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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to move my car forward before paying for petrol?!

26 replies

TheDetective · 18/06/2012 18:48

The attendant at the garage seemed to think I was! And told me moving the car even an inch was illegal!

To give the background, I went for petrol obviously after work early this morning. The garage had 4 lines of pumps, with 3 pumps to a line. When I arrived, there were no pumps free, and another guy waiting in a small truck. I waited for a space to become free, and moved the car forwards. I realised the small truck who was in the 1st of the 3 pumps was blocking 2 pumps. The pumps were close together, and there wasn't any room to drive past if 2 cars were at opposite pumps.

I went to the 3rd pump, and as I was filling, the guy in the truck finished, and moved his van to the side of the pumps. As I finished filling a medium sized van pulled up to the opposite pump but at the 1st pump. I realised that if another car came along and pulled in front of me, I would be blocked in while they filled up. I also realised if the 3 pumps opposite filled that no one would be able to get passed me to the pumps in front either.

So in an effort to a) not get blocked in (after a busy and tiring night shift!) and b) not to cause other drivers an unnecessary wait, I moved my car to the 1st pump, and went in to pay.

If I was being unreasonable, then I feel bad, but the attendant was rather rude, and I was tired, hormonal (pregnant!) but instead of wanting to tell him to fuck off to the far side of fuckity fuck and get a grip, I coolly and calmly, with a raised eyebrow told him that I was quite sure it wasn't illegal to move a car forward to ensure the above did not happen, and if he had an issue, he could quite happily ring the police, and I would wait for their no doubt speedy response on the blues and twos

Go on, flame me! Tell me it was illegal after all!!

OP posts:

Original poster

TheDetective · 18/06/2012 18:49

Past not passed!! I'm tired

OP posts:

trixymalixy · 18/06/2012 18:51

Im not certain, but I suspect he is talking complete tosh. The only thing that would be illegal would be driving off without paying!!!

I would have done the same as you in order not to inconvenience everyone.

JumpingThroughHoops · 18/06/2012 18:53

The pump cannot dispense again without the till being reset, so whether you moved your car or not , the car behind was never going to be able to fill up.

Whether that has any baring is another matter!

trixymalixy · 18/06/2012 18:56

But she wasn't moving the car do that someone could fill up at the pump she used, which they obviously couldn't have until she had paid, but to avoid blocking the two pumps in front.

monkeymoma · 18/06/2012 18:56

if you haven't paid and re-set the pump, then couldn't the next person add to your bill which would be a ball ache for the people on the till? especially if the next people added £20 and said they only added £10 etc

littleducks · 18/06/2012 18:57

Thats not true for all petrol stations Jumping a nice man moved his car so i could fill up when it was busy, the attendant gave him a bollocking too but I filled up before he paid and was in the queue when he was paying to hear the conversation.

manticlimactic · 18/06/2012 18:59

It's not illegal he's talking bollocks BUT having worked in a petrol station you get the heart in mouth feeling when you have a sale on the till and no car at the pump. Also someone else can use that pump so you have two sales on one pump so more risk of mixing them up. Have not so happy memories charging someone a tenner instead of fifty quid (they did confirm it was £10)and when the person who had put a tenner came in I realised my mistake...but it was MY mistake. If people stay at their pump it makes life easier.

I didn't have a problem with people moving though if there was going to be an obstruction.

RoyalOakMaiden · 18/06/2012 19:01

monkeymoma - I believe that once the nozzle has been turned off for a certain (short) length of time it won't issue any more fuel until reset by the people in the kiosk.

That is probably why they don't like you moving your car too - It must get really confusing if cars change pumps and the person thinks they are about to fill up and releases the fuel thing, and they aren't actually using that pump after all...

Original poster

TheDetective · 18/06/2012 19:02

Don't people say what pump they are at any more??!

I always say which pump I was at, whether I've moved or not!

