its not difficult to understand that you can fill up the car from either side

[ljwales]

Why do so many people not understand this? Just wasted 10mins when running late as there was a huge q despite being free pumps! Sadly I couldn't get to them as other people were blocking.

I've driven vans and you can fill up either side. So there really is no excuse!

I often use the "wrong" side but I'm quite tall and fairly strong and I've got an old car that I don't care if it gets scratched. It doesn't bother me whether anyone else wants to wait for the correct side or not really.

I make sure I'm fairly close to the pump but pulled forward a bit and ive never had it not reach. If it did I'd smile ruefully and get back in the car and drive off move it so the hose would reach

There is a technique to using the "wrong side". You need to park closer to the pump and pull a lot further forward. You might feel that your car is sticking forward a long way and obstructing cars leaving the garage, but it probably isn't. Parking really close to the pump may make it harder to get out of the car without knocking the door on the barrier around the pump and rubbing your clothes along the length of the car as you squeeze out if you are fat like me.

But I can and do use the "wrong side" if I'm feeling impatient or feel like I might be causing an unreasonable blockage. I still feel like it is all going to go horribly wrong and everyone will point and laugh.

My DMum still mourns the passing of the last local garage where a nice man would come out and fill your car for you.

Can't do it because if it reaches around the truck I can't see the display and due to some eccentric engineering, I can't fill up till it clicks or it overflows when the diesel expands - so I do actually need to see the display (can't rely on time either as the pressure varies). However, I rarely bother queuing for fuel - I come back another time, or hit up another station.

Agree that if using the far side you have to park further forward. There has always been room to do this though

.

Like this.

The beige car is parked tight to the pump and has pulled up past the pump. Doesn't always work if the pump hose is too short or if there isn't enough room to pull forward or to get out the car or if you are crap at parking

The red car is parked further away from the pump and the fuel cap is in line with the pump.

In theory I don't mind looking like a twat if it doesn't work, but my shoulders, back and wrists are all fucked and it's hard enough filling up from the right side, so I might give it a miss. I live rurally, though, and have never seen anyone stretching the hose around the back of their vehicle. Perhaps it hasn't caught on in these parts yet.

If the pump looks something like in this picture then it's going to reach without ANY need for it to touch your car or van

But there is still more of a chance that it will come into contact with the paintwork. I'll happily fill a car that doesn't belong to me from the wrong side but not a chance with my own.

I think the main reason is people are scared.

Its a plastic hose not a python, can't see how anyone would scratch their car using the hose properly. Then again can't see why people are so precious over a moving vehicle that just will get little scratches if its ever used.

You do have to sometimes park tightly and the passenger side can't get out. op you said this and I assume that means your petrol tank is drivers' side. Mine is not so to fill up 'the wrong side' did be would mean my driver door has to be tight against the pump. It's a large MPV and I'm a fatty so I wouldn't be able to get out!

This is also confirmed by backonplanetearth's pic, imagine it the opposite way around.

Few years ago like was at petrol station filling at other side when petrol guy came out and gave me a long lecture about how dangerous it was..not sure why but something to do with crossing across the back of the car. Since then look queue for right side not because l see danger but because l was so embarrassed to be lectured to. It's a nuisance as dhs car has it on the opposite side and let get confused about which car I'm driving. I do have the brushing the hair looking at newspaper and stuff as l usually am conscious to move on quickly.

Haven't rtft but although I know you can fill up either side I rarely do for fear of making a tit of myself in front of aggressive people like you OP

I filled up using the far side recently and two blokes gawked at me amazed. They never knew the hose could reach that far!

I live in Canada and drive a pick up truck. No way would the hose stretch round the back! dh has a 'little' Golf and would have no problem in the UK, but I've noticed the hoses have very little stretch, I've even had to pull forward to reach the cap before. Possibly this is because of the large proportion of pick up trucks so the forecourt design is different. People tend to queue on the side they want to pull into so it's not really a bother. I can see why you'd get annoyed if there are people waiting that are blocking pumps that aren't being used. Poor forecourt design perhaps?

The technique is to park as described, slightly forward and close to the pump. Then walk away from the pump and car holding the python. Once the python is extended enough, walk towards your car and plug it in. No need to scrape hose on car.

i cant do it. I tried a few months back. Got myself into a tizza,

I only ever use one side.
Years ago I tried many times to use other side and I found it really quite difficult. Quite a strain. So I decided not to do it anymore.
Is that ok OP?
Dh does both sides with ease.

This is simple..

Use the side you want, for whatever your reason, as long as you're not blocking anyone from getting to a spare pump.

Our local garage has some pumps with long reach hoses, I can easily fill my hatchback from the other side with those but the standard hoses won't reach ( I tried and was "tannoyed").

Do people really get that worked up about it? I've never really given it much thought!

Tesco garage near me used to have pumps that came from high up like that photo above, with a little graphic and the words 'FILL FROM BOTH SIDES' or something.

I loved it, no one did it and I always got straight in and got filled up. However they've recently changed it so the signs have gone and the pumps now start from really low down the unit. I asked at the till and she said they no longer want customers using both sides?

I've done this successfully loads of times in the past, but then one time it just would.not.reach, I checked the sign "pump will reach either side", yep, I got back in, moved the car again, fiddled around again but the fucker still wouldn't go, eventually had to drive around again and go to another pump. I looked like a right kipper so won't do it anymore

Am I the only one who is thinking there are much bigger things to worry about in life?

Not my fault your late. I'm not an inconsiderate arsehole so I won't purposely block you in/out (in fact I often pull forward if I can if there is a car waiting behind me that can't get past)- otherwise, wait.

If your in a rush to get somewhere leave 5 minutes earlier. Sorted.

I have seen a fair few people get the guns (?) trapped in the filler hole because the pull back on the hose pulled the hose tight.

This was a while ago so I'm not sure if its still an issue.

Your could say there were bigger issues than 99% of the stuff on aibu it you chose to reply to this...

I genuinely had no idea people found this so hard, I'll be a bit more understanding in the future, or start a course on how do too this. This could be q few days extra over someones lifetime.

Where is it that is practice is banned? Is it somewhere where they are worried the yocals will go all zoolander?

I can I only use one side in my car. It's not always possible.