Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with gasstation

Is this gas station running a scam?

stupidsexyFlanders — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:56:20 -0800

Charging $0.60 extra for full service? Is this gas station pulling a scam? Details: Gas station is configured so that you have the building, then one island, then another, then the street. The price marked outside is 3.59 for regular. No mention of any price differential for full serve. So I'm pulling in from the street, and both islands say "Self Service," and the only empty pump is the one nearest the building, on the side of the building. I pull up.

So I'm standing there pumping the gas, and a girl comes out of the building arguing with the attendant. Her car is parked in front of mine. She's just filled up her tank, and then noticed the price on the pump is $4.19, and that this side of the island is Full Service (sign not visible from street, but it is when you're standing next to the pump). However, as I gather from the argument, there is no one working who would have pumped her gas, even had she waited. The attendant refused to adjust her price. I had stopped pumping when I realized the price, after about a gallon.

It felt to me like a scam - first, don't you have to advertise your full serve price equally prominently? Second, if you don't actually provide the service, can you legally charge for it? 3rd - who regulates gas stations typically -- is it the municipality, the county, the state? I'm in PA, and I'm trying to figure out who to complain to, or if there's even a legitimate basis for a complaint.

Faster Than a Speeding Gas Pump

Xurando — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:46:17 -0800

Does it take longer to fill up a gas tank when the price goes up by 25%? And..... if the price of gas goes up by X, is there an equal increase in the speed at which the digital price is displayed? Lastly is there a limit to how fast the digital price can be displayed?

-Enter your zip code please -Across the street from you

gauchodaspampas — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:52:49 -0800

Why was I asked for my zip code when I payed at the pump? ID verification? Any idea why I was asked by the credit card machine at the pump for my zip code the last time I tried to pay with a credit card at the pump? This was at a BP. I payed with a visa. Rather not say the issuing bank, but it's a big one. Are gas stations starting to do this to verify identity since most gas purchases are over $25, which is the limit for purchases without a signature in most other cases?

That is my first guess, because when asked for my zip, I was pretty annoyed, because I thought it was for the station to collect demographic data. So I fed it a false one. Then it told me to see attendant, so either that data went to my bank for verification, and was turned down, the zip I gave it doesn't exists, so the station made me come inside, or the station doesn't want to let people who live far away (the zip I gave it would be from far away) pay at the pump, in case it's a scam. And then I realized that I had just given them my credit card number, so I was probably being ridiculous anyway. But if the station can easily see that information (i.e. if it's for demographics), well, I don't want them to. If it's just going to my bank to verify the card I'm using isn't stolen, I'm all for it.

I called my issuing bank and checked my latest purchases to make sure it wasn't because there was any "suspicious activity" on my account or anything. There wasn't.

Anyhow, the only 3 reasons I can think of are: 1) suspicious activity on my account, so extra verification required - ruled out, 2) Gas stations starting to do this as ID verification, and/or credit card companies asking that they do this, in which case I'm fine with it. They already have my credit card information. Not telling them anything they don't know. 3) Gas station collecting demographic information, which I'd prefer they not do.

So anyone know why? Have you had the same happen for the first time recently?

Bad gas pumps?

jacquilynne — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:11:41 -0800

To whom do I report a gas station that I suspect has inaccurate gas pumps in Toronto, Ontario? My google-fu is weak, and I also don't know if it's a federal, provincial or municipal issue.

I predict to myself how much gas I'm going to need to fill my tank each time I fill it up, and I am within a liter of being correct 95% of the time. Today, based on how far I had driven and what my tank showed, I mentally guessed 30liters. At 34 liters, I finally gave up, because I was beginning to worry that there was something wrong with the auto shut-off on the pump. At 34 liters, the gas gauge still didn't show as completely full when I turned on the car.

I can believe it's possible that I was off by 4 liters in my guess, but I simply can't believe I was off by more than that--which I'd have to have been for my tank to not be filled by the 34 liters. The most gas I've *ever* put in my car is 38 liters, and that time the "you're nearly out of gas, idiot" light had been on for the last few miles. In this case, my gas gauge was still showing as me having more than a quarter of a tank.

How to get a gasoline smell out of my sneakers?

Ryvar — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 19:37:01 -0800

How do I get the smell of gasoline out of my shoes? Basically, some twit left a giant puddle of gas in front of a pump at a gas station two nights ago. It was night, didn't see it, stepped right out of the car into it.

Tried soaking them in a sink full of soapy water, and just leaving them there. Twice. They still reek. So does the floormat on the car, but whatever. Ordinarily I'm not the type to get upset about this sort of thing, but my feet are incredibly finicky and these are brand new. Suggestions?

Tipping at Gas Stations

jaded — Mon, 13 Dec 2004 06:51:50 -0800

I have an etiquette question: I moved to the Boston area about a year ago from Oakland California. I've never seen a full service gas station in CA (I've seen them before, just not in CA). Here in MA, most of the gas stations are full serve, which rules in the winter.

My question is this: is it appropriate and/or expected that I tip the attendant that fills up my gas tank?