Gas station etiquette

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strafe
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Gas station etiquette

Post by strafe »

Someone give me a hard time at the local Costco gas station today. I thought my actions were completely appropriate, but wonder if perhaps I violated some unwritten rule of gas station etiquette.

The Costco gas pumps are set up like they are everywhere, with multiple aisles of pumps, a wide center lane between the aisles, and a one-way traffic flow:

Code: Select all

<--Exit

	 |		 	 |
	X|X			 |X
	 |		 	 |
	 |		 	 |
	X|X			A|X
	 |		 	 |
	
				 	B

Entrance-->
As I entered the fueling area, I saw that most pumps were occupied but the pump ahead of vehicle A was available.

Vehicle B was parked straddled behind the 3rd & 4th aisles, apparently waiting for a car to leave in either lane -- but evidently not interested in the open pump in front.

I pulled into the open pump ahead of vehicle A. Vehicle A's driver got in his car to leave just as I pulled past him. When I got out of my car, he rolled down his window and gave me a hard time for taking that open pump. He was annoyed because it required him to pull into the center lane to exit around me (instead of driving straight through the pumping lane past the open pump) and also accused me of cutting in line as there was another car (vehicle B) waiting behind him. I told him that as a matter of courtesy, people should pull all the way forward to avoid this issue and that the guy behind him could & should have done what I did instead of waiting, and ended the conversation.

Thoughts?
livesoft
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by livesoft »

I would have said, "Sorry about that! I'll try better next time. Thanks!" and let him drive away.

Usually everyone pulls through unless there is a car there. You may not have seen the car in front of him finish pumping and drive away. Some folks will not pull through if the spot is too sunny.
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jebmke
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by jebmke »

I routinely make the same maneuver. If someone were waiting I'd probably roll my window down and ask them if they were going to use that space or just point and shrug.

If someone had been in front of him and taking longer he would have had to pull into the center anyway. I doubt he had any real concern for the waiting car.
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Rich in Michigan
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by Rich in Michigan »

If there is an open pump, it is fair game, end of story.

Funny how he felt that it was OK for you to be inconvenienced by him hogging up two pumps but it was not OK for him to have to master the elementary driving skill of pulling around another vehicle.

I would have done the same as you and in fact have indeed done it countless times. To me, the unwritten rule of pump courtesy is that you pull ahead to the farthest open pump. Perhaps that pump was already taken when he arrived, but if so he should have expected someone else to grab it when the first car left.
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CABob
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by CABob »

Your Costco gas station must get the same crowds as mine.
I and most folks do pass car A to get to the open pump. I'm not sure I would do so if car B had been in postition you indicated, however. That seemed a bit strange to me, but if you (or car B) had noticed that car A was about to finish and leave I might have waited so that two cars could move forward to the pumps.
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denovo
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by denovo »

Rich in Michigan wrote:
Funny how he felt that it was OK for you to be inconvenienced by him hogging up two pumps but it was not OK for him to have to master the elementary driving skill of pulling around another vehicle.
I told him that as a matter of courtesy, people should pull all the way forward to avoid this issue....
That's not necessarily true. Perhaps when he pulled in someone was occupying the outer spot, and before he finished pumping, the person in the outer spot left. I don't think anyone would expect him to stop pumping gas and move to the next spot. That being said, he had no right to be mad that he had to get out via the center aisle. SO WHAT. I would have said something that violates forum etiquette so I won't repeat it here.
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FelixTheCat
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by FelixTheCat »

The other driver's view of reality is his own. Don't let his less than good attitude effect yours.

Simply smile. Thank thank the other person for their opinion and let them go on their way.
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jf89
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by jf89 »

I've had Car B yell at me for doing this, but never Car A. That's just flat our weird.

Whoever is peeved at you in this situation is the one that is wrong. The spot is open and accessible from all angles (ie: Car A isn't 5 feet off the pump and blocking the center lane for Car B), so it is very obviously fair game.

Rest well, you did the right thing and helped the gas station work closer to its intended full capacity.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by an_asker »

jebmke wrote:I routinely make the same maneuver. If someone were waiting I'd probably roll my window down and ask them if they were going to use that space or just point and shrug.

If someone had been in front of him and taking longer he would have had to pull into the center anyway. I doubt he had any real concern for the waiting car.
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Jonezez
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by Jonezez »

Driver A really shouldn't complain about having to pull into the center aisle to pull-out. Does that imply that the driver in the rear pump should wait until the front pump person vacates before leaving? that would be extremely inefficient.

