filling station etiquette

[cave canem]

What do you all think?

Is a driver obligated to roll down the window *all the way* to give the attendant instructions and exchange payment and receipt?

Does being bothered by fumes or cold give the driver a dispensation to only open the window partially?

 

 

[Garga]

Are you in New Jersey? That's the only state I know of with attendants. Lucky. I have to get out of the car in rain, sleet, or snow to get my gas. Or boiling sun.

 

Since we don't have attendants I can't really know, but I'd imagine that as long as the window is down enough that the attendant isn't having to concentrate too hard to slide your credit card through a tiny little opening at the top, that would be good. Like 1/4 to 1/2 way down would be nice.

[retiredHSmom]

I suspect that a huge majority of us live in places where there are no service station attendants and we all get out and pump our own gas.

 

I drive onto a military base regularly and it does bother me to see people only crack their window to pass their ID card out to the guard when he or she is standing out in the cold all day but not enough to actually complain about it, more of a "look wouldn't it be polite to actually roll down your window all the way and greet the guard with a smile"

Edited December 7, 2016 by Tania

[Arctic Bunny]

I get out and start undoing the cap, say hello, say filled, please, then go in and wait to pay. My DH stands and freezes with the attendant.

[cave canem]

Since we don't have attendants I can't really know, but I'd imagine that as long as the window is down enough that the attendant isn't having to concentrate too hard to slide your credit card through a tiny little opening at the top, that would be good. Like 1/4 to 1/2 way down would be nice.

 

I am not in New Jersey, but pumping by customers here is nonetheless forbidden by law.  

I agree that a tiny slot might be hard for the attendant.

[maize]

Given that I have always pumped my own gas, cold, fumes, and all--rolling down a window seems like a super minor thing and yeah I think rolling it down most of the way to simplify the transaction is polite to the attendant who doubtless stands out in the cold and fumes all day for a not too generous paycheck.

 

ETA it also just seems kinder/friendlier to interact face to face not with a layer of class partly between you.

Edited December 7, 2016 by maize

[Loowit]

I pump my own gas in the cold, rain, whatever weather, so I don't have to worry about it unless we cross into a bordering state where we can't pump our own gas.  I think it is polite to roll the window most of the way down so that you can talk clearly and seem friendly. 

[Night Elf]

I wouldn't even know how to act with an attendant. I haven't seen one since I was a little girl. That being said, I would roll down the window while talking and roll it back up while waiting.

[Raifta]

We have attendants at most stations but I hate using them.  That being said when I do and when it's winter (which is a long time here), I don't always roll down the window all the way.  Not that I just open it a tiny crack or anything, but I'll open it a third of the way or something like that.  No one has ever seemed perturbed by this.  

 

Although for a long time our windows were broken and I had to open the door and that seemed actually more awkward than opening the window partially.

[marbel]

When I buy gas where there is an attendant, I roll the window all the way down.   I never really thought about it before, but it's just the way I did it.  Probably when my parents bought gas when I was a kid, I saw them do that. 

 

(Oregon and New Jersey are two states I know of that do not allow customers to pump their own gas.  I have bought gas in both.  New Jersey gasoline, BTW, is much cheaper than PA's!  When I had occasion to go to NJ regularly, I always tried to work it out that the gas tank would be low so I could fill up there.)

[Selkie]

There is only one gas station in our area that has attendants and I never go there.  To be honest, I'd much rather just pump my own.

 

If I were an attendant, it wouldn't bother me at all if people only rolled the window down partway.

[Arcadia]

When we were in Oregon on a road trip, my hubby just followed the other drivers way of doing things and rolled down the driver's side window halfway. All the way down would be too cold for us since we are used to mild California winters. We don't know what is the correct way.

[Lanny]

We live in Colombia and there is no self-service gas here. I think rolling down your window at least half way would be appreciated by the attendant.  Many cars and pickups and SUVs here have been converted to run on LNG (Liquid National Gas).  I believe the law requires that the occupants get out of the vehicle, while being refuled, for safety reasons. That may or may not also apply to gasoline and Diesel powered vehicles.  (I need to check on that law...)

