Blizzard SCs and Dumb-bunnies.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Okay, so yes, I'm in MA, and we're currently experiencing a blizzard. State of emergency (road ban!) is in effect at 4pm.

We ran out of gas at 9:30am (except for some reserve that we keep SOLELY for the plow guys. They are the ONLY ones who will be getting gas at this point.)

We put bright red bags over the pump nozzles that says "Sorry, out of service." Up until 3pm, when I left, we had people pulling up to the pumps, getting out, trying to run their cards, and then being all confused (or pissed) when it didn't work.

My favorite was the guy who came into the store and asked - after his card didn't work, "I'm trying to pump gas out there and--"

Me: We're out of gas.
Him: Oh. All of it?
Me: Yes. That's why we have those bright red bags over the pump handles. To stop people from using them.
Him: Well how was I supposed to know that?!
Me: (At this point I just stared as I restrained myself from going REALLY? Luckily...)
Awesome Plow Regular: Seriously? Are you serious right now?
Him: How am I supposed to fucking know that the red bags mean--
APR: They SAY "Out of Service" on them!
Him: But that could just mean the pump is broken!
APR: In that case, you're still not getting gas out of it.

I just stood there and let APR handle the situation, with a sweet smile on my face. Gave him his coffee for free too. Because my boss/the owner totally says we can give regulars and awesome people a free coffee now and again.

There were plenty of other people doing that.

Then coming in and complaining and demanding to know when we'd get another delivery of gas/why we didn't order more.

Look, we had a delivery on Wednesday - sold out on Thursday. Had another delivery on Thursday, sold out this morning. It's not our fault that you waited to the last minute like every other dummy to get your gas. I had my gas on Wednesday and restricted my driving to make sure I wouldn't have to get more.

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In the morning, we ran out of Diet Coke on the fountain machine. We stuck up a sign that says "Out of Order" over the button for Diet Coke. No less than two people lifted up the sign and hit the button anyway, causing our syrup dispenser to start freaking out. (When there is no syrup to pull, it'll just start pulling like mad trying to get some and makes a REALLY LOUD "PI-CHU" noise, almost like air breaks releasing over and over again.)

Both were dumbfounded that they didn't get their Diet Coke.

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Dummy lottery people.

Seriously. It's snowing like crazy, the roads are starting to get really nasty, and you're coming in to buy a couple lottery tickets and scratch tickets? REALLY!?

At 3pm, an hour before the road ban when I left, we had at least 2 people buying scratch tickets, going to their cars to scratch them, then coming back and buying more.

I understand the plow guys because they had time to kill before they were called to plow, but everyone else? GO HOME. HUNKER DOWN. GET YOUR CRAP TOGETHER. You're endangering everyone on the roads trying to get home because you just can't live without scratching $200 worth of tickets every day.

Oh, and the people who came in looking for flashlights and candles, then getting pissed off when we only had small ones?

You can go lick an electric barbed-wire fence. Flashlights, candles, batteries, and first aid kits are all things you should have in your house AT ALL TIMES. If you know a storm is coming, you should immediately check those things and get them in advance, not an hour before you're not allowed on the roads anymore.

UGHGHGNS!

[Willis]

Who doesn't know that when pumps are covered that they're out of service? What a complete idiot. If something is deliberately obstructing the usage of something, move on. If you guys put some sort of a padlock on the pumps, signs all over the place, etc. I'm willing to bet someone would complain or would be confused. Some people can have the best education in the world and somehow severely lack common sense.

[Pagan]

Oh, and the people who came in looking for flashlights and candles, then getting pissed off when we only had small ones?

You can go lick an electric barbed-wire fence. Flashlights, candles, batteries, and first aid kits are all things you should have in your house AT ALL TIMES. If you know a storm is coming, you should immediately check those things and get them in advance, not an hour before you're not allowed on the roads anymore.

UGHGHGNS!

We don't even get that kind of weather and I've got all that stuff!

All we get usually is the power getting knocked out by the wind or thunderstorms. I'm not kidding on the wind. Regularly get 40mph sustained with gusts to 60mph in the spring.

[NateTheChops]

Okay, so yes, I'm in MA, and we're currently experiencing a blizzard. State of emergency (road ban!) is in effect at 4pm.

Ditto. I walked all the way to work and I was in the parking lot of the mall when I Got the call to tell me I didn't have to come in today. Screw that, I thought. I was able to work at least an hour and a half running the register.

And it was amazing how many people had "last minute" shopping to do, at the literal last minute.

One customer had a coupon for one of those egg-shaped lip balm things. Their little girl spent a whole five minutes trying to pick which three she wanted. Unfortunately, the coupon was for one free item, not three. And I had to repeat myself three times: No, I cannot use the coupon for more than one item.

