AIBU to be concerned that the tyre pressure machine is shut by police at fuel station

[Lunar567]

Drivers are recommended to check the tyre pressure once a month. I do it regularly at the same local fuel station. I need the car for work.
Today I went to that place to check my tyre pressure and the machine is not working.
I asked a member of staff at the door and he told me that the police told them to shut the machine as it is not essential.
I am shocked. The safety of drivers is not essential? Lots of people have to drive where I live as public transport is not very good. Two other fuel stations nearby don't have those machines.
Am I being unreasonable that it is wrong to do that by the police?
Where shall I complain?

You can get one to use at home if it helps? We've got one, plugs into the cigarette lighter bit. Takes a bit longer but works just as well

You can buy them to do it yourself. We have one each.

I doubt most people check once a month, tbh. You’ll be fine without checking them for a while.

Tyre pressure gaguges are incredibly cheap. Just a few pounds. Go buy one,put it in the glove box and use it whenever you want

Sounds like utter bollocks. Either check with the police or with management of the garage, because someone's spouting nonsense. It's a safety critical element of cars and should not be closed under supposed excuses like this.

How is it any different to the petrol pumps?

I can honestly only remember checking my tyre pressure once in the past 10 years. If it looks low, I fill it up. You can buy one for use at home to do that. Very likely your tyres will be fine for the next 8 weeks or so.

Just buy one. Either just a measuring widget or the whole pump and measurer in one. I have the latter and it plugs into the cigarette lighter thing and I have newly inflated tyres a minute later. Cost me £40 I think.

I have annoying tyre pressure monitors which are always alarming on the dashboard.

It doesn't matter how often people do it, there is no need for that facility to be shut. I would contact the station closest and ask if its true, if it is, put in a complaint.

If that's true then they have overstepped their legal powers.

They said it was shut because people touch it!
I always use plastic gloves to fill up and check the pressure. So it is really nonsense to shut it because people touch it.
Where can I buy a measuring widget or a pump that plugs in cigarette lighter?
My car is 10 years old, doesn't have tyre pressure monitors on dashboard.

You need to find a better petrol station, the air machine is still open where I work (as well as the free water, the car wash, and both jet washes).

Where can I buy a measuring widget or a pump that plugs in cigarette lighter

Amazon

I have a pump with a light and a digital pressure guage in it, it was a bit more than the really cheapy ones and was definitely better value.

We also sell compressors with a built-in gauge that run of the cigarette lighter for £12.99.

I did mine yesterday at a Morrison’s petrol station.

B&q sell them, amazon. Halfords if open.

Lord that is fucking stupid if it is true. Do you have a local paper? Copy your post to them,.ours would love this.

That's ridiculous, please complain to all channels. That's like saying you shouldn't fill up petrol or diesel in your car or go shopping because people are touching the stuff. People are advised not to use public transport and if they drive cars, checking tyre pressure is a safety thing that must be done.

It's entirely possible the staff member you spoke to was mistaken or lying.

But anyway, I suggest getting your own pump. I use a foot pump, I wouldn't want to inflate all four tyres from zero with it but it's fine for topping up a few psi. Or you can get electric ones to save the effort.

You can get a separate pressure gauge of you like. But I just use the one on the pump.

Most new cars have a system installed that tells you your tyre pressure & warns if tyres need pumping up.

@Nat6999
I have a 10 year old car.
I was planning to buy a hybrid next year but since coronavirus started I have already had 25% salary cut and may have to go part-time and lose even more money. So buying a car is now in a very distant future.

@JasonPollack
Good idea about local paper. I will try it.

Every car I have had since 2011 has had an indicator light that shows if your tyre pressure is low, most of my cars have been mid to lower range cars. Check your owners manual to see if yours has this feature.

Don't call the paper before you've called the petrol station FFS. Talk about 0-100.

Our petrol station still has it open. I jet washed my car the other day. A police car was in the carpark opposite but they didn't say anything. I think the petrol station is chatting shit tbh.