Was it really worth throwing such a tantrum over?

Gibbo · #1 06-29-2009, 09:42 PM

At my petrol station we aren't allowed to accept payments for fuel from anyone who is under 16 and as people frequently send in their under 16's and even under 10's to pay while they fill up it means that we send away a lot of kids. We did have a sign stating this on all of our pumps but someone had removed them all

Tonight I had to do that again as a kid who wasn't even 10 came up to my till so I had to send him away. His father then came marching up and threw the money at me and started walking out the door, but then he turned back to me...

asshat - 3 year old in a 30+ year olds body
me - your humble petrol station worker

asshat: why do you have to be over 16 to pay for fuel?
me: it's our policy...
a: no it isn't! tell me where your signs are!
m: there were signs on our pumps but...
a: tell me where your signs are!
m: we did have signs...
a: tell me where your signs are! it's not company policy and you don't have any signs. I want your name.
m: <gibbo>

Asshat then storms out and drives off as though he was racing in a grand prix whilst looking at me and I just shrug my shoulders at him. We warned our customer services desk in the main store that he might come and complain but
he never did.

All that just because he had to make the arduous journey across a forecourt and pay for his fuel himself. Good riddance and I hope he never comes back!

Dave1982 · #2 06-29-2009, 10:30 PM

Well, I dont' know about the UK, but in the US (well, in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, at any rate) you are technically supposed to be a licensed driver in order pump gas, so says the law. Such a policy regarding payment would make sense in that context, since if it's a 10 year old paying, how can you know for sure that they aren't also going to be pumping?

Gibbo · #3 06-30-2009, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Quoth Dave1982

Well, I dont' know about the UK, but in the US (well, in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, at any rate) you are technically supposed to be a licensed driver in order pump gas, so says the law. Such a policy regarding payment would make sense in that context, since if it's a 10 year old paying, how can you know for sure that they aren't also going to be pumping?

The driver fills up and sends their kid into pay while they are doing it. Of course, it wouldn't be their fault if their kid then got ran over by a car driving past...

RecoveringKinkoid · #4 06-30-2009, 12:34 PM

Ooooh...he drove like an asshole with his kid in the car. And he even LOOKED at you for good measure.

Wow. I bet that taught YOU a lesson you won't soon forget, eh?

jerkface11 · #5 06-30-2009, 03:34 PM

If they don't want to walk inside why don't they just pay at the pump?

blas · #6 06-30-2009, 03:36 PM

And the best ones even offer to teach junior how to pump gas himself, and then throw a huge fit when junior overfills it and several gallons of gas go spilling all over the pavement, and then superparent always flounces into the store, stomping and screaming that they will NOT be paying for this!

Kanalah · #7 06-30-2009, 05:08 PM

My grandfather used to send me inside to pay for his gas.

Mainly because I was painfully shy, but also because my grandfather was 300+ lbs and had both knees replaced. Walking was incredibly painful and tiring for him.

Mister · #8 06-30-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Quoth Gibbo

asshat: why do you have to be over 16 to pay for fuel?
me: it's our policy...
a: no it isn't! tell me where your signs are!

I assume the Roll Eyes smiley suggest you know he removed the signs?
Why else whould he start about signs? A policy does not have to be posted on signs to be in effect.

Dave1982 · #9 06-30-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Quoth Gibbo

The driver fills up and sends their kid into pay while they are doing it. Of course, it wouldn't be their fault if their kid then got ran over by a car driving past...

Oh, so you don't require pre-pay?

What I had meant was that - if pre-pay was required - than an "adults only" payment policy would effectively be a "CYA Policy" just in case the kid then starts filling up.

Gibbo · #10 06-30-2009, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Quoth Mister

I assume the Roll Eyes smiley suggest you know he removed the signs?
Why else whould he start about signs? A policy does not have to be posted on signs to be in effect.

Actually I think that it was our new manager who took them down. We have got new ones posted up now.