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Something Else to Worry About

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Mickey Richaud

Mickey Richaud

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SHEESH!

Apparently this checks out at snopes.com:

A woman said her son found his license plate missing so he called the police to file a report. They told him people were stealing the plates to get free gas Given the rise in gas prices, people have taken to stealing license plates, putting them on their car, then getting gas and running. The gas station will have "your" license plate # and you could be in trouble for "pump and run." Check your car periodically to be sure you still have a plate. If you should find it missing, file a report immediately!!!


Keep an eye on your license plate! Make sure you always know it's there! This lady's were stolen and she has no idea when! The lady at the revenue office said that they have replaced several license plates since gas prices have been so high. People are stealing them, putting them on their vehicles to go buy gas and driving off without paying! When the license plate is reported as the "drive off vehicle", it's YOU they contact! Be aware!!!! Be aware of your license plates, most of us never look to see if they're there.
 
I have a couple friends who work at gas stations, and they are told not to even bother calling in drive-offs... Waste of time because they are usually never caught. The stations are allowed to write off a certain amount of loss in drive-offs. That said... If I owned a gas station... I'd have head level video at each pump, and if you drove off, I would definately have someone put in jail.
 
Stations seams pretty watchful around here.....I picked up an old 82 Camaro for $700 a few years ago as a summer project. I bought it in Febuary and the PO left me with an empty tank, since my parents house was just down the street I drove there first and slapped on some expired California plates...Now this was a faded, rusted, noisy Camaro and the PO was a smoker so I had all the windows down in Febuary trying to air it out. Anyway I pull up to the gas station, try the pump....nothing...try again...nothing....Finally the attendant comes on the loud speaker and calls me into the store....She had disabled the pump until I paid upfront. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/square.gif
 
I'd love to watch someone try to steal the front plate from my TR6....cussin at the stupid OE holder that allows about 1 inch for access to the nuts.
 
I really don't like "pay first" pumps & avoid those stations religiously! If I can use my credit card, that's my first choice - second is paying by cash - after I know how much gas I need as I always fill up & never know how much it'll cost....most places around here that are "pay first" want you to specify an amount - they set the pump to give you that much...then, if you need more, you have to go back & specify again...wastes too much time!
 
You would hate it out here then. I haven't seen a pump first station in 15 years. If you pay by credit card then it doesn't matter if it's pay first or pump first. If you pay with cash, just give them more than you need and get change. It protects the stations from thieves and therefore keeps costs down.
 
I see how pay first would be annoying....Not sure how popular this is where you guys are but here I only fill up at ESSo stations(I get an employee discount) and esso has a 'speed pass' program...Works like a credit card, but it's an electronic key fob that you swipe past a target on the pump...that way you don't have to fumble with your wallet to find your card.....They're getting pretty fancy now, most stations have TV built into the pumps so you can get the news/weather ect while you pump.
 
I stopped at a station East of Clearlake,CA.
They wanted to know exactly how much I wanted.
This frustated me,as I wanted to fill the tank,but didn't
know EXACTLY how much it would take.
They didn't seem to care that I didn't like the way this was set up.

- Doug
 
Here in Alberta all the stations are still "pump first, pay later"

The only time you'll ever encounter the pre-paid thing is if you happen to be filling up during early morning hours at certain gas stations... I suppose one gets used to the pre-paid routine, but how would you know how much gas your fill is going to be?

With the gas price expected to spike to $1.25 per litre here (in light of the Prudhoe Bay developments), maybe driveoffs might be on the rise... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Not by me of course /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Really... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I once went to get gas & the pump wouldn't read my card for some reason - w/o card it was pay first so I gave the guy my card to hold..."Its not good," he said. "because the pump won't read it, there must be a problem with the card. I need cash."

I'm thinking, "What a buffoon." So, I decided to play his silly little game & handed him a hundred dollar bill to hold. "But I'll be using my card to pay." I tossed over my shoulder as I went outside.

When I came back in, he returned my $100 as I handed him my card - his scanner wouldn't read it either. "Card's no good. He sarcastically retorted.

"Run the numbers manually, please." I firmly stated with a wry smile.

"That takes too long."

"I've got time, I've been back and forth between your counter and the pump enough."

"Its too hard and there are other people waiting."

"Not my problem."

Well, after going through the process - which took him at least 5 minutes as he kept punching the card number in incorrectly - he handed me my credit card and a receipt to sign.

"Hmm, guess your pumps are screwed up, huh?" I spat at him as I turned and left never to go back again.
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I really don't like "pay first" pumps & avoid those stations religiously! If I can use my credit card, that's my first choice - second is paying by cash - after I know how much gas I need as I always fill up & never know how much it'll cost....most places around here that are "pay first" want you to specify an amount - they set the pump to give you that much...then, if you need more, you have to go back & specify again...wastes too much time!

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

Steve's right... you'd lose your mind out here. There is absolutely no such thing as a pump first station anywhere within probably 600 miles of the L.A. basin. But I've become very good at looking at the fuel guage and requesting the exact amount to fill it up based on the wildly fluctuating price of gas. Plus almost all of them take credit cards directly at the pump.

Next thing you're going to tell us is that gas stations in your neck of the woods actually close at night. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I suppose one gets used to the pre-paid routine, but how would you know how much gas your fill is going to be?

[/ QUOTE ]

Easy. Just give them more cash than it will take, and get change back. Or use your card directly at the pump, which is even faster and easier than pump first.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Next thing you're going to tell us is that gas stations in your neck of the woods actually close at night.

[/ QUOTE ]

YEP!! & some of them have islands that say "Full Service" where they'll pump your gas, clean windshield, etc. - like in the old days....nice on a Sunday afternoon or on the way to dinner.
 
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