Pay at the pump SC

[Lace Neil Singer]

We finally have pay at the pump installed. However, far from making our lives easier, it in fact has made our lives ten times more difficult due to the fact that, before customers can pump their fuel, they need to do the following:

1. Decide whether they want to pay at the pump or pay at the shop.
2. Press the button corresponding to that choice.

We are constantly having to use the tannoy to tell customers to press the damn button. Most are alright about this, but the odd one throws a tantrum, like this SC.

She was told by two colleagues to choose an option, but for some reason, could not comprehend what she was being told and decided to remain at the pump, waving her arms like a deranged windmill and gesticulating angrily at us. Eventually, she slammed the nozzle back on the pump and charged inside the shop, screaming and swearing at us for not turning the pump on. In vain did we try to explain to the SC that all she had to do was make her choice and press the button. She would not listen, ranting and shrieking in a tantrum that would make a toddler blush. She finished her tantrum with a shrieked promise that she was never coming back and stormed out the door.

Now, this is the funny part. The SC had planned to drive out the petrol station, no doubt with a squeal of tires to fully emphasise how disgusted and annoyed she was with us, but while she was inside the shop throwing her tantrum, a lorry had taken up residence on the pump in front of her car, effectively blocking her in. So she ended up having to wait twenty minutes before making her dramatic exit.

[Shyla]

Ha ha ha. Sometimes I really wish you could share videos of these customers. Must have been hysterical.

[eltf177]

So she ended up having to wait twenty minutes before making her dramatic exit.

Congratulations witch, you just proved what an idiot you really are!

Of course, she'll be back next week AFTER sending in a scathing complaint about how rude Lace and her coworker were and they need to be fired NAO!!!

[Lace Neil Singer]

Those complaints just end up in the manager's idiot file. XD Luckily, our manager doesn't take any crap from SCs, especially those as stupid as this one.

[Argabarga]

These people would fail to comprehend a "push here to NOT die" button.

[RealUnimportant]

I'd probably get caught out by that initially as every other prepay pump I've seen in the UK makes the choice for you if you lift the nozzle without paying first. Then again, I'd also listen to instructions or look for a sign if it didn't start up!

[BrenDAnn]

You'd be surprised, or maybe not, considering what website this is. American here, but we have two very clear options on our pump screens: Pay Inside or Pay At The Pump. Anyone wanna guess how many times SCs have pressed one when they wanted the other?

[Slave to the Phone]

All of the pumps here converted to pay first over a decade ago (our state might be a little slow when it comes to modern conveniences). Our home state at the time had been pay first for so long that we didn't know what to do with stations that let us pump and then pay. My sweetie would pull up to the pump, I'd bail off and run in with cash to get the pump going while he waited for me to signal that he could start pumping. This sometimes confused the clerk who often looked at me running in and pointed to the restrooms.

[wordgirl]

Whoa, she sounds like a doozy. Even before she got blocked in.

I would say, though, that being blocked in for 20 minutes would make even a fairly reasonable customer see red. Is that a normal configuration or was the lorry driver just a really horrible parker and very slow gas-pumper?

[Captain Neon]

My preferred gas station in Colorado had pay at the pump with a credit card and prepay with cash. The sign on the pump had been there a long time, but still very legible. Had a similar guy waving his arms trying to pay cash inside, but wouldn't come inside to prepay. Made a big show of pressing the "Pay Inside" button, but chose to ignore the bigger more prominent sign next to it telling us all we had to prepay if we weren't paying at the pump.

I still miss Colorado... It was over 8 years ago that we had to move. We only lived there a year, but what a year!

[Lace Neil Singer]

Whoa, she sounds like a doozy. Even before she got blocked in.

I would say, though, that being blocked in for 20 minutes would make even a fairly reasonable customer see red. Is that a normal configuration or was the lorry driver just a really horrible parker and very slow gas-pumper?

He was filling his lorry up to the brim, as well as filling two petrol cans. Plus he bought his lunch. So yeah, it was twenty minutes, give or take, before he left. We were all having a good laugh at the SC being stuck behind him, so maybe when he noticed her going crazy behind his lorry, he slowed down on his filling up on purpose. There certainly wasn't room for her to get her four by four past his lorry, tho a smaller car like a mini could have managed it.

[notalwaysright]

There certainly wasn't room for her to get her four by four past his lorry, tho a smaller car like a mini could have managed it.

Gas stations must be laid out very different, as someone else mentioned. I've never been blocked in at a gas station, even if I had to do a bit of finagling, I could always get out. If I ever did get blocked in, I think it would take two different cars strategically placed. One in front, one behind. The big trucks, like 18 wheelers, generally use commercial gas stations. Not saying the lady was being a SC, I'm just pondering.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Gas stations must be laid out very different, as someone else mentioned. I've never been blocked in at a gas station, even if I had to do a bit of finagling, I could always get out. If I ever did get blocked in, I think it would take two different cars strategically placed. One in front, one behind. The big trucks, like 18 wheelers, generally use commercial gas stations. Not saying the lady was being a SC, I'm just pondering.

*shrugs* I can't speak for every petrol station in England, but mine is quite narrow along the sides. Also, the lorry was something sized like this: [x] rather than something like this: [x] While the larger lorry would not be seen at my petrol station, we do see a lot of the smaller ones.

[notalwaysright]

Also, I meant to say "not saying the lady wasn't being a SC." Because she was. Gah. I just find differences like that interesting. Like, I read that most cars in England are stick shifts?

[greek_jester]

Like, I read that most cars in England are stick shifts?

That's right. Automatics are very rare outside of cars adjusted for someone with a disability, and lower in value in comparison to the same model in a manual. IIRC, if you passed your test in an automatic, you have to re-take your test in a manual if you want to be able to drive one legally.