Sometimes stupidity IS painful...or at least expensive

[RealUnimportant]

Some nozzles are designed to break cleanly in the event of being stuck & driven off; still takes time to replace them no matter what system's in place.

[CarcinogenCrunchies]

Yes, the pumps have breakaways. In that case, it didn't work as intended. I wasn't there for that incident either, so I don't know exactly how it went down.

[wolfie]

I would pull their credit card info off the pump and charge them for the hazmat clean up. >_>

That's the sort of thing I hope would not be possible, just on general principles.

For security purposes, it's probably set up so you can't do that. However, in the event of the gas station wanting to file suit to recover the cleanup cost, they almost certainly could get the court to supoena the credit card company for the contact information connected with the card IN ORDER TO NAME THE PROPER PERSON AS THE DEFENDANT.

Still, being sued for the cleanup cost is the least of the idiot's worries - to put down the still-flowing pump and drive off, rather than hitting the "hose hung up" detector (or emergency stop) as soon as they realized the fuel was going on the ground rather than into their tank could easily be seen as deliberate damage to the environment - and in many jurisdictions, they could wind up in jail for that.

[Lace Neil Singer]

This is the best kind of karma: instant AND self inflicted! I can't even begin to guess what this brainiac was thinking. Those out of order signs and bgas are kinda hard to miss.

At the petrol station where I work, we once had a pump completely totalled after a customer drove into it. We wrapped it round in yellow and black tape, stuck a sign on it and surrounded it with cones and tape.

We still had customers trying to use it. Not just once, but many, many times. Some even came into the shop to complain that we wouldn't turn the pump on.

[XCashier]

^^^ That is when you find yourself hard pressed not to say, "What, that pump that's taped off and labeled 'Out Of Order, Do Not Use' isn't working?! You don't say!"

:sigh: I really wish we were allowed to give a good zinger to those who desperately deserve it. Problem is, the point would fly right over their heads and hit the back wall with a resounding thud.

[emax4]

^^^ That is when you find yourself hard pressed not to say, "What, that pump that's taped off and labeled 'Out Of Order, Do Not Use' isn't working?! You don't say!"

:sigh: I really wish we were allowed to give a good zinger to those who desperately deserve it. Problem is, the point would fly right over their heads and hit the back wall with a resounding thud.

I'd be tempted to ask them, "If you can't read the sign, then how were you able to pass the written part of the driving test?"

[Lace Neil Singer]

Maybe they gave the instructor a backhander. XD Altho a lot of the culprits were people who obviously passed their test way before the written test became mandatory.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I'd be tempted to ask them, "If you can't read the sign, then how were you able to pass the written part of the driving test?"

In some localities, you can request the test be given orally. That's what my Mom has done for years. For some reason, she can give you the right answer if you verbally ask her the question but if she has to read the question on a sheet of paper, then her brain can't recall the answers.

[CarcinogenCrunchies]

So far the only new development is that the card was apparently stolen. I'm having a hard time believing that's actually the case, though. Seems more like a convenient excuse not to pay for it to me.

[XCashier]

So far the only new development is that the card was apparently stolen. I'm having a hard time believing that's actually the case, though. Seems more like a convenient excuse not to pay for it to me.

Oh, naturally. Of course it's stolen, and totally not her fault.

Please tell me your station has a good camera system, and she was caught on disc doing her stupid crap, and with her face and license plate easily identifiable. Otherwise, she might win.

[It's me]

Make sure you can't be held accountable.... regardless of customer stupidity, there are regulations on managing hazardous substances, and I suspect bag & tag isn't enough for a nozzle-less gas pump.

[CarcinogenCrunchies]

Nope, no camera footage at all. I guess they figure the cost of gas drive-offs is less than the cost of installing cameras outside. There are several trained on the employees from every angle, which I find rather insulting. Because of this, I'm not going to lose any sleep over the company having to take the loss. I would love to see the culprit get nailed on general principle, though.

I don't know what the laws are regarding the labeling of disabled pumps and hoses. It won't be my fault regardless, because I wasn't there at the time.

[BrenDAnn]

The C-Store I work at is the same way. All the cameras are on the clerks. Really makes you feel like about the least trustworthy person alive, I swear. I still hope this develops further though, just for the entertainment value.

[Kagato]

Used to be same way at some petrol stations in NZ up until the time that petrol costs spiked sharply and drive-offs increased by something like 200-300% - at which time the petrol stations were scrambling to get the most up to date cameras they could (the fancy ones that can automatically scan and record a license plate number in case of a drive-off)

[CarcinogenCrunchies]

So....the person who told me the card was stolen was apparently making things up. Why, I don't know, but I finally got a chance to ask the manager directly today. Just this morning, a woman called to request a refund, declaring that the incident was our fault. Manager declined the request, and the woman said she would be disputing the charges. Manager kindly offered to have someone at corporate get in touch with her if she would leave her contact info. This info was forwarded to the legal department. I don't know if we'll ever hear any more about it or not.