[wintermom]

I can't remember that far back to when there was actually an attendant at the gas pumps. In the winter, at -20, I'd suspect that no one is opening their window too much. But if people can open their window completely at drive-through restaurants and banks, they can do it at a gas station. Exhaust fumes should not be an excuse as the vehicle is turned off at the pumps. 

Edited December 7, 2016 by wintermom

[hornblower]

We still have attendants at some stations as some municipalities forbid self-serve (for some antiquated reason. They forbid hitching horses to public railings also...) 

It's Canada. You open a crack, yell your request, hand over your credit card, roll window back up.  That's if your window is still rolling and hasn't got frozen stuck.

 

(this morning one of of my cars had all the doors stuck except one. Alas not the driver's side so getting in & out involved yoga.) 

Optional: cursing if it's taking too long & you're impatient to start the car heater again. 

[Bluegoat]

I would roll it all the way down, unless there was an unholy wind.  It does seem a little rude otherwise.

[Butter]

I have never once in 22 years of driving been to a gas station where an attendant pumps the gas.  The only attendants at gas stations were in a little booth you had to get out of your car to go to and pay, but they disappeared within a few years of getting my license.

 

I'd imagine as long as there is space to transact the business, there is no obligation to roll a window all the way down.  I would probably open my window all the way just because my car has one of those single press and it automatically goes all the way down things.  The attendants in the booth just had one of those drawers that push out and in like at a drive thru for a bank or pharmacy so it's not like you had full access to each other.

[Rachel]

My gas station attendant is my husband. 😉

 

He usually only drives my car on weekends and tries to make sure I have a full tank so I don't have to worry about whether or not to juggle taking the kids inside. Our town has had problems with card skimmers at the pumps so we won't pay that way.

[Sherry in OH]

In my opinion, if the driver doesn't want to roll the window completely down, the minimum should be to below the driver's mouth.   That way the driver and attendant can hear each other.    

 

 

The driver and passengers will remain much warmer and drier than those in vehicles where the driver must exit the car to pump his or her own gas.   

[Julie Smith]

It's Canada. You open a crack, yell your request, hand over your credit card, roll window back up.  That's if your window is still rolling and hasn't got frozen stuck.

 

(this morning one of of my cars had all the doors stuck except one. Alas not the driver's side so getting in & out involved yoga.) 

 

The very few times I filled up in winter, I would open the door a crack because the window would be stuck. (We don't drive much, and when we do Dh fills up. I think I might put gas in the van about once a year)

 

For my SIL for a time the driver's side door was welded shut, and the window wouldn't open. So it was taken care of through another door or window. :p

[happi duck]

I don't think it's an obligation but I think it's polite to roll the window all the way down and turn off the radio too. (Putting the window up in between needing to interact seems fine to me.)

[Barb_]

Lol, I've been pumping my own gas for over thirty years. I thought this thread was a 1970s time warp :)

[Wheres Toto]

I'm in NJ.  When it's cold or raining I'll roll the window down 1/2 way or all the way (my windows will automatically roll down all the way if I hit the button quickly), tell them what I want, hand over the credit card and when they turn around, roll my window back up again.  I'll roll it back down when they come back to remove the pump and hand me my receipt and card back.

[OneStepAtATime]

Haven't seen an attendant since I was a kid (maybe a teenager?).  Don't really recall clearly.

 

Anyway, just surmising here, since there are NO gas stations with attendants where I live and haven't been for years. I would think that if the weather is bad then rolling the window down half way should be fine.  Heck, maybe the person in the car has health issues or a baby or something.  Halfway seems reasonable.  Otherwise, just roll it down at least 3/4 or all the way to be polite to the attendant.

[SeaConquest]

Why do these states mandate people pumping gas for you? What is the point?

[Lady Florida.]

Attendants? I vaguely remember those from when I was younger.  :lol:

[Lady Florida.]

Lol, I've been pumping my own gas for over thirty years. I thought this thread was a 1970s time warp :)

 

I do remember rolling down the window and asking for "one dollar's worth please." LOL 

[AmandaVT]

When it's cold, I roll down halfway (if window isn't frozen shut) and let the attendant know what I want and hand him my card at the same time. I try to pick a number in the winter $25 or whatever, so they can run the card while the gas is pumping and the whole transaction can be finished quicker.  

