Leaving in a huff

[XCashier]

and before that a Chevy Prizm

The Chevy Prizm's a really good car! It's got surprisingly good pickup for a compact car, and gets about 37 MPG!

We've got a 1998 Prizm, and only now is it starting to wear out. That's a well-made car! Wish they still made them, I'd buy another.

Of course, to either response, I'd hear the muttered, under the breath, 'smart ass!'

Well, better to be a smart ass than a dumb ass.

[ArenaBoy]

One reason I have heard was that SUVs are the safest cars to transport a toddler (or anybody) in.

I've driven plenty of big cars and one thing for sure is that I don't feel safe in them. I just don't like the feeling that I'm about to tip over when I'm on the freeway. I prefer smaller cars as I don't need to do much to transport myself.

[earl colby pottinger]

Works in Ontario

Almost every gas station I've ever been to has been pre-pay or pay at the pump. It's ridiculous to assume that everyone will pay AFTER they have pumped. It's this thing called the honor system that we just can't use anymore.

Well here in Ontario, Canada I have never seen a gas station where you MUST pre-pay for your gas.

We do have the card readers in the pumps but I never used them, as far as I can tell looking at others using the system they also pay for their gas after they pump it.

As for going to the store afterwards to pay with cash or card, that is always how I do it here. Plus, that is what they want as you have to pass all the snack displays to get to the counter that is also loaded with snacks. Maybe Canada has better snacking food to tempt us.

The drive down to Florida was a surprise especially after I figured out gas in Ontario was 1.5 times more expensive than American gas at the time, and people were not stealing it like they did in the US. Of-course I think we now have a country wide license search, and in the US no one system covers all of the states.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Pottinger: In rural US, many places still have the honor system when buying gas. You fill up and then go and pay for it. This of course gives you time to bullshit with the attendant, which if you're a local you have probably known most of your life. (Hey man! How was your fishing trip? My wife said...)

In suburban and urban areas, though, it's a different story. In the 80's and 90's gas thievery became extremely common, and so many stations instituted prepay rules to stop the practice. It's nearly universal in the suburbs by now.

[XCashier]

In suburban and urban areas, though, it's a different story. In the 80's and 90's gas thievery became extremely common, and so many stations instituted prepay rules to stop the practice. It's nearly universal in the suburbs by now.

That's the point. Pre-pay has been going on for twenty years, yet people are still kvetching about it?! Puh-leeze. You may be an honest, honorable Eagle Scout, but that doesn't mean everyone is. The rules apply to everyone. Grow up and deal with it.

[Crazyredhead]

To derail my own thread just a little, I'm pretty sure you've never seen a real Humvee, aka the M-998 or M-1114 HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle), on the streets in Vancouver. What you see are Hummers, which are crap-tastic 3rd-generation knockoffs of the military model. They have about as much resemblance to a real Humvee as a Go-Kart with a fancy body has to a Formula-1 car.

I used to drive a Humvee in the military and I dare a Hummer owner to go up against me offroad anytime. I hate the Hummers, they look cheap and are gas hogs with a small tank. I'll take my minivan any day, I can go two week off of a tank of gas. Hummers can barely go down the street once.

[Emrld]

I admit it (at the risk of what will be said - but please read entire comments before replying)
I drove a Ford Escape SUV - When I bought the car I needed the abilty to haul. I was buying supplies and delivering them to job sites.
When I got it they were just talking about coming out with the "Green" version - so mine was a gas guzzler . . .well not so bad as most.
If there is a reason (outside of keeping up with the Jones) for having a larger vehicle - I say go for it. (Things like hauling large amounts, family Taxi with multiple people etc)
I now drive a Beetle . . .and have yet to put Gas in it . . .I get to do that for the first time today. (got car had a full tank, had to take back for a fix on them - they filled it to 3/4 tank) Tank appears to be same size as Escape . . .but uses less for the same distance.

[draftermatt]

I look at SUV's this way, if you need them, buy them. My wife is a nurse, she has to get to work regardless of the weather. She grew up driving trucks, but didn't want a pick-up. She has an Explorer.

My mother works for an antique shop. She doesn't need her Explorer.

And if you think people driving SUV's are bad (on the road, or at the pump) wait till you get behind a Mini-van at either place.

[Shengirl]

Well, actually, not sure which ones they use but I always use to have to walk through the set of Stargate SG-1 every night on my way to work.

That is SO cool.

[moekosowl]

e but I always use to have to walk through the set of Stargate SG-1 every night on my way to work. -.-

*squeals*
*dies*
*reincarnates*
*Joins the Gravekeeper Fangirl Flock*

[ArenaBoy]

Luckily you don't see too many here. Vancouverites are very "green" so you see a LOT of those nifty little Smart Cars.

Interesting tidbit: In the Museum of Modern Art in New York City they have a smart car on display. Those cars are extremely tiny but look cool.

[myswtghst]

Slightly OT, but to do with gas thievery--my little brother made me very happy last summer. He was at the gas station near my house, which I frequent and at which I'm friendly with the workers, who are all sweet, older men, when someone peeled out of the lot without paying for their gas. Since he's so observant, he caught the license plate number and was able to give it to the guy working to call the cops.

[aurelemsrealm]

My company doesn't require pre-pay/pay-at-pump, but I wish they did. Many of our customers pre-pay/pay-at-pump already. Last fall, they did decide to institute a pre-pay/pay-at-pumps only policy because we were hit with a string of drive-offs when gas prices temporarily climbed just above $3/gallon. All stations in town were hit heavily with drive-offs during that time.

When gas prices fell back down, they decided to let people pump then pay once again because so many people were complaining about the inconvenience. I was sorely disappointed by that.

As for me, I generally get my gas at one of the MurphyUSA stations because they are cheaper on gas. I don't even buy it at my store unless I'm almost empty or just don't want to drive to one of the Wal-Marts to fuel up. My wife and I have a couple of Wal-Mart gift cards we keep loaded just for gas, and we pay-at-pump. MurphyUSA also seems to have fairly cheap cigarette and beer prices compared to other c-stores.

[blas]

I wish customers would understand that we aren't singling them out, we can't trust anyone when it comes to self serve gas that isn't prepay or pay at the pump only.

See what happens when one too many dishonest people steal?

[Andara Bledin]

And if you think people driving SUV's are bad (on the road, or at the pump) wait till you get behind a Mini-van at either place.

I prefer minivans 1000 times over SUVs. They don't obscure as much of the road (you can see through the windows of most minivans, if you're in a car, but not SUVs) and SUV drivers in this area are really, really bad about not knowing where the %#& the perimeters of their vehicles are.

Really, if you're going to drive a more dangerous, mostly pointless, gas wasting, road wearing eyesore, you could at least have the brains to figure out where the hell your bumpers are!

Oh, yeah, and if you get rear-ended by a minivan, their bumper will actually be in the same area as your bumper to minimize damage. If the dipshit who had hit me was in anything other than an SUV (barring an actual work truck), I'd probably still have my Volvo. I loved that car.

[edit to add]

Oh, and I almost forgot, I got so worked up in my distaste of SUVs...

Don't let your gas tank go below 1/4 if there is any possible way to prevent it. That last quarter tank is where all the gunk and silt is, so when you run your tank down really low, that stuff gets sucked up into your engine and can cause problems over time.

^-.-^