Gas/Diesel Pump Etiquette

[RedWolf]

Originally Posted by jasin1

yes i agree…another interesting side note on truck stops i found out ..i prepaid $100 at a truck stop on the way down to Florida and asked the lady if it would automatically go back on my card if i only pumped say $82…she said yep. …..i tried to avoid going back in line after i pumped

i go out and before i even pump the fuel i get a AMEX alert email message on my phone saying “ an attempt to charge $500 was declined at dealer location” …they declined but i didn’nt know at first and it’s because of my fraud protection on my card and a out of state charge….weird though because it went thru for $100 and i was only getting enough to top off and make sure i made it to my destination …anyway i ran back inside and asked what’s going on( thought i was being scammed)and they said they always put a $500 hold on credit card purchases ..i said but i prepaid a specific amount!…they said it would drop off in a couple of hours or a couple of days… i acknowledged the email and there was no issues…that doesn’t seem right to me…even though financially it doesn’t matter but if a person was traveling with a card that had a limit and stopped at a couple truck stops on the way to a destination $500 hold every time they may find themselves locked out of their card till the charges drop off..so it could have an impact on your vacation if your a young family with limited funds

i guess truck stops put larger holds

Flying J / Pilot does this. I had it happen once and I thought I had been card skimmed so I called the bank about it. Turns out a $500 hold was placed for about $20 in gas.

[SR71 Jet Mech]

Originally Posted by jasin1

yes i agree…another interesting side note on truck stops i found out ..i prepaid $100 at a truck stop on the way down to Florida and asked the lady if it would automatically go back on my card if i only pumped say $82…she said yep. …..i tried to avoid going back in line after i pumped

i go out and before i even pump the fuel i get a AMEX alert email message on my phone saying “ an attempt to charge $500 was declined at dealer location” …they declined but i didn’nt know at first and it’s because of my fraud protection on my card and a out of state charge….weird though because it went thru for $100 and i was only getting enough to top off and make sure i made it to my destination …anyway i ran back inside and asked what’s going on( thought i was being scammed)and they said they always put a $500 hold on credit card purchases ..i said but i prepaid a specific amount!…they said it would drop off in a couple of hours or a couple of days… i acknowledged the email and there was no issues…that doesn’t seem right to me…even though financially it doesn’t matter but if a person was traveling with a card that had a limit and stopped at a couple truck stops on the way to a destination $500 hold every time they may find themselves locked out of their card till the charges drop off..so it could have an impact on your vacation if your a young family with limited funds

i guess truck stops put larger holds

Yep we use the Amex for gas in cars and the Harleys. Even at our local stations they initially charge $300. Used to be $100 (pre Covid) but in a couple of hours it’s just the normal charge.
I too freaked out the first time I saw it and it’s only on the Amex.
Use TSD for the dually.

[Rdynbama]

I prefer the truck lanes for diesel, Truckers or most of them still have pump etiquette. Fill up, move to the line to clear the lane, go in get your receipt use the facilities and come back and move on. I’ll pay extra for the easy access and exit. If we’re gonna eat I’ll find a spot out of the way to park and go back in. I try to remember they are working and I’m not. That’s why it’s called a truck stop .

[Mr Mojo]

When I was still working, I had to fuel my UPS truck every other day. The two stations I went to the most had their diesel pumps in the middle of the lane with a gas pump on either side. Now both of these stations were kind of like a one way because both were on major highways with a center divider, so you pretty much came in the driveway marked "Enter" and you left where it said "Exit". Both these stations had side roads that were one way streets, people would come in the wrong way and nose up to my front bumper. Sorry buddy, I'm on the clock and I get paid by the hour. This usually happened after I had just put the nozzle back. So I would just sit there and wait. At UPS we are not allowed to back unless you have no choice. And on top of that these people would be on the wrong side of the pump and trying to stretch the hose over the trunk of their car.
Welcome to NJ where we aren't allowed to pump your own unless you look like you know what you are doing. They always let me pump my own.

[LHaven]

It's bad enough when you have to park at the pump to pre-pay, and there's a long line inside for the clerk, and the guy at the front is doing what we call "negotiating pork future straddles" – making a complicated order, every part of which requires clerk intervention (tobacco, alcohol, lottery, coupons). But what really ices the cake is when you're ready to perform a completely efficient transaction at the pump, and then it says it "can't print you a receipt, go inside to get one," and the same situation applies. In most cases, I'm able to just whip out my phone, take a picture of the pump display, and tell DW "let's roll," but sometimes I can't. And you can't pull away from the pump, or someone will reset your sale and then no receipt for you. A couple of pumps doing this slows the entire station's operations to a crawl.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by LHaven

It's bad enough when you have to park at the pump to pre-pay, and there's a long line inside for the clerk, and the guy at the front is doing what we call "negotiating pork future straddles" – making a complicated order, every part of which requires clerk intervention (tobacco, alcohol, lottery, coupons). But what really ices the cake is when you're ready to perform a completely efficient transaction at the pump, and then it says it "can't print you a receipt, go inside to get one," and the same situation applies. In most cases, I'm able to just whip out my phone, take a picture of the pump display, and tell DW "let's roll," but sometimes I can't. And you can't pull away from the pump, or someone will reset your sale and then no receipt for you. A couple of pumps doing this slows the entire station's operations to a crawl.

My theory is they don’t print receipts at some places because they are hoping to lure you into the store for some extra purchases…I can’t stand that kind of deception

[CedarCreekWoody]

I was waiting behind a motorhome while it fueled up. Driver went inside, shopped a bit, then returned to the motorhome where they proceeded to prepare and eat lunch while still blocking the fuel pump! I beat on their door very exasperated while they were annoyed I disturbed their lunch.