Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Lizzie_Zoom on 09 January 2010, 15:17:19
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Filling stations in the UK still sustain heavy losses due to 'drive off' thefts by customers avoiding paying for the fuel.
In the USA however they seem to have overcome this by a very straightforward method, once the right equipment / software is installed.
You drive up to the pump, and you can sellect the grade of fuel required, even placing the nozzle in the tank, but then you have to go to the kiosk. There you pay, say $20, to the staff to load that amount onto your pump. You then return to your vehicle and fill your tank. If you reach the $20 then the pump just stops filling and you can drive off. But if you fill with say just $16 worth, then you return to the kiosk and get your $4 change. These special pumps also of course take credit card payments as some of ours do.
The people I spoke to said this was now common practice in the US, and to me it is a logical system which should help reduce the filling station losses which are only passed to us anyway! This system is being operated on prices ranging between just $2.51 to $2.68 a gallon! ;) ;)
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yup, i found that out after standing there like a pratt for 10 minutes waiting for them to authorise the pump ::) ;D
Problem i found is i had no idea how much to ask for to fill my Pontiac from a 1/4 tank, asked man in the queue, he said $25, and he was spot on!
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yup, i found that out after standing there like a pratt for 10 minutes waiting for them to authorise the pump ::) ;D
Problem i found is i had no idea how much to ask for to fill my Pontiac from a 1/4 tank, asked man in the queue, he said $25, and he was spot on!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D So did I Tunnie! I eventually went to the kiosk to be told the pocedure!! English woman abroad eh!! ::) ::) ;D ;D ;D ;D
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yup, i found that out after standing there like a pratt for 10 minutes waiting for them to authorise the pump ::) ;D
Same here!
I'm sure their gas is about 4bucks a gallon now?
I remember it was $2 a gallon in 2005 then about twice that in 2008?
Well, in Florida anyway.
I said to a local guy that they were lucky regarding gas prices and he commiserated me on being on the losing side in 1776...........
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yup, i found that out after standing there like a pratt for 10 minutes waiting for them to authorise the pump ::) ;D
Same here!
I'm sure their gas is about 4bucks a gallon now?
I remember it was $2 a gallon in 2005 then about twice that in 2008?
Well, in Florida anyway.
I said to a local guy that they were lucky regarding gas prices and he commiserated me on being on the losing side in 1776...........
No. I filled up with prices ranging from $2.51 to $2.63 at the highest (in Florida), although I noted garages trying to sell regular at $2.68, but they were empty of customers!
Back in 1990 my American friends were crying that fuel was fast approaching $1 a gallon, and by 1998 it was just over that. Now at $2.51 I can happily take, but Americans who remember the old days are beside themselves!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
They are still driving their big gas guzzlers though :o :o :D :D
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I was in florida in August and I was searching high and low for the cheapest fuel.
I was looking for ages the year before because I was driving from Orlando down to Key West to get married, and believe me, I needed to fill up in Key West to do the return journey and I got lost in Key West, how the hell can you get lost in Key West, is only 4 miles by 2 miles for Gawd Sake.
:-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[
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When I was in the U.S. in 2001 the only place I came across the "pay before we switch the pump on " was when I drove down to NYC. Just before we got to the city the car was almost out of petrol so pulled of the freeway to the nearest station we could find.It turned out we were in The Bronx. :o :o ;D Went in Maccy D,s to use the toilets and got some strange looks from the hundred or so black people in there,apparently they werent used to seeing white folks around there. ::) ;D ;D
Iirc petrol was around $1.20 per US gallon at the time,and they werent very happy about it.
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Think all brits do it Lizzie, so no need to worry :)
i liked the clips which have been removed here, meaning you can let go of the nossle handle, usefull in this current climate!
Also found some of them had huge arm things on the side of the pumps which needed lifting off. Think it took about 20 mins all in before fuel was flowing first time i filled up ;D
Does work well, their pumps are faster too i think :-/
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When I was in New Jersey about 8 years ago you were not allowed to pump your own gas. An attendant had to do it for you!!
