Why would someone say this at petrol station?

[Lavenderwindow]

Pulled into Esso petrol station to top up. Man in car ahead had just finished and was walking into pay. I saw him briefly glance at me through windscreen. He is about my age, maybe a bit older. I am in my early 40s, able bodied, wearing my driving specs, not much to report.

I get out and start refuelling. As the man trots back to his car he says to me "I was gonna say, do you want me to do that for you?" (ie. refuel my car)

I look at him incredulously and say "No", give him a witch glare. He gets in car and goes.

I assume he is a misogynist who thinks that women can't operate a petrol pump? Fuming. I told DP and he thought the man was trying to chat me up. That is not any chat up line I've ever heard. Why would anyone say that ?

She wrote it at 8.15am. That's in the past. Written is the past participle of write isn't it? Happy to admit if I'm wrong so do please explain.

The fact the OP is written in the present tense is annoying me. As is the mention of the driving glasses...WHY? Fuming!!

You need to go to bed earlier.

My Mum always gets offered help, she isn't infirm and looks about ten years younger than she is but Men will often offer to carry her shopping when she walks home from her local town centre. In London she has been offered often by young men to carry her suitcase down the steps to the Tube, in one case a man carried it up the stairs and along the platform as he was getting the same train.

I do, you’re not wrong.

The fact OP has written is what you want to say.

I have a masters in English. Just piss off.

I agree. Why does everyone always think the worst. Some women avoid filling up the car believe it or not.

I think this is fair comment. He was offering to help for whatever reason. I can’t see any reason to be rude in response.

I think he was being kind and it's a shame that we can't accept kindness and gentlemanly behaviour without reading more into it. I've been mansplained before but this doesn't seem like that.

OP means Original Post in this instance.
You're taking it to mean Original Poster.

My litmus test is always would he say that to a bloke, and the answer is usually no. Who cares if he was attempting to chat her up or was stupid enough to think a woman in her 40s was 'frail'. It was a weird thing for him to do.

not odd at all, and in that situation I would also maybe have appreciated an input. But I should have been more clear in my post that this was in a massive clear carpark area with one other vehicle in a bay two spaces away and was definitely not needed.
I do think its weird that anyone who is not visibly struggling should be offered help filling up their car.

I’d assume he was trying to flirt. 😂

lol

I think there’s loads of opportunities in our lives to get angry about casual misogyny, but in my view, this example isn’t it. He was either an old-fashioned sort of bloke trying to be helpful or he fancied having a chat with you.

I have a fairly physical job and get lots of men asking if they can ‘help’. I’m 56 and fit and healthy, but I don’t take offence. I just simply say thanks, but I can handle it myself. No big deal.

Yes. If OP is smoking hot then we will know the answer. Ditto if she is old and frail before her time.

OP can mean Original Post or Original Poster. If the poster is referring to the post, rather than poster, then ‘the OP is written in the past tense’ is correct, no ? ‘Is written’ is generally preferred for discussing active text. It means the poster has completed the action of writing the post and the adjective ‘written’ acts as a description of the state of the post.

Just as an aside correcting grammar on MN will get you deleted. There are posters of all abilities here, including those with learning disabilities.

Was it raining? I think he was being nice rather than sexist.

Sure it depends whether OP stands for “online post” or “online postER”

If the former, then “is written” is correct

Just commented upthread to say the same. ‘Written’ is the adjective describing the state of the post so its use is entirely correct.

No it wasn't raining.
It seems the consensus is chat up line. A very weird one. I can't really bring myself to feel sorry for him I'm afraid, but if he was trying to chat me up he would have been a bit shocked to get a demonic stare in response haha

Maybe I'm both attractive AND frail looking.

@fivefootfiveif the space was so massive, why did it take you a whole five minutes to??

I always think that those who brag that they’ve got a “masters” in English are usually the worst at grammar

For most people, it’s just obvious; Ms Masters, if she is that well read, should have seen from the context that OP meant “post” as opposed to “postER”

Chancing his luck.

A friend (average looking if that is relevant) has had several chat up attempts at petrol stations involving “let me help you poor little lady” style initiation.

Thankfully I don’t drive anymore!

We still have this at our local petrol station. New owners have carried on the tradition of filling cars for those who need it since taking over 6 months ago. My mum is 87. She only buys fuel there because they offer this service. As do all her friends.She would be very happy for a man to offer. I have had it offered many times ( also been asked if I want compst bags lifted into the car at a garden centre). I just smile and say no thank you I'm fine and carry on with my day.

Last time I was travelling by train I was trying to get my case down from the overhead shelf. I am quite tall at 5/8 but the case was heavy and the train was lurching about. A man sitting near said "Let me do that for you" and took the case down for me. I just thanked him without any thoughts of his being misogynistic. He was just someone taller and stronger than me.

I have helped older/disabled people of both sexes with getting bags off trains when I was younger and fitter, You can overthink these things.