New to petrol... and new levels of suckiness

[Ree]

A request that the members focus on the theme of this thread, and not enter into an discussion of the beliefs expressed by the narrow-minded people described in the preceding post.

(I'm just saying... )

[blas]

I can see your point DragonRose, the only reason I said it's all rush rush rush is because when I worked at the gas station for a year, everyone was always in a rush rush rush...always. Well, the worst of the worst was the gas station.....that's not to say that people weren't always in a hurry at my other jobs as well....

Just like the OP's story, people would rush into the store, throw money at me and grumble "pump 2" (or sometimes not even say what the money was for at all!) or slam money on the counter and grumble "Marbo reds!" and then tap their fingers rapidly against the counter, trying to get me to go faster.

I see people rushing everywhere I go as well. That can't be good for people's blood pressure. And people do work themselves up into a royal tizzy about the smallest things, it seems. It's a miracle none of these people haven't gotten ulcers yet.

[RentalRacer]

In my travels, plus with my current career of 4+ years working with tourists.....

There are nice and nasty people EVERYWHERE. South North East West, it does not matter. They both come from everywhere.

Sadly, it is the Nasty people that stick out, and us nice people who are anonymous.

[Racket_Man]

I think that any time anyone is smoking at the pumps, you should hit the shut off button.

Then, when everybody complains, you can just point to the smoker and let them all know it's his fault.

I imagine the result would likely ensure the dipshit won't be smoking at the pumps again, any time soon.

^-.-^

we tried that at the gas station I worked at but the smoker(s) called the our corp office and complained so we could not do it anymore.

I hated summer and Winter alike when people were just too cold or too hot and and to sit in their cars to cool off or warm up whist filling up. used to shut them pumps off for them too but again got too manuy complaints. I guess the owner just did not care if people created a HAZMAT condition with the cops in attendance when the spilled 10 gallons of gas. and these were the people that wanted us to not CHARGE them for the gas they wasted. YEAH RIGHT jerkwad

[Shengirl]

I hated summer and Winter alike when people were just too cold or too hot and and to sit in their cars to cool off or warm up whist filling up. used to shut them pumps off for them too but again got too manuy complaints. I guess the owner just did not care if people created a HAZMAT condition with the cops in attendance when the spilled 10 gallons of gas. and these were the people that wanted us to not CHARGE them for the gas they wasted. YEAH RIGHT jerkwad

I'm sorry, huh? What's wrong with sitting in your car while gas is pumping, as long as you don't turn it on? The pump stops automatically before it even really fills your tank; how the crap does a spill happen?!

I'm not being smart; I'm just honestly confused.

[Crazeyal]

As a Northerner living down South, I can tell you that Southern Hospitality is a myth. These days it's an exception, not a rule. Southerners are clannish, clique-ish and sometimes downright mean.. Just like Northerners.

Most people just live their lives.

There are a few extroverted people who like to smile at everyone, but it's the same up North. The simple differance is volume and frustration. Small towns have idiots who mess things up for the 80 - 85% of normal people. There's the 10- 14% who could melt butter with a smile and then hand you a muffin to go with it! Then there's that 1% who just should've been killed at birth for the good of the species.

When you get to a major city.. it's the same damn people. Just add MILLIONS MORE!!! The idiots are multiplied by a thousandfold... and they affect their surroundings. In the small town, the people who live next door to "the idiot" have little patinec and a general lack of social skills due to hiding all the time. Same thing up North.

I've met some generous, giving people in my time down in the land of .. peaches.. But.. I had three cousins.. all rednecks.. living on either side of me, and across the street. I had less gun-play going on in Queens!

North.. South... It's just a direction folks. People are all the same... EVERYWHERE!

[AriRashkae]

Around here the little "triggers" that hold the pump open (and kick closed when the pump stops) are forbidden per State Fire Marshal. So people maneuver and spit-rig their gas caps and such into the handles. And if that happens to be the day the sensor is busted and doesn't shut off the pump, the ground gets a nice gasoline bath.