 

We have a few stations with attendants and the rest are self serve. I have a gas station that I love near my house - it's very old fashioned. They will refill washer fluid, wash windows, check tire pressure, etc. It's also a gathering place for a whole lot of people before and after work. They stop in and have their morning coffee there and chat. I've learned a lot of town gossip there by listening in while getting gas. :-)

[hornblower]

Why do these states mandate people pumping gas for you? What is the point?

 

in one municipality here, rumor has it it was done to preserve jobs. 

 

 

[Guest]

Filling station, do you mean gas station? I've only visited one state where you didn't pump your own and I don't think there was etiquette related to windows down? At all the places I do drive through and pay someone I roll my window up and down as needed to keep heat in the car.

[Arcadia]

Why do these states mandate people pumping gas for you? What is the point?

"Back in 1951, Oregon legislators passed the gas ban with the intent of defending the public from handling “Class 1 flammable fuels,†and also to protect the elderly and disabled from getting out of their car to pump gas “because Oregon’s weather is uniquely adverse, causing wet pavement and reduced visibility.â€

 

Oregon does include some exceptions: motorcyclists can handle the gas nozzle while an attendant is present, and “cardlock†pumps allow commercial drivers and emergency crews to fuel up on their own at certain stations. However, the new gas law would still mark the first time in 64 years that most drivers could fuel up unaided within Oregon’s borders." http://t.hoodrivernews.com/news/2016/jan/06/self-serve-gas-legal-rural-oregon/

 

"The Garden State self-service gas station ban dates back to 1949, when the New Jersey Legislature passed the Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, primarily over concerns about the safety of consumers pumping petroleum themselves." http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/a_brief_history_of_why_you_cant_pump_your_own_gas_in_new_jersey.html

[Jan in SC]

When I'm in NJ, I roll the window down half way or a little less when it's really cold or rainy, and all the way any other time.

 

 

ETA- I've actually been yelled at many times in NJ for trying to get my own gas.  It's a little embarrassing! 

Edited December 7, 2016 by Jan in SC

[RioSamba]

I haven't seen an attendant in years and I miss them! I think you just need to roll the window down enough that the attendant doesn't have to perform contortionist maneuvers.

[Erica in OR]

Make sure my DH is the one with the car when it needs to be filled up instead. ;)

 

I'm in Oregon, so attendants pump the gas. I've done windows halfway down and all the way down. The difficulty with our vehicle is the electric window won't go back up after the car has been turned off. So if it's down, it's down for the entire time. If it's really busy or there are only a few attendants or I need nearly a full tank, that can be awhile. I guess I figure I'm wearing a coat in the car anyway.

 

Erica in OR

[SparklyUnicorn]

What is this attendant situation of which you speak?

 

 

[SeaConquest]

"Back in 1951, Oregon legislators passed the gas ban with the intent of defending the public from handling “Class 1 flammable fuels,†and also to protect the elderly and disabled from getting out of their car to pump gas “because Oregon’s weather is uniquely adverse, causing wet pavement and reduced visibility.â€

 

Oregon does include some exceptions: motorcyclists can handle the gas nozzle while an attendant is present, and “cardlock†pumps allow commercial drivers and emergency crews to fuel up on their own at certain stations. However, the new gas law would still mark the first time in 64 years that most drivers could fuel up unaided within Oregon’s borders." http://t.hoodrivernews.com/news/2016/jan/06/self-serve-gas-legal-rural-oregon/

 

"The Garden State self-service gas station ban dates back to 1949, when the New Jersey Legislature passed the Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, primarily over concerns about the safety of consumers pumping petroleum themselves." http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/a_brief_history_of_why_you_cant_pump_your_own_gas_in_new_jersey.html

I'm surprised these laws are still on the books.

[Frances]

I get out and start undoing the cap, say hello, say filled, please, then go in and wait to pay. My DH stands and freezes with the attendant.

I live in a state where we are not allowed to pump gas, and I've never seen anyone do this. Sometimes one of us will get out to wash the windows, but never to pay. There are still places where you have to go in to pay? And usually the attendants are moving quickly between multiple cars.