I think Driver B was the wild card here. I think he/she violated etiquette by not choosing a line and trying to straddle the lanes. At all costcos I have been to, all drivers line-up behind a specific aisle and don't try and straddle.

I suppose you could have asked Driver B if they intended to go into the front pump before moving up but it doesn't seem that Driver B had any issues with your maneuver anyway.

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investor1
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by investor1 »

I would have done the same thing. It irks me when there is an open spot and the guy in the front of the line doesn't go use it. They are wasting the time of everyone else in line. That's just rude.

And LOL @ "having" to use the center lane. That's why they put it there.

I think Costco should train their employees to direct people to pull into open spots rather than just sit there.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by livesoft »

It is possible that B saw that A was replacing the pump nozzle and about to drive away, so that B could pull ahead through to the empty spot. This might especially be true if the empty spot had just been vacated by C, so that B had to be waiting for C and/or A to leave. Who knows what the X's were doing?
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strafe
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by strafe »

CABob wrote:Your Costco gas station must get the same crowds as mine.
I and most folks do pass car A to get to the open pump. I'm not sure I would do so if car B had been in postition you indicated, however. That seemed a bit strange to me, but if you (or car B) had noticed that car A was about to finish and leave I might have waited so that two cars could move forward to the pumps.
I agree. I would not necessarily have pulled in if it had been evident he was about to leave, but there was no sign of that until I was already committed & passing him. Car B was a Lexus SUV driven by an older lady parked oddly at an angle a bit farther back. Suspect she just didn't feel competent maneuvering around other cars. She did end up taking A's spot.

I thought it was really odd that Driver A gave me a hard time.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by ubermax »

Car B's cap could have been on passenger side but then why was he straddling ? I may have asked B if he was going to that open spot or I may have just gone to it myself assuming he had a reason to balk at it , would depend on my mood that day :happy -- but A was a jerk unless you and B had him hemmed in and he had trouble swinging out quickly , and even so it wasn't anything that should have bound his shorts !!
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VictoriaF
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by VictoriaF »

Based on the picture, strafe was in the right. But let's make it more interesting. Let's assume that car-B was positioned slightly to the left (but not exactly at the left) of the pumps, and the driver was busy texting. What would be the etiquette?

Victoria
Last edited by VictoriaF on Thu Aug 28, 2014 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Rich in Michigan
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by Rich in Michigan »

denovo wrote:
Rich in Michigan wrote:
Funny how he felt that it was OK for you to be inconvenienced by him hogging up two pumps but it was not OK for him to have to master the elementary driving skill of pulling around another vehicle.
I told him that as a matter of courtesy, people should pull all the way forward to avoid this issue....
That's not necessarily true. Perhaps when he pulled in someone was occupying the outer spot, and before he finished pumping, the person in the outer spot left. I don't think anyone would expect him to stop pumping gas and move to the next spot. That being said, he had no right to be mad that he had to get out via the center aisle. SO WHAT. I would have said something that violates forum etiquette so I won't repeat it here.

Maybe I was not clear....I was not inferring that the other driver should have stopped pumping and moved forward if another car had been in that space and then left. I was inferring to him having to pull around the OP's vehicle, which was the apparent beef of that driver. Given that the OP stated that there was a wide center lane, it isn't that much of an inconvenience for anybody who has mastered a passing grade on their driver's test. I pull around cars in front of me at the pump all the time if there is room. Maybe the other driver was just having a bad day because it seems like a pretty stupid thing to make an issue out of.
johnubc
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by johnubc »

As long as B was not offended, you did nothing wrong. B wanted to stay and wait, you jumped in an open spot.
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villars
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by villars »

I would have done the same.

It is possible car B 's fuel tank is on the left side and did not want to use the available spot for that reason.
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Abe
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by Abe »

Where I live it's whoever gets there first. If the driver does not like pulling around you, that's his problem. It wasn't like you had him blocked off where he couldn't get out.
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investor1
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by investor1 »

johnubc wrote:As long as B was not offended, you did nothing wrong. B wanted to stay and wait, you jumped in an open spot.
It wouldn't make sense for B to be offended. They decided they wanted to wait for A to finish, and they got to do just that.
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munemaker
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by munemaker »

investor1 wrote:
johnubc wrote:As long as B was not offended, you did nothing wrong. B wanted to stay and wait, you jumped in an open spot.
It wouldn't make sense for B to be offended. They decided they wanted to wait for A to finish, and they got to do just that.
"He who hesitates is lost." I would have done the same thing. If someone chooses to wait or dilly-dally, I am generally not going to set behind him while he does; exception would be if going around him would create an unsafe condition.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by TareNeko »

investor1 wrote:
johnubc wrote:As long as B was not offended, you did nothing wrong. B wanted to stay and wait, you jumped in an open spot.
It wouldn't make sense for B to be offended. They decided they wanted to wait for A to finish, and they got to do just that.
What if you're the 3rd car in the queue, and the front pump is empty. Is it okay to pass 2 waiting + 1 filling car and take the front pump?