The dad finally just said he didn't want any of them, and the girl, who was probably about about twelve, had a hissy fit all the way out of the lobby. I seriously thought she was going to kick and scream.

[thehuckster]

Who doesn't know that when pumps are covered that they're out of service? What a complete idiot. If something is deliberately obstructing the usage of something, move on. If you guys put some sort of a padlock on the pumps, signs all over the place, etc. I'm willing to bet someone would complain or would be confused. Some people can have the best education in the world and somehow severely lack common sense.

The gas station could be on fire and someone will still try to pull in to get gas.

[DeltaSierra]

The gas station could be on fire and someone will still try to pull in to get gas.

Heck I've watched as people have got out of their cars to MOVE traffic cones blocking off pumps and then pulling up and wondering why they can't pump gas.

[Tama]

I've seen a segment on World's Dumbest where someone's car caught fire and the patron behind him just sat there still getting gas...

[TattooedMommie]

Im in MA, as well, and having dealt (at a grocery store)with douche-waffles all day, just gotta say I love ya! lol Enjoy whatever refuge u get from the storm, and know yiou are not alone~

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I really think I ought to quit complaining about Wisconsin winters.

We get a lot of snow and cold, but those Nor'Easters you get are lots more distracting and frightening.

[emax4]

There were plenty of other people doing that.

Then coming in and complaining and demanding to know when we'd get another delivery of gas/why we didn't order more.

That's the ideal time to upsell and say, "You're gonna be here a while, Why not buy some 2-litre Pepsi, a hoagie and chips and watch the snow fall? The truck will be here in four days..."

...it'll just start pulling like mad trying to get some and makes a REALLY LOUD "PI-CHU" noise, almost like air breaks releasing over and over again.

I LOL'D at that. I would most likely ask, "how was that again?" just to hear you make the sound effect. ^_^

For the people that didn't know, I think it's somewhat unlikely. There are folks out there working 12 hour days with perhaps no access to Internet, phone, or radio, and may not have gotten the news report. Maybe they didn't catch the news the day or night before. However, I believe other customers or coworkers would come in and say, "hey, howabout this storm that's gonna hit..", therefore giving some people a heads up.

[Seshat]

We don't even get that kind of weather and I've got all that stuff!

One of my Best Birthday Presents Eva is a handle-crank radio/flashlight. It runs on mains power, standard batteries, or by someone turning its handle and filling its reserve battery that way. (It'll also fill its reserve off mains power, if its connected.)

It has a permanent sticky on it with the frequency of Radio National, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's general-news-and-radio-stuff station; which is also, when needed, the emergency info station.

Light and emergency info when needed. Best Birthday Present Eva.

[strawbabies]

I was listening to the radio earlier and they had a lady from up north talking about the groceries she bought before the storm hit. Bread, milk, etc. Milk? Seriously? How the hell does she think she's going to keep that from going bad if she loses power?

[Der Cute]

I was listening to the radio earlier and they had a lady from up north talking about the groceries she bought before the storm hit. Bread, milk, etc. Milk? Seriously? How the hell does she think she's going to keep that from going bad if she loses power?

Because if it's THAT cold outside, you can put your stuff right outside! Or dump all the ice cubes you have into the picnic cooler, put all those items in the cooler. Or not open the fridge door at all.
The bigger issue that I see with her: using dishes and not able to wash them, no heat to cook up soups /easy to prep meals. I'd be more concerned about keeping warm instead of the food - if it's cold the food will be fine, your ass will not. As I said, cold outside, you can stash the stuff you need to outside.

[mhkohne]

The gas station could be on fire and someone will still try to pull in to get gas.

I used to live across the street from a gas station. One of my roommates told me about the time some idiot whose car was on fire tried to pull in to the station. He had to be yelled and waved at to not get the burning car near the pumps.

[Sapphire Silk]

We get a lot of snow and cold, but those Nor'Easters you get are lots more distracting and frightening.

I agree: the downpour of Suck is far worse in the Northeast than anything I've seen elsewhere in the country in winter.

I was listening to the radio earlier and they had a lady from up north talking about the groceries she bought before the storm hit. Bread, milk, etc. Milk? Seriously? How the hell does she think she's going to keep that from going bad if she loses power?

Don't get me started on this. I once went to the grocer to buy ONE loaf of bread (we were out) just before it was forecast to snow a couple of inches (which melts the next day). Dumb Bitch cleaned out the grocer . . . at least 18 loaves of bread . . . and refused to allow me to have ONE loaf because "it's going to snow and I have a family to feed."