Don't Linger At Fuel Pumps!

[CaptainGizmo]

Or, “Hi...nice coach. Are you aware that you are blocking the fueling lane? Oh, never mind, here comes ‘Bubba the Trucker’ and he’s packing a tire thumper. See ya’ down the road”

TJ

EXACTLY! And as I walked by the trucker, I’d say...”I tried to tell him, but he said ‘screw the truckers!’”
Then break out the popcorn. ?

 

[AbdRahim]

Neal does have a point. I have to remember, I have been around truckstops since my teen years. However, some truckers now, are just as bad. I was in a very busy truckstop. We were lined up on the road waiting to enter. It to 10-15 minutes to make my way around the back of the small Pilot to the scale. The trucker ahead of me pulled forward, but not enough for me to get by. So I waited, and waited. Then he comes out with his hands full of bags. He had been shopping.

Ok, I only know what I saw. It is possible that another truck could have been ahead of him, before I pulled up. Some of the truck stops now have a regular announcement, over the PA, asking drivers to pull up after fueling. This is the progressive degradation of human society.

But it is true. People are not even taught to be considerate of others anymore.

Thank God for my wife. She frequently reminds me that the world does not revolve around me. What a disappointing thought.?

What really gets me is pulling into a truck stop with loads of empty car parking spaces, to find tiny cars and pickup trucks parked in the Bus and RV lane and I have to park illegally.

I finally, did take Neal's approach with a professional logistics van guy. He acknoleged that he never thought about larger vehicles. However, he did not move. ARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!! Humans!! What are we going to do with them?

 

[Neal]

I'd certainly try to be nice to a fellow RVer but per the above, I've been held up quite a few times by trucks pulled forward at the yellow line and have gone in for shopping or whatever. I've sat there plenty of times waiting on them to get out of the way but me putting in on average of 50 gals is probably not the typical truck fill up that's behind them. It goes both ways. All we can do is do OUR best. I'll take time to do my windshield too when needed, I know that's a little more delay, but at times it has to be done. I've never run into a trucker or anyone behind me getting antsy, I do respect the situation and move out as fast as I can. I typically have to get the dog out to do her business, I typically don't pull forward to the yellow line for that but go find a parking place.

I admit I had a screw up coming out west this year. I was at a pretty busy and tight truck stop, a Love's I think. Parking was slim and I pulled into a reserved spot to get Elli a quick walk. Elli has developed a situation where she won't go in public places it seems so it takes forever to get her to do her business, if she will even do it. She's also hypersensitive to all the noises and distractions which doesn't help. Sure enough they were looking for me and when I returned I thought I was still good to go so I was going to make a quick lunch when a knock at my door occurred. Nice gentleman educated me I was in a reserved slot and a truck was waiting, need to pay for these spaces, etc. I apologized. He told me on the other side was a place for RV's and a dog run. I just left, it wasn't a good day, so be it. So be cognizant of the reserved spaces too when you intend to park for a little longer than a quick stop such as a dog walk or lunch break. This was not the typical truck stop, it was grand central station and a cluster mess.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Neal does have a point. I have to remember, I have been around truckstops since my teen years. However, some truckers now, are just as bad. I was in a very busy truckstop. We were lined up on the road waiting to enter. It to 10-15 minutes to make my way around the back of the small Pilot to the scale. The trucker ahead of me pulled forward, but not enough for me to get by. So I waited, and waited. Then he comes out with his hands full of bags. He had been shopping.

Ok, I only know what I saw. It is possible that another truck could have been ahead of him, before I pulled up. Some of the truck stops now have a regular announcement, over the PA, asking drivers to pull up after fueling. This is the progressive degradation of human society.

But it is true. People are not even taught to be considerate of others anymore.

Thank God for my wife. She frequently reminds me that the world does not revolve around me. What a disappointing thought.?

What really gets me is pulling into a truck stop with loads of empty car parking spaces, to find tiny cars and pickup trucks parked in the Bus and RV lane and I have to park illegally.

I finally, did take Neal's approach with a professional logistics van guy. He acknoleged that he never thought about larger vehicles. However, he did not move. ARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!! Humans!! What are we going to do with them?

Brings to mind the old saying, “people are no darned good!”

TJ

 

[Neal]

Attitude is everything

 

[murphysranch]

I'm sadly (or maybe not due to the above stories) in a state when we cannot pump our own gas.