 

However, I will have to say that I don't understand why tipping isn't the norm here for gas station attendents. Our state has a relatively high minimum wage and tipped workers still start at the minimum wage. Standing outside in all kinds of weather pumping gas seems just as worthy of a tip as serving food.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Frances

[Tap]

My husband used to manage a travel center in Oregon in his early years.  Do what ever you want. The attendants have seen it all and really don't care.  They won't think twice about how far down your window is, especially in the cold weather.   All they care about is what your instructions are and getting the credit card from you and getting your fuel going. 

 

[Tap]

I live in a state where we are not allowed to pump gas, and I've never seen anyone do this. Sometimes one of us will get out to wash the windows, but never to pay. There are still places where you have to go in to pay? And usually the attendants are moving quickly between multiple cars.

 

However, I will have to say that I don't understand why tipping isn't the norm here for gas station attendents. Our state has a relatively high minimum wage and tipped workers still start at the minimum wage. Standing outside in all kinds of weather pumping gas seems just as worthy of a tip as serving food.

It really isn't that uncommon.

 

People standing by car is very common for people with nice cars who don't want fuel to get dribbled on their car by the attendant.  

 

Some people don't want to give someone else their credit card (due to skimmers/fraud) so they will want to put the cc in themselves and just stay outside either to 'stretch their legs' or to make sure they are the one who gets the receipt from the pump.  

[Bluegoat]

tHinking about it, I think the main thing is not blocking your face.  Generally, if you can help it, speaking to someone while being blocked is kind of rude.

[Arctic Bunny]

I live in a state where we are not allowed to pump gas, and I've never seen anyone do this. Sometimes one of us will get out to wash the windows, but never to pay. There are still places where you have to go in to pay? And usually the attendants are moving quickly between multiple cars.

 

However, I will have to say that I don't understand why tipping isn't the norm here for gas station attendents. Our state has a relatively high minimum wage and tipped workers still start at the minimum wage. Standing outside in all kinds of weather pumping gas seems just as worthy of a tip as serving food.

Oh, well, there's only one pump, so at most there's one car on each side. And the only place to pay is inside, and sometimes there's only one person working, so you have to wait for them to come in. This is when you get your hot chocolate or coffee or whatever. Then you chat about your kids and the weather. Then you give them your co-op number and pay, and say good bye, then head out to your car. It's a little slower pace up here :)

[hornblower]

tHinking about it, I think the main thing is not blocking your face.  Generally, if you can help it, speaking to someone while being blocked is kind of rude.

well, that's a pretty controversial statement, isn't it?  From face veils to balaclavas to full face motorcycle rider, many people cover parts of their face. 

[SKL]

Thinking back 30ish years to when I last paid an attendant ... the window had to come down pretty far in order to get their big bulky credit card thingy in & out the window.

 

I would probably only lower it about halfway to place my order, all the way to pay.

 

Like most of us, I have to get out and pump it myself, so the discomfort of putting my window down doesn't really rank way up there.  :P

[Bluegoat]

well, that's a pretty controversial statement, isn't it?  From face veils to balaclavas to full face motorcycle rider, many people cover parts of their face. 

 

With a motorcycle guy, if he was having a conversation with me, I would tend to expect him to take it off, unless we were in a pretty extreme situation.  If he didn't I might think he was rude, or possibly just forgetful or clueless. 

 

I think a big aspect is that it is just hard to hear people when their mouth is blocked and you can't see it well, so it tends to be people's natural tendency.  Even when I've done winter exersizes in the army, people will generally uncover their mouths speaking outdoors if it isn't actually painful or dangerous to do so. 

 

That's why it seems rude, like you don't care about the other person hearing you, or what they have to say, it seems dismissive.  Especially in a situation with a worker like a gas attendant or really anyone in a service job.

 

I wouldn't consider someone veiled rude as I know it has nothing to do with the reasoning, but I do actually find it difficult sometimes to hear because I can't see, though it's better since the voice isn't muffled - I don't like having a conversation that way though.  I don't, like some seem to, consider head covering somehow sexist, and in fact I think differences in what we culturally expect clothing wise for different sexes is fine, just a human variation.  But I do think public veiling comes pretty close, and maybe crosses the line, to  being a way to keep women from interacting normally by impeding their ability to communicate.  In a similar but less extreme way that saying women can't go out in public impedes communication.   So - in a way I would say the woman isn't the one being offensive by not paying attention to people she is dealing with, rather she is put in the position of making it difficult for us to pay attention to her.