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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder why people don’t use both lanes in the petrol station?

248 replies

Horcrux · 01/12/2019 17:05

Do people not realise that the hose reaches around to the other side so that you don’t have to wait to use the tank closest to your cap?
Or do people know this but have a reason for not doing it?
AIBU for parking on either side?

OP posts:

MondieBee · 01/12/2019 20:03

I have never ever had a problem with the hose not reaching, both with my very large estate now and when I used to drive a transit van. It must be other hoses in other places that don't reach... I basically think people who say that are either lying to justify the fact they think it doesn't look like it will reach or they position their car badly. You do have to park carefully with a longer vehicle, close to the pump and slightly forward.

I don't understand those who say they have a small car and it doesn't reach. Years ago I drove a tiny yaris and didn't have to think about how I parked at all, it always reached.

73Sunglasslover · 01/12/2019 20:07

They don't reach in all petrol stations

Comefromaway · 01/12/2019 20:13

It’s too heavy and cumbersome for me.

I sometimes have to go into the shop if pay at the pump has run out of receipt paper as I have to get a VAT receipt for work.

At none pay at pump if shopping in the kiosk round here you’d get a tannoy announcement and police called if you attempted to move your car away from the pump before you’d paid.

Ginfordinner · 01/12/2019 20:24

I don't understand those that don't understand that not all petrol stations have hoses long enough to reach over or have petrol pumps spaced far enough apart to be able to pull a car forward enough if there is a car in front

Ginfordinner · 01/12/2019 20:25

Or room to turn a car around

BoneyBackJefferson · 01/12/2019 20:27

I have had several of the guns trap in the car due to the shape of teh filling pipe. is easier and less hassle to wait.

If you want to jump ahead feel free.

DownstairsMixUp · 01/12/2019 20:29

Some cars don't hAve the arrow pointing to side of petrol cap

onceandneveragain · 01/12/2019 20:35

@MissMarpletheMurderer I drive a variety of different hire/fleet cars for work. In 99% of these, and every car I've personally owned, there has been a symbol on the dashboard indicating the side of the fuel pump - although most tend to be a picture of a fuel and an arrow rather than the handle thing tabby mentioned. I obviously can't say for every single car in the world, but I can promise you it is a thing.

Windygate · 01/12/2019 20:35

I find the hose very heavy and unwieldy. I don't want the manky hose across my car. I pick a queue quickly and accept I need to wait.
If you are happy to do otherwise then go for it.

Christmasslippers · 01/12/2019 20:39

Like most people on here I also wait as I'd be embarrassed if the pump didn't reach. I went to a different petrol station the other day and there was a sign up asking customers not to pull the pumps over/around the car as it can cause leaks. I'd never seen it before anywhere else but it must happen.

sanityisamyth · 01/12/2019 20:43

Some reach either side of the car, some don't.

Also Morrison's seem to only allow Pay at Pump at half of their units. I always queue up on the P@P side if possible as I don't want to go into the kiosk and spend more money on sweets I don't need.

TabbyMumz · 01/12/2019 21:35

"Some cars don't hAve the arrow pointing to side of petrol cap"

Its not an arrow, it's a picture of a petrol pump and whatever side of it the handle is, is the side the cap is.

YeOldeTrout · 01/12/2019 21:43

Some hoses aren't designed to go to the far side of the car. They just aren't. Not even if you park 5' forward into the next fill point space. Unless your car is only 2' wide, maybe.

dementedpixie · 01/12/2019 21:45

My car has an arrow at the side of the pump symbol like this

To wonder why people don’t use both lanes in the petrol station?

SoupDragon · 01/12/2019 21:55

Some hoses aren't designed to go to the far side of the car. They just aren't. Not even if you park 5' forward into the next fill point space. Unless your car is only 2' wide, maybe.

Don't be silly. It's just because you are stupid or can't park properly. Apparently.

Regardless of places having signs specifically telling you the hose will reach (thus implying that they aren't always designed to do so) or attendants telling you not to or anything else that disproves it.

Selfsettling3 · 01/12/2019 21:59

For me it’s because only one side is pay at the pump and I have young children in the car.

PineappleDanish · 01/12/2019 22:51

I'm the least strong person ever, and drive a vw touran mum bus.

No bother filling from either side, never ever encountered one of those too short hoses anywhere in the country.

Ginfordinner · 01/12/2019 23:00

No bother filling from either side, never ever encountered one of those too short hoses anywhere in the country.

Bully for you.

I am happy to make a complete tit of myself and try to manoeuvre a hose round to the far side of my car, and I can assure you that some petrol stations really do have hoses that are too short to make this possible

Why do some posters not believe this?

frasersmummy · 01/12/2019 23:09

I. Don't do pay at the pump since getting stung with £99 pre authorisation charge.

Used to be £1..then they changed the policy. Put a pending charge of £99 on my card. The £35 of fuel came off 2 days later. It was a full. 4 says before the £99 was released back to my card.

Never again

gavisconismyfriend · 01/12/2019 23:12

Sore shoulder, much easier to use hose on the same side as the tank than have to pull it round. Am often aware of someone in the forecourt being judgemental about it, but seriously how much does it affect anyone else’s life if I wait a turn for the side that suits me?! I’m careful with where I wait so others can get to other pumps, so surely it works to their advantage rather than detriment? The OP probably didn’t meant sound judgemental, but frankly life’s surely too short to be even paying attention to how other people decide to put petrol in their cars?!

RollaCola84 · 01/12/2019 23:30

I don't want to ? HTH

...I join a queue and wait for a pump to become free, I'm not blocking anyone else. Why do you care ?

JemimaPuddleCat · 01/12/2019 23:33

I just drive round the other side

FlamingoAndJohn · 01/12/2019 23:40

Anyway I've heard tell of these mythical too-short hoses but have thankfully never encountered one! I just go wherever there isn't a queue. And yes, always pay at pump!

The funny thing is I’ve never encountered one of these pumps you can pay at but I’ve found many hoses too short.

Heismyopendoor · 01/12/2019 23:43

When i first passed my test about six years ago, first time I went to the station to fill up I went where the hose was on the other side. It didn’t reach!! I was absolutely mortified and just got in the car and drove to another station.

Not all hoses reach, much to my embarrassment. So I generally wait for the one on my side unless it specifically says that you can use both sides. Even when it reaches it can be tricky, I’m 4ft 11, drive a large seven seater and the hose is often heavy and difficult to manoeuvre.

Ginfordinner · 01/12/2019 23:45

I live rurally where petrol stations are thin on the ground. None of them are pay at the pump, and the ones that I have tried to fill on the far side have hoses that are too short.

Oh wait a minute. I am making this up because these type of petrol stations don't exist according to some mumsnetters

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