pay at the pump rant

[click]

What's next? Prepaid fine dining, lol service depends on the size of your prepaid tip.


This law is an insult levelled at every honest person out there.

It's a pathetic response to a much larger problem. Almost totalitarian.

Simply, it's the cheapest solution for the government and the business owners. It does nothing to reduce or rehab persons who would rather steal.

Pump and dash is not that big of a threat. The few outlets with a problem could have installed pay at the pump, prepay procedures and video cameras.

Employers simply could have met their responsibility to worksafe by training the employees in safe work practices. Safe practices such as "don't challenge a thief".

I suppose the thieves will just go to the till for the cash now.

[albertabluesky]

Click, not sure what you're on about here...did something happen at a gas station? I don't get BC news here..

Personally I like pay at the pump...I don't have to stand in line with people scratching lottery tickets or getting smokes...nothing against lottery ticket buyers, I just want to gas'n'go!

[Persephone]

I don't mind paying at the pump, but I don't like being forced to pay at the pump; I liked it better when it was just personal preference.

Albertabluesky - As of February 1st, it is mandatory for you to pay at the pump for gas to ensure safety of gas attendants, it goes back to an incident last year-ish where a man was killed because he tried to chase a gas'n'runner....... he was dragged under the vehicle, I believe.....

I do agree with much of the previous previous poster's post.

[click]

Click, not sure what you're on about here...did something happen at a gas station? I don't get BC news here..

Personally I like pay at the pump...I don't have to stand in line with people scratching lottery tickets or getting smokes...nothing against lottery ticket buyers, I just want to gas'n'go!

Pay at the pump is one thing but the palace I 'was'(?) buying my gas does not have pay at the pump options. I have to prepay inside the store. Normaly, I do fillups so never know how much it will be.

They accept my debit card but I still have to go in and lay my card on the table before I pump. So now I have to change retailers or jump through the hoops. That's just so dictatorial.

Less service for the customer and lower overhead for the retailer.

I'm a customer damn it! I like to be patronized when I spend my money.



Anybody know where I can find a full serve gas station in south Nanaimo or Ladysmith?

[Persephone]

I only know of that Mohawk but it is quite farther down the road now.. maybe past Ladysmith...

I used to go to the full serve petro-can downtown, but it renovated and became a self serve last week... ugh

[sarah1234]

I think you'll find you'll still have to pre-pay at full serve. I worked at a full-serve gas station about twelve years ago and I almost got schmucked by a car trying to take off before paying. The gas had finished pumping but I hadn't removed the nozzle from the car yet and the guy took off, narrowly missing me and tearing the nozzle and hose right off the pump. I wasn't trying to accost him or stop him; I was just crossing in front of his car, without realizing his intention. The other precautions that they've included in Grant's law, such as having two attendants on at night or having the attendant enclosed in a secure area, should protect workers that would otherwise be in danger of being robbed.

Gas and dashes were pretty common when I worked at the gas station, and I think it's important to protect workers. I don't mind pre-paying if there is pay-at-the-pump, as you can use your debit for a fill. It seems like a small concession to protect workers.

[alas]

I don't believe that my local gas station is set up for pre paid gas either. I went in this morning. Paid my 20 dollars went to pump gas and the pump went to 20.01... which isn't that bad but really, with these older gas stations does that person need to stand there and stop your gas when we get to 20? It was weird...

The only full serve I remember in forever was in cedar at the esso... but when they put in new tanks they changed it to self serve.

I love pay at the pump. (period) Possibly the #2 reason to quit smoking?

[Sly fox]

Retailers are starting to moan already too. It seems as though they aren't selling as much stuff inside their stores now, especially lottery tickets.

Be careful what you wish for......

[ebusinesstutor]

The incident happened when an attendant tried so stop someone from taking off without paying - and I think it is important that service stations train people NOT to do this and rely on video cameras and police to apprehend thieves.

I certainly understand the need to protect staff, and the other rules like having at least two staff on at night are a great idea.

But who is going to spend money in the store if more people just pay at the pump and go? I think it will hurt their convenience store sales.

[Rain]

I agree this prepay thing really sucks. I have a 4 year old and when I need gas either I fill in the morning or after work either way I have unstrap her from her seat go inside pay put her back in her seat buckle her up and then pump my gas. Plus the shell station that is right infront of my house has no debit or credit card machines on the outside at the pump which really BLOWS , I use to live in NY and we had gas stations that you had to prepay for but the attendants were already outside and ready to pump your gas full serve service but self serve prices.

I seen a Rant on another site where a guy from Nanaimo pulled up at the co-op gas station grabbed a loaf of bread and went to fill up. He wanted to pay for both on his debit card and the cashier told him no. He has to pay for his gas separately then pay for the bread. I personally would of walked out and gotten bread and gas some place else.