I pulled up to the gas station.. most of the pump islands were two cars deep waiting for gas, but one had only the one car, so I went behind it and waited while the gal filled her gas tank. There's a big yellow sign that says Pre-Pay - or Pay at the pump ONLY between 6:pm and closing... so when the gal walked to the kiosk to pay, I was a little irritated - why can't these people just use their credit cards!!!
Then the pump next to me opened up, I backed up to changed lanes.. but there was a car behind me.. I let him go instead.
So the gal comes back, pulls away, and I drive up to the pump. I hand Rourke my card, he hops out and goes to begin filling. He pushes my card in, pulls it out and hands me my card, then puts the nozzle in and fills. A few minutes later, he hops into the van and I start to pull away. Then I realize, "where's the receipt?" He hops back out, goes to check for the reciept.. none.. and returns. I drive to the kiosk to go get my grocery coupon - 5 cents a liter to spend at the grocery - it only adds up to just under $3 usually.. but $3 is $3 right!~
I walk into the kiosk and the attendant is on the phone, and frantically looking at the video monitor and trying to serve a paying customer all at the same time. She looks at me and says "pump #7?" Yup. She tells the person on the phone that I'm here now and hangs up. Turns out she was on the phone with the police to come after me for stealing gas!
So I go get my wallet, return to pay, and she says "You shouldn't pull away from the pump before paying!" I said my son put my card in. She says "Well the credit card isn't working at that pump.. nor at pump number XX and pump number XX. Well isn't that great - especially considering the new sign they have that says pay at the pump.. She says.. but that's after 6pm.. (I look at her quizically.. what's that got to do with it.. if your credit card machine isn't working????) I told her I always pay at the pump and was frustrated that the gal in front of me had come in to pay.. considering the sign and all.
So anyhow, I leave - having averted being trailed by the cops for a theft of $80 - which I never would have done intentionally. I'm back in the van and driving away, and I can see that someone else has done the exact same thing as me.. paid at the pump, but not gotten their receipt.. but instead of going in to get their coupon, they leave. She comes flying out of the kiosk, phone to her ear, trying to find the licence on that perpatrating van!
OH MY - I can't imagine doing that job - and worse.. that poor driver of the white van is going to get a visit from the police, and a summons to court and a record for theft.... all because the gas station people can't keep their equipment working properly! Praise God I'm poor enough to need that $3 coupon, otherwise I'd have driven away too.
And I had the opposite problem a couple summers ago...
I pulled up to the same gas bar as you did, picked up the hose and filled my tank. When I went inside to pay for the gas, the attendant said it was already paid for. I looked at her, puzzled, cash on the counter.
"Yes," she said. "You paid outside with your credit card." I had the cash in my outstretched hand. I tried to explain that I did not own a credit card, so for me to have used it was impossible.
By this time a line had formed behind me, the attendant was adamant that the gas was paid for, by me, using my credit card.
I owe someone out there $40 for a tank of gas... which by today's prices would be almost 2x that amount.
That is just plain poor business sense on their part!! Why in the world wouldn't the inform their customers more appropriately instead of chasing them down for most of the time an unintentional mishap. I probably would have done the same thing thinking that the receipt machine was broken and thought that I'd paid after putting my card in and made the honest mistake of driving off. The cardlock where we buy gas is quite often out of paper and it records our pumps but doesn't spit out anything so I wouldn't have thought twice. Thank goodness you went in and were able to advert an unpleasant visit from the cops *grin*
Hope the rest of your weekend went great!
Blessings,
Rosina
Wow how rude, I would be calling the manager after that one. Here stealing gas is a HUDE offense and you lose your liscence. That lady should be fired for not comming out of her little building and putting up a sign. I mean how many people do you think she called the police on that day. How rude of that gas station.
Jul. 15, 2008 - Truly an unpleasant experience for you
Posted by Mum
I think some of the people they hire for those gas station clerks are not particularly intelligent. Here in Montreal there was a news item last week because a woman had filled her car with gas, gone in to pay and was 5 cents short of the amount. The cashier called the police! The report did not mention what the outcome was but I think at the least the cashier should have been fired and the woman compensated in some way for her embarrassment and the police for their wasted time.
Header Banner photo of wild oats taken by Trent. background wallpaper is my concept, but Trent's technical abilities.~~~~
I am Sombra, and these are the stories from our house. We're a Messianic family where academics often take a back seat to the work and adventure of life.
Posted by 
Posted by Anonymous 
Jul. 11, 2008 - Untitled Comment
I pulled up to the same gas bar as you did, picked up the hose and filled my tank. When I went inside to pay for the gas, the attendant said it was already paid for. I looked at her, puzzled, cash on the counter.
"Yes," she said. "You paid outside with your credit card." I had the cash in my outstretched hand. I tried to explain that I did not own a credit card, so for me to have used it was impossible.
By this time a line had formed behind me, the attendant was adamant that the gas was paid for, by me, using my credit card.
I owe someone out there $40 for a tank of gas... which by today's prices would be almost 2x that amount.