I asked around and the concensus of opinion seemed to be that it was a mafia thing that created thousands of jobs for those without work!! :o :o
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I've never had to fill up in the US, both Oregon and NY. Always done by attendants.
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i liked the clips which have been removed here, meaning you can let go of the nossle handle, usefull in this current climate! .......
I find that a lot of nozzles still have the clip, but no pin for it latch on to. I made one to go on my car keys from 2mm stainless welding rod, push through one of the sets of holes still in the nozzle handle and away you go. :y :y :y
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i liked the clips which have been removed here, meaning you can let go of the nossle handle, usefull in this current climate! .......
I find that a lot of nozzles still have the clip, but no pin for it latch on to. I made one to go on my car keys from 2mm stainless welding rod, push through one of the sets of holes still in the nozzle handle and away you go. :y :y :y
I like :y
Does it still self cancel?
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Does it still self cancel?
Certainly does. :y :y
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First gas station I ever went to in America was in downtown Miami. That was in a very rough area and was pay in advance (leave the man your credit card OR cash). We were lucky not to be mugged.
There are now a few petrol stations in Spain that operate payment in advance. They are always in rough areas with ready access to a motorway/dual carriageway.
Our local village station is quite happy for people to pay him "next time". Reminds me of England 20 years ago but then everyone here knows everyone.!
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When I was in the U.S. in 2001 the only place I came across the "pay before we switch the pump on " was when I drove down to NYC. Just before we got to the city the car was almost out of petrol so pulled of the freeway to the nearest station we could find.It turned out we were in The Bronx. :o :o ;D Went in Maccy D,s to use the toilets and got some strange looks from the hundred or so black people in there,apparently they werent used to seeing white folks around there. ::) ;D ;D
Iirc petrol was around $1.20 per US gallon at the time,and they werent very happy about it.
;) "Aint from around here; is ya boy!" ;D
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I say our filling stations could solve fuel theft easily - if they wanted to - by installing "pay at pump" machines more widely, as they do in France, for example.
But no.. They want you to have to go into the shop so they can tempt you to buy all the sh1te in the mini-M&S attached to the filling station, thus ensuring anyone behind you has to wait ages for the pump to become free. >:(
I can only conclude that they see fuel sales as a loss leader to sales of over priced groceries and junk, and decide to take a certain level of theft on the chin.
Kevin
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I believe that Japan has a set-up whereby there are several attendants waiting to serve you when you turn up at their fuel stations, and don’t think they have problems with people doing drive off's without paying. Mind you, there’s more respect for others anyhow in their country as it’s part of their up bringing.
Worse thing that stations did in this country was getting rid of fuel attendants, as I'm sure if the idea was brought back into the service, would may help prevent drive off’s.
Would also be useful for disabled drivers not having to faff around with difficulty getting in and out their cars if they have real mobility trouble. Or waiting for the pump attendant to realise after 10mins that the driver needs help, even if the garage is fitted with ‘disabled help’ systems !!.
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I say our filling stations could solve fuel theft easily - if they wanted to - by installing "pay at pump" machines more widely, as they do in France, for example.
But no.. They want you to have to go into the shop so they can tempt you to buy all the sh1te in the mini-M&S attached to the filling station, thus ensuring anyone behind you has to wait ages for the pump to become free. >:(
I can only conclude that they see fuel sales as a loss leader to sales of over priced groceries and junk, and decide to take a certain level of theft on the chin.
Kevin
I think you have got it about right there Kevin :y
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Some of our local filling stations are pay before you fill after 10/11pm when you pay at the kiosk window. Suppose you gotta say how much and pay or hand your card over! First one I experienced was in Walsall one evening about 20 odd years ago! :y
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Some of our local filling stations are pay before you fill after 10/11pm when you pay at the kiosk window. Suppose you gotta say how much and pay or hand your card over! First one I experienced was in Walsall one evening about 20 odd years ago! :y
I can tell you exactly how much fuel I'd be purchasing under those circumstances!
Kevin
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Too right! Only pay in cash under those circs. Wouldn't give my card over in case some crooked cashier swiped my card details :y