OP posts:

WaitingForMe · 18/06/2012 19:21

Not in the slightest bit unreasonable. I'd have told him not to be so bloody ridiculous and considered that polite.

oldraver · 18/06/2012 21:30

I have at times when it has been very busy and I wanted to get some stuff in the shop, moved my car to the parking area. The pump can be easily reset, no one seems to bat an eyelid about this at our local station

Lovetats · 18/06/2012 21:32

My local petrol station is a Tesco express and you are encouraged to move away from the pump and park up in the non-pump spaces so that you don't hold anyone up.

justtryingtodomybest · 18/06/2012 21:38

At my local Asda, after you've used the pump, you drive forward to one of two kiosks and pay by leaning out of the car window. If there is a queue to pay, you can definitely be using the pump again before the previous person has paid. But it does mean that everyone moves forward as soon as they've used the pump so they're not blocking it for anyone else.

BelieveInPink · 18/06/2012 21:38

See I have moved out of the way on a really busy forecourt because I thought I was being thoughtful. But I realise now it could be really awkward for the attendants.

Walkingonhotcoals · 18/06/2012 21:39

Actually i use to work at a petrol station and you can in fact move forward and have take two separate payments from one pump. E.g You fill from a pump, move your car forward, and then some one else use it, the station will log it as two separate transactions!!

So its not illegal

Sparklingbrook · 18/06/2012 21:40

Pay at the Pump is the way forward. No grouchy assistants.

bringmesunshine2009 · 18/06/2012 21:45

Not bloody illegal. Offence is making off without payment. You have to have been dishonest. You didn't leave forecourt and had no dishonest intention. He is talking out is bottom. You were right to call him in it.

ChunkyPickle · 18/06/2012 21:46

I'm pretty sure that when I was a kid (and petrol stations were smaller) moving forward was the done thing (I seem to remember rows of parking spots right outside the station just for this purpose..

Of course now I pay at the pump - not least because our closest petrol station has an ever increasing set of requirements before they'll turn on the pump otherwise - facing the station, doors closed, no windows open, and goodness knows what else by now...

Huansagain · 18/06/2012 21:56

And in an alternative universe...

www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/archive/index.php/t-176671.html

niceguy2 · 18/06/2012 22:31

It's not illegal but whilst you are being polite for other users which is noble, you are probably giving the attendants a heart attack as they will assume you are going to drive off without paying.

I'd say just pay then go. It's not like others are expecting you to do anything different anyway. Oh and I always try to pay at the pump and I move away quickly before faffing around with seatbelt etc.

Birdsgottafly · 19/06/2012 01:35

There are very few petrol stations that are not extensively camera'd now. Not only do the insurance like it, but the police also, as they can track vehicle movements more easily.

They are tax deductable, so no excuse not to have them.

There are occassional card failures when paying and most garages will give you 7 days to pay.

So he is talking rubbish.

lattelov3r · 19/06/2012 09:29

There are occassional card failures when paying and most garages will give you 7 days to pay.

I remember a couple of years ago i fuelled up and my card failed i was 25 mile round trip from home at the time, i apologised and asked if i could bring it back later the attendent was extremely rude and asked to see my driving licence not thinking i handed it over and he wouldnt give it back told me i had 30 mins to get back with cash or he was calling the police!

PinkChampagneandStrawberries · 19/06/2012 09:35

I have no idea if it's illegal but YANBU it was the sensible thing to do IMO

DitaVonCheese · 19/06/2012 10:04

My card failed recently and DH had to pop in later and pay my tab. What surprised me was that they didn't seem to have anything in place, just scrawled my name and phone no on a bit of paper. Surely it must happen relatively often? I did offer to leave a child as surety but they were having none of it ...

Sparklingbrook · 19/06/2012 10:12

My DH filled up with petrol then found he hadn't got his wallet. They gave him a form and her had a week to pay. there was a number to ring to pay by phone. The lady said one bloke does it all the time while he waits for his pay to go in.

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