I think it is fair to do this, because if people are lazy or ignorant or incompetent at such maneuver or willing to wait, they should suffer the consequence. That being said, I wouldn't do this, because I really don't want to deal with them if they complaint.
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BigFoot48
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by BigFoot48 »

I would have consoled him over his lack of power steering that made it so apparently difficult to pull out into the wide aisle that Costco provides for this situation.
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deanbrew
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by deanbrew »

Wow! We have unanimity after 19 posts. Amazing.

I won't upset the apple cart. The OP was entirely in the right to take an open position. So long as he didn't whip the car into the spot in front of someone else approaching, then no harm / no foul.

I have had drivers give me dirty looks because my car's filler is on the passenger side, unlike most vehicles. So I have to pull in with my passenger side against the pumps. Pulling around and going against the grain seems to perturb some people, but I'm not sure what they expect me to do. I'm not dragging the hose across my car just to conform with their idea of where I should refuel.
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FRANK2009
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by FRANK2009 »

I agree with Villars in that B's fuel door was on the drivers side. Looks like A had to actually go in reverse and maybe execute a few turns of the steering wheel to clear your car. The horror. You did nothing wrong.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by stan1 »

The gas station at my local military exchange had long lines and no center lanes since they didn't build 'em that way in the 1960s, so it was always frustrating when a compact was at the front pump and a truck with extra tanks was at the rear pump. The compact would leave after a few minutes leaving the front pump unoccupied while the truck pumped another 30+ gallons. Or we'd be stuck in a compact at the rear pump while the guy in front of us put in 30+ gallons. Don't even get me started on the motor homes .....

Fortunately all is well now since a modern station with center lanes opened a few years ago.

The gas was definitely cheaper, so we put up with the inconvenience.

Concur with others: the center lane is there for a reason and that's for cars to get in and cars to get out.
Last edited by stan1 on Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by Spirit Rider »

I subscribe to "an open pump is an open pump"

My fuel filler is on the driver's side. I would (and have), pulled past B then A like you. However, since the filler is now on the wrong side, I would turn toward the exit, then back up and pull up to the pump the other way. then when done, back up and leave by the exit. Or if there is enough room, pull past to the right of the right lane to do the same thing. Now this tends to get stares, but is not in the least bit inconveniencing anyone.

B is still getting A's spot when they leave, IF they were waiting for that spot. If not, they get the next open spot in the right lane.
A has no legitimate reason to complain. OMG, they might have to turn their steering wheel a little bit.

If B was clearly lined up behind either the right or left lanes and there was an open spot ahead, I might wait for them. However, If they pull up to the first spot and stop to pump without going to the farthest pump, I am definitely going around them (I have learned politely informing them of the option to pull to the other pump is usually not well received).

Efficiency is efficiency. If you pick a spot that no one else is taking and you are not blocking anyone in, that is in everyone's interest, even if it causes a minor inconvenience to someone like A in the example.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by bottlecap »

I think Driver A sounds like a jerk. If he gave me a hard time, I would have asked him if he could navigate his car around mine and out to the exit. If he said, "Yes," then the nicest possible thing I could have managed to him would be, "Well, why don't you do just that."

If the pump is open and no one is going for it, its yours. I'm sure Costco would agree.

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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by Fallible »

strafe wrote:Someone give me a hard time at the local Costco gas station today. I thought my actions were completely appropriate, but wonder if perhaps I violated some unwritten rule of gas station etiquette.

The Costco gas pumps are set up like they are everywhere, with multiple aisles of pumps, a wide center lane between the aisles, and a one-way traffic flow:

Code: Select all

<--Exit

	 |		 	 |
	X|X			 |X
	 |		 	 |
	 |		 	 |
	X|X			A|X
	 |		 	 |
	
				 	B

Entrance-->
As I entered the fueling area, I saw that most pumps were occupied but the pump ahead of vehicle A was available.

Vehicle B was parked straddled behind the 3rd & 4th aisles, apparently waiting for a car to leave in either lane -- but evidently not interested in the open pump in front.

