To think the air machine at the petrol station should be free!

[wineisnecessary]

I know I am bu I'm more miffed at myself for not having cash .
So today went for petrol station ,filled up went in to the kiosk to pay bought some chocolate too and paid by card . I asked for the code for air to pump my tyre up as a little flat . I was told it's only 10p I said yeah but I've no change in fact no cash at all so don't you normally give a code for free if you buy petrol ? The cashier said not any more . I sort of repeated myself that I had no change and what was I supposed to drive on a flat tyre ? Cashier sort of shrugged so I Left in a huff .
I get that I should have some cash on me but you know I'm busy I wasn't prepared and I noticed when I got to work tyre was a little flat so went to pump up on my lunch break and put petrol in . I called into petrol station on my way home in the end after rummaging around in my bag for change . I just thought I've spent £50 here can't I have some free air ? my tyre was just ok to drive just but what was I supposed to do drive to cash machine and get change ? Ok fair enough but I didn't have time . I kinda wished I had a £20 note on me and insisted she change my money but I didn't I suppose this will teach me to be cashless . I get the cashier doesn't make the rules but just want to rant as had a rubbish day so it's ok you can tell me iabu .

It’s the kind of thing that always used to be free and still should be.

I keep a tire pump as part of my car tool kit

I keep a purse full of 20p and 10p coins in my glove compartment for things like this.
It's much more convenient to have a tyre inflator in the boot though, they are not that expensive (£20 ish) and you can check and pump up your tyres anywhere.

Only Sainsbury's is free around here. Everywhere else is between 20p and 50p. It's a pain.

I manage a petrol station, and the air is 10p a minute. In that situation I would probably just give 10p out of the till. It would entirely depend on your manner and the way you spoke to me.

It's 50p around here!

I wouldn't mind whatever it costs even if they could add the charge onto my card when I pay for petrol but no it's 10p coin only .
Yeah I'll definitely make sure I have change in future . In the past I must of gone to free ones or was given a code .

I only go to Sainsbury’s locally as it’s free, but boyfriend has a thing he plugs into his car to do it so he usually does it for me, leave some change in your car

@Flavabobble I wasn't rude but I admit I was stressed and I was like well what am I supposed to do ? It was like a awkward couple of seconds when I realised nothing .
I can't have been the first person who doesn't have change for the machine .

It's 50p where I go and apparently it lasts for 4 minutes.

Those pp saying they have their own tyre pumps, do you use them all the time instead of doing it at a petrol station or are they only for emergencies, like the cans you buy for when you have a puncture?

Yes.

10p?! 😄

YAB a bit U. Those machines don't make and maintain themselves.

Also, if you are truly cashless, doesn't that include paying 10p on your card?

Definitely get a tyre pump. I didn't realise they were a thing but our car came with one and it has saved us lots of times! You can just hook it up and pump anywhere.
It does sound like you were a bit off so the cashier probably didn't feel inclined to help you tbh.

I have an air compressor that cost £9. plugs into the 12v power socket and has a pressure gauge on it. I gave up trying at petrol stations as they were either out of order or had a long queue to use. Now I have my own I can check the tyres anytime i want. I agree though they should have let you pay contactless and activated the pump or given you 10p from the till.

Okay, thanks.

@DisplayPurposesOnly I'm not usually completely cashless so was a bit mad at myself that I didn't have 10p . Although I did find some change when I rummaged in my bag after . but I suppose it's easier to just say add it on my card . The car wash you pay in the the store you just get a code but not the air machine . It's not that I begrudge the 10p I'd pay £1 if I had to but it's that a I had no cash .
I suppose lesson learned that we don't completely live in a cash less society .

Have my own pump that I keep in the boot. Use it all the time.

Fooking quid here!

One of those pumps sound good , saves queues too .

It's a pound near me too! What annoys me most though, is that you don't know until after you've put your quid in the slot, that the stupid thing isn't working properly or has a dud valve. Happens more often than not near me, and I can't be arsed to go back into the shop to queue up and complain to get my money back.

So somebody buys a machine and you expect to use it for free?
(Not aimed at the OP as she has already admitted its more of a grumble for not having cash on her).

We just have a foot pump. I’ve never even used one of the machines at the garage.

Yeah if I've filled up with petrol I assumed it would be free it used to be but if the option was pay the cashier and I'll add onto my petrol bill then I'd take it happily .
I was more annoyed that I needed to put air in my tyre and I couldn't.

Why should it be free? Air machines cost money to buy, money to install, money to run and money to maintain. Petrol stations are businesses, not public services or charities.

Sainsbury’s don’t charge to use theirs, hence the long queue of OAPs who are always waiting to use the machine at my local store. I would rather pay 20p than queue for half an hour waiting for the grandads to get on with it.

There’s no point saying to the cashier “well what am I meant to do?” It’s your problem to find a solution to, not his, you can’t just pass it on.

The used to be free, which in my experience meant that 9 times out of 10 they weren't properly maintained and more often than not wouldn't be working.

I remember a number of years ago driving around the town, I then lived in, needing to inflate my tyres and not finding a working one in about four different garage.

Since there's been a nominal fee to use them they're usually fix pretty quickly if they go wrong, again, that's just my experience.