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So after work on Saturday I hit the nearby gas station to fuel up. Let me paint the scene for you.
The pumps are the kind that have nozzles on the sides, which can be used on either side of the island. There are two islands with three pumps, which equals spots for 12 cars to occupy to fuel up. 11 of these spots are taken.
On the island side closest to the store, there are only two cars. Extra Special Customer1 (ESC1) is one of these two cars, the one at the rear. The other car is at the frontmost pump, leaving the middle pump vacant. I pull in behind ESC1 as she pulls in, expecting her to pull up to the middle pump which would allow me to pull into the rear pump (you know, like polite people do). Instead, she pulls up JUST far enough to make reaching the middle pump impossible without some serious clown-car parellel parking, and stops. I glower, lament her rudeness, and settle in to wait.
She gets out of her car and goes to the pay kiosk and pays. It's about this time I notice her gas tank is on the opposite side of the car as the gas pump. She returns to her car after paying, climbs in, and starts a five minute dance with her car that consists of pulling forward, backing up, turning the wheel, pulling forward, backing up again...all in an attempt to get the car lined up close enough she can actually pump her gas.
Now remember, she's already paid...which has activated the pump.
And remember, the pump in question can be used on EITHER side of the island.
Yup, you guessed it. As she's doing her pump-dance, ESC2 gets out of her car, flips on the activated pump ESC1 so kindly paid for, puts the nozzle in and starts pumping gas on ESC1's dime. ESC1 does not notice, and finally gets her car halted in what is pretty much the exact same spot it was stopped in before she started trying to get closer. She climbs out, and notices her pump is now in use.
I can't hear what was said, but I can see the surprise on ESC1's face. ESC2 shakes her head at whatever is said and keeps pumping. ESC1 becomes reddened and indignant, and demands something. ESC2 shakes her head again with a blank look and keeps pumping. ESC1 screams something and then turns and storms into the store.
At this point, the customer at the first pump has finished and pulls away. I pull around ESC2's car and pull in to the first pump, get out and start activating my pump.
Out of the store comes the manager, running and shouting at ESC2. He tells her he's going to stop her pump (why he didn't stop the pump BEFORE running outside I don't know), that ESC1 had already paid for that pump, and that he'd have to charge her for the gas she'd already pumped and correct the pump before she could use it. I start pumping my gas. ESC2, if she threw a fit, was quiet about it. Manager heads back into the store.
I finish and go to pull out. As I glance in my rearview before I do I see ESC1 straining to get the hose to her gas-tank...which is still too far away.
The pumps are the kind that have nozzles on the sides, which can be used on either side of the island. There are two islands with three pumps, which equals spots for 12 cars to occupy to fuel up. 11 of these spots are taken.
On the island side closest to the store, there are only two cars. Extra Special Customer1 (ESC1) is one of these two cars, the one at the rear. The other car is at the frontmost pump, leaving the middle pump vacant. I pull in behind ESC1 as she pulls in, expecting her to pull up to the middle pump which would allow me to pull into the rear pump (you know, like polite people do). Instead, she pulls up JUST far enough to make reaching the middle pump impossible without some serious clown-car parellel parking, and stops. I glower, lament her rudeness, and settle in to wait.
She gets out of her car and goes to the pay kiosk and pays. It's about this time I notice her gas tank is on the opposite side of the car as the gas pump. She returns to her car after paying, climbs in, and starts a five minute dance with her car that consists of pulling forward, backing up, turning the wheel, pulling forward, backing up again...all in an attempt to get the car lined up close enough she can actually pump her gas.
Now remember, she's already paid...which has activated the pump.
And remember, the pump in question can be used on EITHER side of the island.
Yup, you guessed it. As she's doing her pump-dance, ESC2 gets out of her car, flips on the activated pump ESC1 so kindly paid for, puts the nozzle in and starts pumping gas on ESC1's dime. ESC1 does not notice, and finally gets her car halted in what is pretty much the exact same spot it was stopped in before she started trying to get closer. She climbs out, and notices her pump is now in use.
I can't hear what was said, but I can see the surprise on ESC1's face. ESC2 shakes her head at whatever is said and keeps pumping. ESC1 becomes reddened and indignant, and demands something. ESC2 shakes her head again with a blank look and keeps pumping. ESC1 screams something and then turns and storms into the store.
At this point, the customer at the first pump has finished and pulls away. I pull around ESC2's car and pull in to the first pump, get out and start activating my pump.
Out of the store comes the manager, running and shouting at ESC2. He tells her he's going to stop her pump (why he didn't stop the pump BEFORE running outside I don't know), that ESC1 had already paid for that pump, and that he'd have to charge her for the gas she'd already pumped and correct the pump before she could use it. I start pumping my gas. ESC2, if she threw a fit, was quiet about it. Manager heads back into the store.
I finish and go to pull out. As I glance in my rearview before I do I see ESC1 straining to get the hose to her gas-tank...which is still too far away.
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