Servo Etiquette

[Crazy Dazz]

I don't know if maybe this isn't a thing in other states??

But Gees it ****s me to tears.

For reasons I have never fully understood, the fuel industry insists on trying to fleece us 6 days a week.
Hence the entire population of Perth is out on Mondays buying petrol.

It's not a difficult concept. You fill your car, you move your car, you go in and pay, and then you leave.
Depending on the number of Welcome Additions on duty, this speeds up throughput by somewhere between 50% and 200%.

It's not like its something that needs to be explained.
You've sat there, you've watched and benefited as everyone in front of you does it,
but come your turn and you think "nah, **** you."

Our local servo once decided it would help them keep better track if they stopped this practice. So big signs appeared everywhere asking drivers to leave their cars i place whilst paying.
Yeah, that lasted one Monday before they took the signs down.

[jpd80]

Must be a WA thing as most Service stations in QLD don’t have many parking spots and most just go pay at the register and go.

More than likely, moving your car before paying scares them you’ll do a drive off. the yanks make you pay before you pump fuel.

[BENT_8]

I don't have a problem with people leaving their car at the bowser to go and pay, its the ordering a coffee or burger whilst paying and then waiting for it to be ready before moving that drives me nuts.

[aussiblue]

The has been a lot of media coverage on this recently and the fuel/servo industry wants you to stay at the bowser until you have paid and people are complying :

See for e.g. https://thewest.com.au/lifestyle/mot...ng-b881335293z

As it turns out, this guy might need to turn down the revs, with the Motor Trade Association of WA revealing you “should not” move your vehicle before you’ve paid for your fuel.

“Unless using a ‘pay at the pump’ system or a service station app to pay for fuel, drivers should lock their car and proceed to the customer service counter to settle their outstanding payment,” spokesman Matt Linney said.

“Drivers should not move their vehicles.”

He said there are two main reasons for this: One is the potential for fuel drive-offs and the other is to keep vehicle movements to a minimum.

“In the instance of drive-offs, drivers may - often unintentionally - exit the station without paying,” Mr Linney said.

He said those keen to browse for a snack or magazine “in a manner that would not be considered prompt” should settle their fuel payment first before moving their car to a designated customer bay as a courtesy to waiting drivers.

[aussiblue]

Our debate even got UK media coverage https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Australia.html

If you have ever worked in a very busy servo you would sympathise; it becomes impossible to track customer and cars if they are moved before payment and you end up undercharging someone in the confusion.

[arronm]

You are not suppose to move your car till you pay for the fuel.

[XByoot]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

I don't have a problem with people leaving their car at the bowser to go and pay, its the ordering a coffee or burger whilst paying and then waiting for it to be ready before moving that drives me nuts.

Welcome to the stuff you I’m OK attitude of today. Like go in and pay, order your fine dining and move the bloody car so the next guy can fill up while your waiting for your tucker, taking a dump or making phone calls. Then there’s the ones that leave the car sitting there while they wander into the adjoining Makkas. Most muppets today struggle with looking after themselves let alone considering others.

[aussiblue]

Some solutions if you don't like waiting for the customers in front to pay and move their car:

a) fill up on less busy days when fuel prices are slightly higher;
b) move to some low population town where most days you might be the only customer at the servo;
c) get an electric car you can charge overnight at home;
d) practice calming in-car meditation;
e) do both of the last two per https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qF9VMWooTU :-)

Sorry; I could not resist.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by XByoot

Welcome to the stuff you I’m OK attitude of today. Like go in and pay, order your fine dining and move the bloody car so the next guy can fill up while your waiting for your tucker, taking a dump or making phone calls. Then there’s the ones that leave the car sitting there while they wander into the adjoining Makkas. Most muppets today struggle with looking after themselves let alone considering others.

The problem is, the servo owners want them buying up when they go in, that's where they make the cream, they could easily refuse to take coffee orders but they'd be too scared the punters would just crack the ****s and leave.

[MITCHAY]

I've never moved my car until paying. I can understand if some people are ****ing about cleaning their whole car with the water meant for windscreens or browsing the in store junk but they are the exception not the rule. Most people pay and go.

[XByoot]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

The problem is, the servo owners want them buying up when they go in, that's where they make the cream, they could easily refuse to take coffee orders but they'd be too scared the punters would just crack the ****s and leave.

Yeah totally understand. Also the world we live in and driveaways. Some servo the other day wouldn’t let me fill up on trade plates prior to paying! When I chatted to her she explained why, she didn’t even know what a trade plate was I don’t think. I certainly wouldn’t move a car prior to paying unless I knew the attendant, but if I was going to be a while in the shop I certainly would move the car to a thing called a parking spot after paying and do my thing inside without inconveniencing others.
There’s ways and ways. No dramas with people grabbing a few items and moving efficiently and showing a bit of consideration, vs the numpty that wanders about, makes a call or two, ponders his direction in life and then sits in his car for ages prior to driving off. We are in this thing called society, part of it is considering others I reckon

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I don't know if maybe this isn't a thing in other states??

But Gees it ****s me to tears.

For reasons I have never fully understood, the fuel industry insists on trying to fleece us 6 days a week.
Hence the entire population of Perth is out on Mondays buying petrol.

It's not a difficult concept. You fill your car, you move your car, you go in and pay, and then you leave.
Depending on the number of Welcome Additions on duty, this speeds up throughput by somewhere between 50% and 200%.

