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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that you should not do your weekly shop, leaving your car at the petrol pump!

49 replies

BlueEyesAndDarkChocolate · 12/03/2016 09:03

I live in a small town. There's only one petrol station. It can get quite busy at certain times. So last night, at about 5.45pm, I pull in, to fill up. I would normally avoid going at this time, but I was literally running on vapour! This is quite a busy time, with commuters filling up on their way home.

So, this woman fills up her car, leaves it at the pump, and then proceeds to do, what can only be described, as a weekly shop (the petrol station has an M&S Food section). We are talking 2 baskets! And she was slow and very dithery. Would join the queue, then remember something else, and leave the queue. Eventually she pays for groceries and petrol, and leaves.

This drives me insane! Surely, any considerate person would pay for petrol, move the car (there are lots of parking spaces away from the pumps) and then do their food shopping.

OP posts:

ohtheholidays · 12/03/2016 10:07

Oh what a selfish entitled twat she was!

YANBU but she was did you mention it when you went to pay for your fuel?
It sounds like it would be a good idea if they put a sign up asking people to pay for they're fuel and move they're car from the petrol pumps if they're planning on doing a large shop in there if it's something that happens often.Although I know they shouldn't have to tell grown adults how to behave.

OurBlanche · 12/03/2016 10:10

But it is so that people can shop at these times/places that such arrangements exist.

There are as many people who find them an absolute boon as there are those who consider them a source of irritation, or they would close.

Weird over reactions... shit gripping, raging etc! But I suppose life is so much more instant these days that a couple of minutes probably seems like forever, to some.

Lilyargin · 12/03/2016 10:20

It's fine to shop there ourBlanche, obviously. Equally obviously, it is thoughtful to free up the petrol pump if you are doing a lengthy shop. That's what annoying; the lack of awareness of others.

JanetOfTheApes · 12/03/2016 10:32

I think some of you are far too ragey to e allowed on the roads at all, tbh. You should be in a nice quiet room with a cup of tea and a Valium.

Schwabischeweihnachtskanne · 12/03/2016 10:40

It is annoying but "allowed" - presumably there would be a sign asking customers to move their cars if the garage owners/ managers minded, and presumably they snag an awful lot of impulse spending this way!

We don't have that kind of garage locally but when we did live near one I used to move my car but not queue twice (once for petrol then again to pay for shopping) - surely nobody actually queues twice, I suspect that is some kind of ideal standard people suggest for others but in most cases don't do themselves.

I'm mostly surprised 2 baskets could be a weekly shop for the parent of at least one teen :o

ghostyslovesheep · 12/03/2016 10:44

oh I can go one better than that - we have a couple of 'pay at the pump' pumps - the one that had the right side for my car is blocked in - meaning you have to wait for the car in front to move ...

but that's fine because it's PAY AT THE PUMP so they will fill up, pay and move - except when they pay and THEN go into the shop tp buy fags, milk, bread, scratch cards etc.

There are 12 NOT PAY AT THE PUMP pumps - use one of them you fuckers!

YANBU!

MeolsCop · 12/03/2016 10:55

Oh, and just to add......as I waited (and waited. And waited. And waited) behind Naice Town Fishwife's car, it gradually dawned on me that a) she'd pulled up quite a distance away from the pumps, b) her fuel thingy was on the other side of her car, away from the pump, and c) they don't have the long hoses at that garage.

So actually, she hadn't been filling up at all. She'd just left her car there, blocking the pump, while she went into shop.

(Can you tell I'm still raging? )

BeautifulMaudOHara · 12/03/2016 11:09

Pmsl at janetoftheapes

GlassJar · 12/03/2016 11:15

Not defending the annoying shopping woman, but can you really drive your car away from the pump before going in to pay? I'd have thought you'd be suspected of thievery if you did that

How does that not get really confusing when you do go in to pay? Esp if say two or three people have visited pump 8 since you filled up there and spent 20 mins doing your weekly shop?

EastMidsMummy · 12/03/2016 12:38

Not defending the annoying shopping woman, but can you really drive your car away from the pump before going in to pay? I'd have thought you'd be suspected of thievery if you did that

Why does it matter if someone thinks you're about to drive off without paying if you don't actually drive off without paying?