[Canarr]

Around here the little "triggers" that hold the pump open (and kick closed when the pump stops) are forbidden per State Fire Marshal. So people maneuver and spit-rig their gas caps and such into the handles. And if that happens to be the day the sensor is busted and doesn't shut off the pump, the ground gets a nice gasoline bath.

Okay; that's kinda dumb. Both the regulation, and the tricks people use to circumvernt it.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Not trying to stereotype, but from the southern writers/bloggers I've read, I thought that southern politeness had more to do with the importance of not doing something that would shame your Mom. Am I misinterperting that?

There's quite a bit of that going on, too, I suspect, but unfortunately, that mentality is becoming less and less prevailant. I think demographics have a lot to do with it.

And also what sorts of things might or might not shame your Mom.

[ArenaBoy]

The pump stops automatically before it even really fills your tank; how the crap does a spill happen?!

I'm not being smart; I'm just honestly confused.

The sensors on the pump can be broken. Happened to me a few weeks ago as a matter of fact. The other way to cause a spill is to have a gasoline fight but only the stupid pull that.

[Barefootgirl]

Ladies and gentlemen, you've had the nice warning. Here is the less than nice one. No more discussion of regional stereotypes. That's what fratching is for. Any more posts on gender stereotypes and this thread will be shut.

[Dragonlover]

Regarding the people who just throw the cash at you and bark a pump number, I used to get the step up from that: they'd hand me a tenner and walk off... when there's 5 pumps with a tenners worth on them. The good old 'employees are psychic' route.

Dragonlover

[Andara Bledin]

It's a miracle none of these people haven't gotten ulcers yet.

I wouldn't be surprised if most of them do....

we tried that at the gas station I worked at but the smoker(s) called the our corp office and complained so we could not do it anymore.

Let's see.... Safety vs corporate policy.... hmmm....

Nope, not happening. Personal safegy comes first, end of discussion.

I'm sorry, huh? What's wrong with sitting in your car while gas is pumping, as long as you don't turn it on? The pump stops automatically before it even really fills your tank; how the crap does a spill happen?!

I'm not being smart; I'm just honestly confused.

Two things, actually. First off, pumps don't always stop. If the sensor is wonky or the tank opening is messed up, it could cause the pump to continue pumping even after the tank is full.

Anothering thin is static electricity. It's very rare, but it happens that the static buildup caused by sliding your clothing over your car's seat can get strong enough to spark and cause a fire. Nearly every case you hear of that is blamed on cell phones is due to static, either from clothing against cloth seats, or from the contact between the pump nozzle and the metal of the car body. Cell phones have never been proven to start a fire at a gas station.

^-.-^

[Der Cute]

I've had almost everything happen to me when working @ a gas station - the only thing that DIDNT happen was car-on-fire.

Quite a few times one of the loungers around the station would unknowingly lean up against the big red STOP button - right of course, mid rush hour.

The biggest issue then was resetting all the registers / machines - if someone hit the STOP button; after the green GO was pushed, your screen had amounts on all the pumps - but only 10 out of 16 were being used....You had to figure out WHICH $ was CURRENT for the TIME right then. Oi. Was NOT fun.

Oh, and then cig price changes...heheh.
State increased tax on ciggys. Was changing on Oct 1 (i think) years ago. EVERYONE and their neighbor wanted to buy 3x the normal amount of cigs. Of course, the manager hadn't ordered enough to satisfy the sheeple. So, the Friday before the price change - we were out of just about EVERYTHING. Guess what the standard bitch was? "You're out of reds? OMFG! I'LL DIEEEEEE!!!!!!!!"

Since our place was a c-store between a liquor shop and a pizza place, we got some good stuff: pizzas for free or cheep from the neighbor. Cool.
Bad stuff: perpetually drunk people meandering through the c-store w/ horrid Funk or ickyness.

Lace, you'll need choccy to put up with the gits. Good luck!

Cutenoob

[DragonRose]

Whoops!!!

Quick apology.....

I absolutely hate any type of stereotypes. I am well aware there are great people everywhere, and sucky people everywhere.

Sorry for the other notations.....I was just trying to point out that the grass is not always greener....