** · 11th March 2009, 14:06

Originally Posted by Slyer

How about you take your helmet off when they ask you to? It's their business, they can refuse service to you if they like.
When you are in their building you follow their rules.

Go somewhere else.

+1

And if you haven't seen this before I'll post it again.

The reason I remove my helmet is out of respect, I would never walk into a store of any kind wearing a helmet. To me it is like the punks that wear their hoodies and hats covering their faces, it is a form of intimidation. By hiding your face you give the impression you have something to hide whether you do or not. Look at it from an outside point of view, there is no difference with covering your face using a bandana in a threatening way to hide your identity.

These are my opinions and the reasons I remove my helmet before entering a store, or I use a fully self serve station such as I mention at the start of this thread.

I really can't understand the issue with removing your helmet and gloves.

**Beemer** · 11th March 2009, 14:13

Originally Posted by Slyer

How about you take your helmet off when they ask you to? It's their business, they can refuse service to you if they like.
When you are in their building you follow their rules.

Go somewhere else.

I have to agree with Slyer. Many businesses have rules and whether you like them or not, if you want to shop there, you have to abide by them. I bet you all (with the exception of the poster who forgot!) take your helmets off when you go into a bank or any other shop, so why should you be excused merely because you are shopping at a petrol station?

Most of the places in Levin or Palmerston North have served me with my helmet on, but if one ever asked me to remove it, I would and I wouldn't think "fuck you arsehole" as most of you seem to be inclined to do.

They do have this rule for a reason as there is an increasing number of fuel thefts. Sure, as you explain, you are in the shop ready to pay, but for all they know, you could be about to rob them. I lived in Whakatane for years and while I agree it isn't exactly a huge place, don't be flattered into thinking the guy remembers or knows you. My other half works in a retail outlet and EVERYONE remembers his face but he doesn't know them from a bar of soap because he's too busy serving them to notice their faces.

We ask people to take their shoes off when they come into our home and to not smoke - and tough luck if you don't like THAT!

**Vern** · 11th March 2009, 14:15

Originally Posted by Slyer

How about you take your helmet off when they ask you to? It's their business, they can refuse service to you if they like.
When you are in their building you follow their rules.

Go somewhere else.

Hi I don't call it service as you have to do it all and then they only have to take the money off you. Vern.

**Beemer** · 11th March 2009, 14:18

Originally Posted by Vern

Hi I don't call it service as you have to do it all and then they only have to take the money off you. Vern.

He is using the word service in the sense of they can refuse to serve you. Hardly any places offer true service nowadays - they just take your money. But if you want their products, you have to play by their rules or go elsewhere.

**Squiggles** · 11th March 2009, 14:22

Fill to $20, leave the note on the counter and walk out

**Hoon** · 11th March 2009, 14:47

Yep, why it is that some people believe they are special and deserve preferential treatment??

The no helmet rule is pretty simple and there for obvious reasons.

So what if you visit the place often? That by no way means you are incapable of robbing the place.

So what if you fill up 2-3 times a week? That roughly equates to a full car tank so you are no more special than any customer.

So what if the attendant recognizes you and your bike? That doesn't mean you're best mates, nor does it mean that the attendant should forgo policy, take shortcuts and not do his job properly because of some imaginary "relationship" you believe the two of you have.

You are not special, you are not a valued customer, you are not his best mate, you could just be another 2c pee addict ready to snap for all the attendant knows and like it or not, everyone that walks through that door is a potential robber.

**Max Preload** · 11th March 2009, 14:48

Originally Posted by Beemer

I bet you all (with the exception of the poster who forgot!) take your helmets off when you go into a bank or any other shop, so why should you be excused merely because you are shopping at a petrol station?

I do, but the distinct difference is in most other shops you need to converse with the shop assistant. I don't need to converse with anyone at a petrol station beyond asking for a receipt - all I'm doing is handing my money over and getting my receipt.

**Oakie** · 11th March 2009, 14:57

Originally Posted by Slyer

How about you take your helmet off when they ask you to? It's their business, they can refuse service to you if they like.
When you are in their building you follow their rules.

Could, say, a Japanese restaurant refuse to serve a person who didn't take their shoes off if they had a sign on the wall saying that guests must remove their shoes? I dunno. Same argument though.

**Badjelly** · 11th March 2009, 14:59

Several years ago, when I walked into a diary, I was surprised by the look of sheer terror on the face of the woman behind the counter. Then I realised I'd left my helmet on and she thought (I suppose) that I was coming in to rob the place. So I took the helmet off and apologised. Since then, I've always taken my helmet off in dairies, service stations, etc. The only exception is a dairy that I visit frequently, where I specifically asked if it was OK to keep the helmet on.

I reckon it's simple politeness to take the helmet off unless the person behind the counter has said it's OK to keep it on.

**Slyer** · 11th March 2009, 15:02

Originally Posted by Oakie

Could, say, a Japanese restaurant refuse to serve a person who didn't take their shoes off if they had a sign on the wall saying that guests must remove their shoes? I dunno. Same argument though.

Yep, same as dress code for getting into clubs. Their rules.

**Max Preload** · 11th March 2009, 15:04

And country code for buying kebabs in Invercargill...

**RC1** · 11th March 2009, 15:09

dont go inside then and pay through the night window then there shouldnt be an issue of you bein inside with your helmet on

**Mikkel** · 11th March 2009, 15:12

Politeness is all well and good - however removing your helmet has nothing to do with neither politeness nor respect.

I'd be polite until the second they insist that I take off my helmet. I've been asked once or twice, maximum, to remove my helmet. My answer has always been "no" to begin with and "get fucked here's the eftpos card" if they become insistent. And I won't come back in the future, not on my bikes and not in the gas guzzling thing that is the car.

Anyone who isn't a complete idiot can figure out that no one is going to hold up a service station with an eftpos card - whether he's looking like the black power-ranger or not. If you move in a non-threatening way and say "gidday, how are ya" upon entering, queue politely (helmet or not - a motorcyclist who's queueing politely is going out of his way to make you relax) and have your eftpos card ready you're only going to freak out the paranoid people... and there's no not freaking out that bunch.

It's not about politeness, respect or fear - it's about petty people wanting to feel important by being able to boss others around and we all have the obligation to tell them in no uncertain terms to get fucked.

**Beemer** · 11th March 2009, 15:34

Originally Posted by Max Preload

I do, but the distinct difference is in most other shops you need to converse with the shop assistant. I don't need to converse with anyone at a petrol station beyond asking for a receipt - all I'm doing is handing my money over and getting my receipt.

And I bet the assistant LOVES your attitude! So no "please" or "thank you" at all? And if you are asking for a receipt, then what's wrong with taking your helmet off?

As for Mikkel's post, that kind of attitude it what gives motorcyclists a bad name. How the hell do they know it's YOUR eftpos card you're holding as you enter with your helmet on? Would you be as rude and obnoxious if it were the owner of the service station asking you to remove your helmet before going in or is your attitude reserved for the poor plebs who get minimum wage and are expected to put up with this kind of shit and smile? They don't make the rules but they are the ones who have to deal with the fall out if they don't follow them.

As Hoon says, you are NOT a valued customer - any more than you are a valued customer of the liquor store where you buy your grog or the supermarket where you buy your groceries. You are A customer, that's all, and if you don't like their rules, then it's up to YOU to fuck off, not them!