I pulled into the open pump ahead of vehicle A. Vehicle A's driver got in his car to leave just as I pulled past him. When I got out of my car, he rolled down his window and gave me a hard time for taking that open pump. He was annoyed because it required him to pull into the center lane to exit around me (instead of driving straight through the pumping lane past the open pump) and also accused me of cutting in line as there was another car (vehicle B) waiting behind him. I told him that as a matter of courtesy, people should pull all the way forward to avoid this issue and that the guy behind him could & should have done what I did instead of waiting, and ended the conversation.

Thoughts?
My thoughts and I'm sorry if I'm repeating what others may have said. It gets confusing.)

Thought 1: you say B was "evidently not interested" in the open space ahead of A, but that B thought A was interested. Who is right? Did B pull into A's space when A left?

Thought 2: If I read you right, you were driving toward the empty spot ahead of A as A is getting into his car. Does that mean you could've stopped to let A pull out and away before you moved into the spot ahead of him? If so, that seems the most logical and polite thing to do, both for A and for B, who could then pull into A's spot.

Thought 3: You say you told te guy he should've pulled all the way forward. Was the forward space empty when he pulled in?

Thought 4: Stuff like this can lead to road rage if, say, A decided to wait until you filled 'er up, then left and he then followed. Always something to think about when driving.
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The529guy
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by The529guy »

You are a normal person. Driver A is a malcontent.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by fareastwarriors »

I wouldn't even think so much of it. That is just life. Some people are just mean.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by VictoriaF »

Fallible wrote:Thought 2: If I read you right, you were driving toward the empty spot ahead of A as A is getting into his car. Does that mean you could've stopped to let A pull out and away before you moved into the spot ahead of him? If so, that seems the most logical and polite thing to do, both for A and for B, who could then pull into A's spot.
If the OP stopped to wait for A to get into his car and pull out, he could be on the way of the cars on the other side of the aisle. Some drivers don't pull out immediately after getting into their cars.

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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by BigFoot48 »

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dratkinson
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by dratkinson »

Have seen it happen often.

Driver B could have ignored the open pump because gas filler door was on the wrong side: valid reason, and explains why driver B favored one pump side over the other. So you were correct to proceed and make use of the open pump. It speeds up the line: all the drivers behind you appreciated it. Good on you.

Driver A was wrong and impolite. Could have been his first time in the situation.

Just say "Sorry, I'll do better next time." so as not to escalate the situation, and don't worry about it. In a quieter moment, driver A may eventually understand his mistake. If not, then he's not worth worrying about. Either way, you've already given him too much time in your head.



Something similar happened to me while riding my bike on a path. I approached, from the front, a woman and her dog. She saw me, the dog didn't. As I was about to slowly pass them on the far side of the path (walkers and horses have the right-of-way), the dog saw me, was startled and began to bark furiously and she couldn't control it. The woman shouted "You're suppose to signal when approaching!"

For a split second, I thought about suggesting that she get training to control her dog, then do it. But didn't really want to waste any time with her, so said, "Sorry, I'll do better next time."

Saw her and her dog a few weeks later while again riding my bike. We again saw each other as I approached, and again I said nothing as I was approaching her from the front. This time she controlled her dog and kept it quiet. So she eventfully broke the code without me needing to say more.

It does sometimes require a conscious effort to keep these people out of our heads.
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Kosmo
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by Kosmo »

OP clearly did the right thing by taking an open pump. Making the line for the pump unnecessarily longer when there is an open pump would be wrong.

My Costco had long pump hoses so it doesn't matter which side the fuel door is on. What really gets to me is when people will wait in line for the proper side pump when there's an open pump on the other side. The line has been backed up nearly to the entrance making it hard to even get into the pump corral. And we have 8 double sided pumps!
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oncorhynchus
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by oncorhynchus »

OP is in the clear.

1. B was wrong for trying to take advantage of both lines. If he mistook the side of his filler door, then the correct thing to do if others were waiting would be to pull through the center lane, go around, and re-enter the queue in the correct lane.
2. B gets about 10 seconds after the space becomes vacant to indicate he/she is going for the open spot. I don't care what B is doing to "pass the time", after that it's fair game.
3. A has no legit complaint; the center lane exists specifically for that scenario. [(removed) --admin LadyGeek] entitlement mentality...

o
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by pennstater2005 »

I'm just impressed with that graphic strafe!
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Fallible
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by Fallible »

VictoriaF wrote:
Fallible wrote:Thought 2: If I read you right, you were driving toward the empty spot ahead of A as A is getting into his car. Does that mean you could've stopped to let A pull out and away before you moved into the spot ahead of him? If so, that seems the most logical and polite thing to do, both for A and for B, who could then pull into A's spot.
If the OP stopped to wait for A to get into his car and pull out, he could be on the way of the cars on the other side of the aisle. Some drivers don't pull out immediately after getting into their cars.

