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

[Horcrux]

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?

Because the hose doesn't always reach and I can't be bothered be to waste time trying. I'd rather just wait.

I can barely pull the bloody trigger when it's on the right side let alone the wrong one! I have to use two hands.
Then I always seem to get a dodgy clicky trigger whenever I use the Shell station. Drives me mad! Is it me? Am I doing it wrong?

Hoses are heavy. I am not as able-bodied as I look. Sitting inside my car is warm. I like going to look at the chocolate bars just in case there is one I fancy. My car is always muddy, I have fallen foul of a short hose before and ended up falling onto my car and getting covered in mud... and did I mention they are heavy?!

DH won’t because he thinks it will scratch the car. Similarly, when he puts air in the tyres I have to do a little dance round the car putting my foot on the pipe so it doesn’t come within an inch of the paintwork.

Bizarre thing is we live rurally so the car is covered in scratches from hedges etc, but woe betide us if a flexible rubber hose makes contact with it .

Doesn't reach around my very scratched old Land Rover.

Regardless of places having signs specifically telling you the hose will reach (thus implying that they aren't always designed to do so)

They have those signs to encourage you to use both sides, not because it's an unusual feature that only that petrol station has

I personally haven’t found one that doesn’t reach round but some are very, very tight and if I had a bigger car they probably wouldn’t reach. My car is tiny

I’ve got MS, look “normal” (very fit even), but don’t have the strength and co-ordination in my arms to fill up from the other side. Also, leaning in a certain way sends my back into horrific spasms, so I’d imagine there’s lots of people out there can’t comfortably use the pump without being right next to it.
Glad you can do the other side, it frees up the space for those of us who have no choice.

Another person here with an invisible disability. I look 'normal' but am not strong enough to stretch the hose around.
I have enough trouble lifting it on the correct side.
Better off waiting a few more minutes in a queue than breaking myself.

• some petrol stations really do have hoses that are too short to make this possible

Why do some posters not believe this?
*

Because it’s not true?

I have been to hundreds of stations through Europe, USA, and Africa.

They ALL reach if you use them properly.

Why would they design, build and fit ones that didn’t? It would cost the stations money while people drove past because there was a line of people waiting for the “right” side

@BlaueLagune @steff13 @TriangularRatbag

Not all cars have an arrow. I've driven loads of different cars and never seen one. My car doesn't, for example.

I don't because I have a buggered shoulder and wrist and getting fuel is enough work already 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Alwaysrainsonme the hoses are covered in grit typically which can scratch quite deeply.

I will never attempt to refuel from the other side again after the last attempt when I hadn't realised that I'd managed to get my dress caught up in the hose and merrily exposed my massive granny pants to a packed garage. Nope. Never. Again.

Of the 2 garages I use. 1 the hose reaches the other it doesn't. Even if parked close.
The one it does reach I haven't used lately as means parking drivers side to pump. And because of their bins etc I can't get my baby belly out the gap. But once baby here I'll go back to using either side
But for now I have to wait for the correct side..

I don't particularly care - I just drive to whichever pump is free and, if on the wrong side, pull forward a bit so that the pipe goes behind the car - but I'm quite tall and only usually fill small/medium cars with filler holes towards the back of the car.

I fully realise that this isn't always a possible or preferable option for many people/vehicles/fuel stations for all of the reasons already mentioned and it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

However, am I the only person who sometimes actually finds it easier to fill on the 'wrong' side? There's more room to stand and manoeuvre yourself towards the middle of the two lanes rather than squeezing up against a too-close pump, and I find that using the whole length of the pipe allows for more flexibility and easier positioning before filling - same principle as using a 4m extension or charger lead to cover a 1.8m distance is easier and more flexible than using a 2m lead, even though either will suffice.

Sometimes the receipts don't print at the pumps.

Sometimes the receipts don't print at the pumps.

And they tell you to 'simply' go to another pump, stand around and wait until it's free and look like a lurking weirdo about to steal somebody's car or handbag all the while perplexing or annoying people who wonder why you're occupying a fuel pump with no evidence of a vehicle.

The, you have to put your cards in again, wait and hope that that one still has some ink in it.

Quick and convenient, you say....?

HurdyGurdy you are wrong

They have those signs to encourage you to use both sides, not because it's an unusual feature that only that petrol station has

Of course they do. Because that fits your narrative.

@GinandGingerBeer "Then I always seem to get a dodgy clicky trigger whenever I use the Shell station. Drives me mad! Is it me? Am I doing it wrong?"

I get this too! From my research/what people have told me, it's either:

1. Air "bubble" pushing back (if you are filling from really empty)
2. A dodgy latch/thingy inside the fuel filler tube that doesn't do whatever it is supposed to when a fuel nozzle is inserted.
3. Low fuel supplies at the garage you are using

As I have both an old car and routinely fill from orange, I have never been able to narrow it down. But it does only ever seem to happen at Sainsbury's (I go there 95% of the time though).

I used to live somewhere where you could pull into the station, wind the window down, order your fuel, they would clean your windows while the fuel was pumping, take your cash... That was the way to do it. Cost less than UK as well.

"Not all cars have an arrow."
In your picture, I can see a picture of a petrol pump underneath where the dial is. The arm ,of the petrol pump is on the right of the pump. It shows your petrol cap is on the drivers right of the car.

At our local big Sainsbury's there are 28 pumps and big signs saying "Extra long hoses. Fill from both sides"
Still people wait till a pump on the right side comes up - whilst I'm getting very irritated in the queue behind them.

TBH I have never seen a sign that tells you to use both sides. Some of the older petrol stations near me have the pump at the top with longer hoses where it can be swung round easily, but the newer ones have shorter hoses at each side. My local one definitely does have short hoses. I recently tried to refill my kuga on the far side and it simply didn't reach @Hurdygurdy24

The long hoses don't reach round our bigger vehicle.
Sometimes the hoses are filthy further down that is stored away and need several yanks to pull the hose out far enough. Sometimes they are very very stiff to pull out, and also I've done this a few times and my clothes got filthy.

I will try and find one on 'my' side but if there are long queues I'll go to the 'wrong' side and hope I don't get a dodgy, filthy hose.