The Pumps Are Slow On Purpose

Alright. I have tons of patience. Usually. I can stand in long lines. I can wait as someone over-explains a simple situation.

But I simply cannot, for the life of me, understand this:

When I go to fill my measly 13 gallon tank at the gas station, I always pre-pay. I don't have a credit card/debit card, so I use good ole American cash to pay for my fuel purchase.

I head back to the car while gritting my teeth about the exorborant amount it costs to fill my tank, and start the daunting task of waiting for the gas to sloo-ooo-oo-wly pump.

It is winter here, in case you have been living under a rock. Winter where I live is pretty dang cold. And windy.

I remember when I was young and the gas would just FLY into my tank. Now, it takes a good 7-10 minutes to fill my tank. I swear the cashier was smirking at me! Why does it take so long to fill my tank, when I am paying more, thus getting LESS gas for my money? (I pay $20 to fill my tank 3/4 of the way)

Now, I have a few ideas why.

1. To make you give up and just leave without finishing the fueling session. Leaves them a couple of extra cents.

2. To make you realize that the "price-gouging" really isn't due to Hurricane Katrina or George Bush's approval ratings. It's just because they can. What are we going to do? Gripe about it?

3. More customers means drawing off of the same pump, therefor it is slow due to the added work load (this is a wild guess).

4. To make you realize how much time you actually waste filling your car, and that you could be doing other things...like getting on the highway and starting your drive, instead of sitting in the bitter winter wind...

I would rather go with number 1, but I am pretty dang sick and tired of it. And why the hell do most of the stations remove that latch-click thingie that you can use to keep the gas flowing without clutching the handle? How irritating is that?

I still go with reason number 1.

It's the lawyers fault and the people who sued gas stations when their own stupidity caused an accident.

Slower pump volume equals less splash accidents and less fumes. When's the last time you heard of a gas station blowing up?

I used to love those latches! You could wash your windshield or top off your washer fluid while the gas was pumping.

Except some people would click the latch and forget about it with the nozzle not inserted properly, big mess, dangerous etc... or get their fingers pinched in them. So they got rid of (most of) them. :shk:

My grandfather owned two gas stations, one was the busiest in town and I hung out in them as a kid. Back when they were still known as Service Stations
.

Whoa you don't have the auto latches there? I have yet to see a pump without.

In addition to all that, mechanical problems are also sometimes to blame for exceedingly slow pumps. In the winter the fuel pump itself can get bogged down as its oils thicken. Poorly maintained stations can have clogged filters also reducing flow. Older pumps will also get well loaded down by someone on the opposite side pumping the same grade at the same time.

EVERY pump in pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and Delaware...pretty much the east coast, have latches...I guess our section of the country have the brains, and your section has the lawyers

Originally posted by WolfofWar
EVERY pump in pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and Delaware...pretty much the east coast, have latches...I guess our section of the country have the brains, and your section has the lawyers

At least the rest of the country is trusted to pump the own gas.
I went to New jersey, couldn't believe I couldn't pump my gas.

Originally posted by SpittinCobra

Originally posted by WolfofWar
EVERY pump in pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and Delaware...pretty much the east coast, have latches...I guess our section of the country have the brains, and your section has the lawyers

At least the rest of the country is trusted to pump the own gas.
I went to New jersey, couldn't believe I couldn't pump my gas.

Well, We (pennsylvanians) dont trust New Jerseyians with even driving a car that uses gas, more then pumping theyre own gas. What do you think the delaware river is for, ships? Nooooo, its a moat, to keep Jersey away from us, its like our own little penal colony (New Australia)

It's a shame you feel that way about your countrymen. They are people also, you are no better than them.

Originally posted by SpittinCobra
It's a shame you feel that way about your countrymen. They are people also, you are no better than them.

I disagree, and so does the moat.

And youd feel the same way if they cut you off by going straight at a light, in the left turn only lane, while driving 15 miles slower then the speedlimit, with a right hand turn signal flashing.

Not really a peak oil thread.

Moving to rant forum.
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It is slow when you prepay with cash but I normally pay with debit and it comes out alot faster.

My guess for the slow rate is to keep it from giving you too much? If you had a $15 limit and it was going at full blast then suddenly stops I think it would be easy for the machine to accidenly give you a little more than $15 worth, even if it's just a few cents worth.

That's my wild guess.

Originally posted by WolfofWar
EVERY pump in pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and Delaware...pretty much the east coast, have latches...I guess our section of the country have the brains, and your section has the lawyers

I am in Pennsylvania.

Maybe it has to do with the spills? Theft? I am glad I filled up now with that "supposed" Nor'easter heading our way. At least I won't be knee deep in snow cursing how slow it is.

And could the reason why it is slower be because I use cash instead of debit? Is that a hint for me to succumb to nauseatingly high interest rates? Hmmm...

Here in Rhode Island our stations had to remove all the clip thingys.
I remember seeing a key of sorts for sale that do the same thing. I must follow up on that.

I hear ya!!!

I'm up here in Philly, and damnit, it's cold!

Why the should I have to sit here for 15 minutes!?!?!

It's the damn commies!!! They are EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!

I don't know why it takes 7-10 minutes to fill your tank. I usually take about 12 gallons and I am there for maybe 2 minutes.

10 minutes? Wow.


If I owned a gas station, I would want the fastest pumps possible.

1) More convenient for customers, less time pumping so they are happy and return.

2) Customers spend less time watching the Total Sale go up and up and up... they are happy and although they pay the same for a slow or fast pump, the fast pump will 'feel' less expensive to them.