Victoria
Well, that's one reason I asked the OP if he could've stopped to let A pull out. I have been, and probably we all have been in similar situations and you can/t be sure what you'll do till you're in one. If I saw somebody getting in the car, I'd probably wait alongside him so he knows I'm waiting; but if the driver is not in the car, I go on to the space ahead. As for B, I'd have to be in the situation, see it for myself, to know what I would do.

Fallible
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LongerPrimer
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by LongerPrimer »

Don't pass gas, is good etiquette at a gas station??? :oops:
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by Ged »

In NJ the situation is a little different because you are not allowed to pump your own gas. At the Costco I go to for gas there are signs that seem to say that you are not supposed to jump lines like this - you are supposed to wait for the car in front of you to pull ahead.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by VictoriaF »

pennstater2005 wrote:I'm just impressed with that graphic strafe!
In my Costco, the Exit sign would point to the right. Otherwise, I agree,

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LowER
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by LowER »

If you drive a gasser, and if other pump options are open, please don't use the only pump at the station with diesel too. You can tell by the green handles and sometimes green hoses. Yellow handles/hoses indicate biodiesel/mix.

I don't think I would have ever known this if I didn't drive a diesel.
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VictoriaF
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by VictoriaF »

LowER wrote:If you drive a gasser, and if other pump options are open, please don't use the only pump at the station with diesel too. You can tell by the green handles and sometimes green hoses. Yellow handles/hoses indicate biodiesel/mix.

I don't think I would have ever known this if I didn't drive a diesel.
I had no idea, thanks for pointing this out.

But as a practical matter, how should one behave? I arrive to a gas station and see eight lines of about the same size. I choose the shortest one, or in random. A diesel car driver arrives and sees eight lines of about the same size. He does not have a choice but to go to the one with green handles. On average, the diesel driver will wait slightly longer than I, because he can't go to the shortest line, unless it's for diesel. But the difference is quite small.

Victoria
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strafe
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by strafe »

I'm really amused at how lengthy this silly thread has gotten. Nothing ignites conversation like gasoline, manners, and a catchy diagram.
Fallible wrote:Thought 1: you say B was "evidently not interested" in the open space ahead of A, but that B thought A was interested. Who is right? Did B pull into A's space when A left?
Yes, B took A's space after A left.
Fallible wrote: Thought 2: If I read you right, you were driving toward the empty spot ahead of A as A is getting into his car. Does that mean you could've stopped to let A pull out and away before you moved into the spot ahead of him? If so, that seems the most logical and polite thing to do, both for A and for B, who could then pull into A's spot.
Driver A was not visible when I pulled into the station. He walked around the front of his car (a tall minivan) after I passed B and got in about the same time that I passed him . If I had stopped to let A drive out when I saw him walk around his car, I would in fact have been in the awkward situation of cutting in front of B.
Fallible wrote:Thought 3: You say you told the guy he should've pulled all the way forward. Was the forward space empty when he pulled in?
I don't know.
Fallible wrote:Thought 4: Stuff like this can lead to road rage if, say, A decided to wait until you filled 'er up, then left and he then followed. Always something to think about when driving.
Good point. Got lucky this time, I guess.
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VictoriaF
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by VictoriaF »

strafe wrote:I'm really amused at how lengthy this silly thread has gotten. Nothing ignites conversation like gasoline, manners, and a catchy diagram.
You are a beneficiary of the lock-up of the "Chicken or Fish" and "Zegna Suits" threads.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
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pennstater2005
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by pennstater2005 »

VictoriaF wrote:
strafe wrote:I'm really amused at how lengthy this silly thread has gotten. Nothing ignites conversation like gasoline, manners, and a catchy diagram.
You are a beneficiary of the lock-up of the "Chicken or Fish" and "Zegna Suits" threads.

Victoria
So true VictoriaF, so true.
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Re: Gas station etiquette

Post by LadyGeek »

Three time's the charm. This thread has run its course and is locked (pointless). See: Forum Policy
Note that this subforum has a much lower threshold for locking or removing posts than the financial and investing subforums. In general, controversial, offensive, pointless, divisive or mean-spirited posts or topics may be locked, edited or deleted (with or without notice) at the discretion of the moderating staff even if they do not otherwise violate forum policies.
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