It's not like its something that needs to be explained.
You've sat there, you've watched and benefited as everyone in front of you does it,
but come your turn and you think "nah, **** you."

Our local servo once decided it would help them keep better track if they stopped this practice. So big signs appeared everywhere asking drivers to leave their cars i place whilst paying.
Yeah, that lasted one Monday before they took the signs down.

Patience young Grasshopper!

[Beastie]

I went to the servo the other day and waited for 15 mins for someone to come out and fill my tank and check my oil...

Sheesh...I had to do it myself...

[cs123]

I find the BP app pretty good. Pull up, select pump, authorise, fill up, drive off....

[5thFordWA]

And the new Caltex app works well, too.
Fill up, then open app which automatically knows which servo you are in, you select pump number and tick "Pay", done.
Email receipt sent immediately.

Normally, wife goes inside ready to join queue, I signal finished, and if no one in front of me I drive to a parking spot while she pays.

On these cheap fuel days it would be bedlam if everyone drove to a parking bay before paying, more cars than bays.

I have only once ever found a servo that organised this. It was near Breakfast Creek in Brisbane some years ago. You filled up then drove to an "exit" queue, where an attendant took payments through the drivers window. Cleared the pumps area, prevented drive-offs, very efficient.

[roKWiz]

Large APCO servo in Wang wants you to move your car after filling then paying. Works well with plenty of room even with trucks.
Meanwhile down the road at Woolies which happens to have a Caltex sign hanging out the front it, It's bedlam, as every Joe wants to fill up and buy a weeks worth of groceries at the same time.

[Ben73]

I was at the counter paying one day and someone filled up, got in their car to move forward, the cashier started freaking out calling across to her manger saying there was a drive off.
Old mate drove into the park and the cashier then calmed down.

I used to notice people moving occasionally before say 2010, but almost never see people doing it now.

I don't mind as long as they don't stuff around for ages inside. Having said that I haven't lined up for fuel for months and months now. Usually fill up late morning on a Wednesday.

[Eurotrash]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Our debate even got UK media coverage https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Australia.html

If you have ever worked in a very busy servo you would sympathise; it becomes impossible to track customer and cars if they are moved before payment and you end up undercharging someone in the confusion.

It also doesn't help when people don't know which pump they've just filled up at and don't know how much they've put in their car!

The amount of times I've heard … 'That one over there' and 'I don't know it was around $20.00 dollars'. No wonder the poor console operators get so p***ed off with people!

[11ford11]

Servo I use in western Sydney has only 1 parking bay it’s called the driveway but people get huffy if you use it
The part I find annoying is when someone blocks the entrance because they only want to use a certain bowser and line up across the driveway behind the cars that are using them instead of using the other bowsers which no one is using

[Yellow_Festiva]

I do 2 shifts a week where I finish at midnight. Fill up on the way home, no lines, cheapest price

[nstg8a]

Had the one the other day, I waited behind them in the queue, no one came out. I ended up going to the next row of pumps over. By the time I got served there was no one else in the line but that car was still at the pumps so I mentioned it to the cashier.
He goes “oh, they’re probably at the food court next door, happens all the time”.
I can’t even begin to comprehend what goes through a persons mind to think that’s even remotely acceptable.

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by 11ford11

The part I find annoying is when someone blocks the entrance because they only want to use a certain bowser and line up across the driveway behind the cars that are using them instead of using the other bowsers which no one is using

Some servos only have certain types of fuel at each bowser. Those of us that want 98 have to queue up at a certain pump, because no other pump has it.

[LG17]

Originally Posted by NX74205

Some servos only have certain types of fuel at each bowser. Those of us that want 98 have to queue up at a certain pump, because no other pump has it.

All the new pumps seem to have the full gamut available at every pump which is a much better idea.

[EBSXR6]

Local Bakery has a couple of A3 signs in the shop in large fonts, Please excuse us while we serve the next customer while you are taking your important phone call.

[Eurotrash]

Originally Posted by EBSXR6

Local Bakery has a couple of A3 signs in the shop in large fonts, Please excuse us while we serve the next customer while you are taking your important phone call.

Honestly, that's just down right rude!! Peoples manners have gone out the window these days.

It annoys me when I see people talking on their phones when being served at a register by a shop assistant. Even talking on their phones on trams and buses and waiting rooms, get a clue people, no one wants to here your conversations!!

Get off your bloody phones!!

[11ford11]

Originally Posted by NX74205

Some servos only have certain types of fuel at each bowser. Those of us that want 98 have to queue up at a certain pump, because no other pump has it.

Agree but the pumps in question are the same as the others including the side they fill from


Nstg8a

Had the one the other day, I waited behind them in the queue, no one came out. I ended up going to the next row of pumps over. By the time I got served there was no one else in the line but that car was still at the pumps so I mentioned it to the cashier.
He goes “oh, they’re probably at the food court next door, happens all the time”.
I can’t even begin to comprehend what goes through a persons mind to think that’s even remotely acceptable.

Your assuming they think!

[Blue Dog]

It's the ****ers that turn into a servo, get halfway off the road, stop & block the flow of traffic while they're deciding which bowser they're going to use....

[CyberWasp]

When two idiots meet at a service station.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

When two idiots meet at a service station.

image

Funny pic.
But it’s pretty easy to figure out how this could happen without either of them being an idiot.

[CFOUR]

my local servo (gold coast) will literally tell you off over the intercom if you try to move before paying. definitely pay then re-park if you are going to be more than a min or 2.