 

[Scooterfan]

"it wasn't a good day..." ? Sometimes we have those! That's when you thank the Almighty and say "so be it..." A new day is just ahead. Ha...had one of those yesterday. Thanks Neal for sharing that story. I got more out of it than you probably intended.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

I'm sadly (or maybe not due to the above stories) in a state when we cannot pump our own gas.

Fortunately, we can pump our own diesel in Oregon, however.

TJ

 

[FL-JOE]

Many of us learn through online communities and social networking. Many also do not participate in any of the above and get an RV and don't have the opportunity to learn from others as we do. Yes, it would be a very fine line to attempt to talk to someone. If not receptive, back away immediately. It all depends on how you approach them. Compliment their RV, be friendly, then follow with "hey, you moron...did you know..."

Sorry Neil, can't agree with that line of thinking on this one. A newbee RVer with a 38' pusher has to realize when he pulls into the truck lanes that are 2 and 3 deep with big rigs waiting to fuel that it is just like a regular busy gas station.......get your fuel and move on.

I'm the first one to try to help a new RVer when I see them doing something wrong. On the other hand I'm not patient enough to try to deal with someone what is just rude or has zero consideration for others.

I think sometimes we tend to forget that not all RVers are laid back semi-retired or retired easy going folks. There are actually a lot of regular butt wipes who decide to head out across the country in an RV also.

 

[murphysranch]

Fortunately, we can pump our own diesel in Oregon, however.

TJ

I didn't know that. Our Costco has diesel and I've never seen anyone do the pumping but the attendants.

 

[DKRITTER]

I didn't know that. Our Costco has diesel and I've never seen anyone do the pumping but the attendants.

Not in Texas. We are self Service.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

I didn't know that. Our Costco has diesel and I've never seen anyone do the pumping but the attendants.

A few years back, Oregon changed its laws to make self-service pumping of “Class I Flammable Liquids” (which includes gasoline) a county option. Most of the west-side counties opted to continue prohibiting self-serve pumping of gasoline. That covers about 1/3 of the state; the remainder now allows self-serve pumping.

Notice that the law specifically prohibits self-serve pumping of “Class I Flammable Liquids.” Diesel is a Class II flammable liquid and, in Oregon, it has never been illegal to self-serve pump it. That hasn’t prevented some fuel stations from either requiring attendant-pumping of diesel as “company policy,” or attempting to convince customers that the state requires it. In many case, I think this is primarily a way to keep fuel prices higher than they would be with self-serve.

We have never been required to have an attendant pump diesel for us in Oregon, though some have offered. We rarely get fuel at other than truck stops (to ensure that it is uncontaminated) and prefer to fuel our coach ourselves.

TJ

 

[Germanrazor]

Just look around, the world has lost it’s mind! People are narcissistic and only care of themselves. If more would practice the be good to your neighbor, what Jesus taught us, it would turn around in a heartbeat. God help us because we are in a spiral downward and going to crash and burn! I call these people Jackwagons and A$$clowns!

 

[sealab2021]

Costco fueling is like this. You have at least 5 minutes while you’re waiting in line to fish your member card and payment card out of your wallet. It doesn’t surprise me much any more where the people get out and have to search for their payment cards and take forever. It’s like some people are in a world of their own. I have even seen people sit in their car for several minutes at the pump and not getting out of the way so other people can fuel. It’s unbelievable. How did these people make it this far in life? Honestly.

 

[Jim]

A few years back, Oregon changed its laws to make self-service pumping of “Class I Flammable Liquids” (which includes gasoline) a county option. Most of the west-side counties opted to continue prohibiting self-serve pumping of gasoline. That covers about 1/3 of the state; the remainder now allows self-serve pumping.

TJ

I lived in Oregon for a few years back in the late 70's and early 80's and I never understood why it was illegal to pump my own gas. Sill don't. So I looked it up. For those who don't know, here is the answer. . .

Oregon is one of only 2 states that has laws against people pumping their own gas (New Jersey is the other). Oregon first put these rules into place back in 1951. At this time, lawmakers decided that only trained service station workers should be able to pump their own gas. (More info here) This made more sense at that time, since most states had similar rules. Gas station pumps didn’t have all of the safety features they do today. Pumps were also more complicated than an average person was prepared to use. For context, if you were dialing long-distance on your phone during this time you would speak to an operator and someone would physically connect you.