RhodaBull · 12/03/2016 13:09

This turns me into the Incredible Hulk too. Sooo selfish.

Mind you, brings to mind the pensioner couple in front of me once who went into the petrol station and returned and didn't move the car. I sat there waiting and waiting and then saw them unwrapping sandwiches. And then they started eating them! I couldn't believe it. I actually went and asked them to move into one of the parking spaces and they looked at me in that uncomprehending vacant way (the same look that people give when they are informed they have jumped the post office queue of 20 people).

MeolsCop · 12/03/2016 13:14

EastMids I concluded that she hadn't actually been filling up at all, just parking. Right next to the pump. Instead of 2 feet away in the actual parking space provided for people who just wanted to shop

Chottie · 12/03/2016 13:16

This happens all the time at a local petrol station with a Tesco attached. I go to another petrol station without a shop now.

MeolsCop · 12/03/2016 13:19

Sorry, I meant GlassJar. I agree with EastMids.

BombadierFritz · 12/03/2016 13:42

Yanbu
You'd have to be a spectacularly selfish twat to do a weekly shop whilst leaving your car blocking a pump
Never seen it happen round here

queenMab99 · 12/03/2016 15:16

No one knows what circumstances other drivers are having to deal with, making them dither etc. It is easy to say 'they shouldn't do this' or things should be different, but unless you know what they are having to cope with you can't judge. (unless they are putting makeup on, then judge away!) Rage in these situations is a waste of energy.

andsoimback · 12/03/2016 15:20

I've moved my car at an m and s garage so I could shop at leisure and been told off by cashier. They said they expect people to leave car by pump otherwise they don't know if you've driven off without paying.

twentiethcenturybitch · 12/03/2016 15:29

It's the coffee that really drives me mad. I used to commute on a busy route where only petrol station was one of those that serves fancy coffee behind the tills. I could never fathom why of the two till operators, one couldn't just work the coffees while the other served. That way those who want coffee could wait (for the ridiculously long time it took to make) instead they both served on tills and then held everyone up while they both stood around waiting on coffees, creating massive queues.

DaftLemon · 12/03/2016 15:42

I wonder if it is the same woman I was behind in Asda a while back.
A full trolley load of groceries. Waits for it all to be scanned and the says to the cashier "I just need to pop to the cash point" Off she walks at a snails pace sating hello to a few people on her way. Then strolls back without a care in the world and paid for her shopping in crisp ten pound notes.

MrsSparkles · 12/03/2016 15:42

Most petrol stations have to offer shops because there is simply not enough margin in fuel on its own to run a petrol station. Perhaps if you were shifting 20 million plus litres per year but not otherwise.

I know fuel price is very sensitive to most people but those are the facts. Take the shop away and you would probably lose 40% of petrol stations and be left mainly with supermarket pay at pump.

CrohnicallyAspie · 12/03/2016 18:03

There is a petrol station and smallish supermarket near me. The supermarket has a cafe, hot food kiosk, frozen section, pet food etc so quite a bit bigger than most forecourt snacks and essentials shops.

They have signs at the petrol pumps and on the doors, requesting that you pay for fuel and move your car before doing your shopping. After all, there are only 8 or so pumps, bearing in mind the layout means the person in front has to move off before you can, a couple of people doing their shopping would mean the whole forecourt would get snarled up with cars!

Gileswithachainsaw · 12/03/2016 18:09

That's pretty selfish tbh. I mean couldn't she send her teen.in witg a shopping list. .pay for petrol move the car then she's free to dither all she wants instead of possibly causing queues than back onto the road

HunterHearstHelmsley · 12/03/2016 18:22

I think YABU. There's a Tesco near me with 12 pumps and probably the same amount of spaces. You always have to wait for a space if you're nipping into the shop and not getting fuel, plus you would have to drive back onto the main road and back in to park. I go there because I have shopping to get rather than a different petrol station.

honeyroar · 12/03/2016 18:41

It's the petrol station/shop that causes situations like this. It's obviously going to happen. Avoid rush hour and there isn't generally a problem. It's really not something to get so annoyed about!

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