Was I out of order for driving into the petrol pump in front rather than waiting?

[HappyPinkHare]

AITA? Just want to get everyone’s opinions on petrol forecourt / station etiquette in the uk. Two petrol pumps are placed one in front of the other, in single lanes, so if someone is in front of you refuelling, you can’t drive past them (you either have to wait or reverse). When I drove into the forecourt, a black car was in pump 1, still filling up and pump 2 (in front of them was free). So I drove up the other lanes and reversed in front of them into pump 2. I got out, opened my petrol cap, paid using my credit card a pin and lifted the nozzle. At that point, the lady came out of her car aggressively and told me to move out of the way so they could drive off the forecourt as they were in a hurry. If I was still in my car, I probably would have moved, but as I was already about to refuel, I asked why she didn’t reverse and go down the other lanes. It basically got out of hand and she was knocking the hose in my hand to stop me from refuelling and screaming saying “are you going to pour petrol on me?” Anyway, after lots of swearing and aggression (from both husband and wife) and me passively refusing to move, they ended up reversing (just one car length by the way) and leaving via the route I had suggested originally. It got me thinking that what I did (reverse into pump 2) was maybe wrong because why were they so angry, was i out of order?

You were just making efficient use of the pumps, which was a reasonable thing to do. They sound very unpleasant

It was kind of scary. Especially at the point she was knocking it aggressively and getting drops on her hands then shouting: “do you want to pour petrol on me?” She looked like she was going to try to wipe it on me at one point. Yeah I mean I should report it, but I think the fact they ended up looking silly and reversing out they way I told them to was enough justice for me.

You did nothing wrong but it did remind me of a man who did the same except he didn’t reverse, he almost parked on my bumper and got out glaring at me. He went to fill up and the noticed the pump out of order, I smiled at him and he slumped back to his car and aggressively reversed and drove off as I waved.

It obviously annoyed the wife and husband

So why didn’t you use pumps 3 or pump 4?

Maybe learn to read "fgs" - op very clearly says they were SINGLE LANES.

Therefore there was no "mid section of places that have pumps at both sides."

How on earth did they know they weren't going to be reversing into another car? They can't magically guess whether something is coming up behind them or not!

I have been driving for more than 20 years and have literally never seen anyone reverse into a SINGLE LANE forecourt because a) they are comparatively rare and b) it's really dangerous, because unlike a normal forecourt there isn't room! If you live somewhere where this happens "all the time" post a picture of the garage so I can avoid it

There are signs on pumps specifically saying "use both sides" AND signs saying exit precisely to avoid this exact issue. Why do you think garages bother putting signs up making it very clear how they want people to use it, for shits and giggles?

Blimey, she must have been having a bad day! Her behaviour was ludicrous - and totally unreasonable!!!

YANBU @HappyPinkHare and did nothing wrong. Why did she not pull up to the front pump? (I assume someone was at it when she pulled up to the back one?) I have done this - pulled up to the back pump (when someone was at the front one) and started to fill up, and the person in front drives off.

Then someone comes and pulls up to the front pump like you did. Then I am waiting for a few minutes to move away (if I can't reverse.) But I don't cry about it or attack that person. I sit and wait, because I'm not fucking batshit crazy!

.

I would have (and have) done the same as you OP. I couldn't bear sitting in a queue when there is a free pump that I could easily access.

Although, it probably would irritate me if someone did it to me, but I would just inwardly seethe, or reverse out if possible. The woman was very unreasonable to confront you.

Nah this one’s on them. She is nuts. He is nuts. Well done you for standing your ground.

So CD (cross driver) refused to use the lane by the other pumps? I’m surprised someone in the garage didn’t yell over the tannoy. Shouting and flinging petrol hoses around is pretty aggressive.

They weren’t blocked in. 😂🤦🏻‍♀️

Blocked in obviously means the person can’t get out but in this case, they only had to reverse and move over to the left or right of the pump.

Some people are shit at reversing and will avoid reversing at all costs.

Are you one of those rubbish drivers too?

It was at 7am so it was pretty much empty, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have done it. I’m asking here for people’s opinions on whether it’s a normal thing that others do, because up until today, I didn’t think anyone would be miffed by it - I have seen it done and had it done to me and didn’t really think twice before. But obviously taking everyone’s options into account, I see some are in fact annoyed by it.

No. It was a single lane. No space for a car to pass the one infront of it The ONLY way for the first car to get out was to reverse completely out of the lane and use another one.

I think you broke pump etiquette as well. If the pump in front of the occupied one is free, you just patiently wait, and only when the car in front of you has moved, do you then move forward.

I guess there’s a bit if grey area if there’s room to the side of the pump, whereby the person can move into and drive off.

However, another car could have come up behind first car, thus trapping it between yours and the new car, so then they’d have to wait for you, which is a little unfair.

Her reaction was over the top, but I don’t think you helped the situation. .

Seems like an entirely normal thing to do, if you mean you just went round her in the other pumps' lane, then pulled in front her to fuel. She could also presumably just pull out and go round you in the other pumps' lane? Or reverse and go through any other empty lane? If people had pulled in both opposite and behind her which meant she had to wait, that would seem to suggest she wasn't exactly ready to pull off as soon as you pulled in. I get it would be annoying to now have to wait for you, but it's one of those minor irritations reasonable adults just accept as part of daily life. She's clearly insane.

Report them to the police girl!!

Why didn’t you use pump 3 or 4?

@HappyPinkHare If you had not done it, someone else would. What was wrong with the other lanes that were empty?

It’s not dangerous and I use the opposite side all the time. Much to the annoyance of the simpletons waiting ages for a pump on the “correct” side! See ya suckers 😂

OP says the other a available pumps were on the “wrong” side so I’m assuming it was as my diagram above shows.
OP should learn to refuel with the cap on the far side. You just have to park up properly.

I'm in Ireland and I'm with you OP (not sure if there's some other unspoken rule in the UK) but like you said all she had to do was reverse back a bit and she was out of the lane. Been in both positions plenty of times, it wouldn't even occur to me that anyone would have an issue with it

I came to say we need a diagram 😂
FWIW I don't use the pumps on wrong side regardless of whether the hoses are 'extra long'...they still rest on the car and cause scratches if they aren't spotlessly clean. I'd have done the same if there was a way for them to get out.
Even if you had totally blocked them in, their reaction was out of proportion!

Many petrol stations have signs telling you to use both sides.
How it it dangerous?

yes I think I did misjudge how long they were going to be. I had waited a few minutes and they seemed to be taking a while (and were both out of the car) so I drove in front of them and at the point which I began to refuel they were ready to leave. If they had asked me as I parked up, I would have moved, but by the time she approached me I was already about to refuel and (they wouldn’t know this) but my car is very quick to fill, but I do somewhat understand what you are getting at here.

Screw them. I’d have done the same.

Mind you if she had started knocking the pump in my hand asking if “I was going to pour petrol on her”, considering the mood I’m in today, I’d have offered her a smack in the mouth instead, as that wouldn’t cost me anything per litre.