Don't Linger At Fuel Pumps!

[TJ&LadyDi]

Ahhh, “the good ol’ days, @Jim! Personal service was good; “Mabel, how’s your day going? Would you please ring Charlie over at the grocery store for me? Thanks.”

TJ

 

[bpaikman]

Can't say anything here!!! I can already feel my blood pressure rising.

?

 

[bpaikman]

Your point is well made, @Neal, but we’ve become a bit circumspect about trying to “educate” people that appear to lack societal awareness and common sense. Their reaction is sometimes pretty unpredictable and we’d prefer to just find another pump and let the next big-rig driver “educate” them. It will probably be a more effective “teaching moment” than this ol’ dinosaur could muster.

It doesn’t take a genius to understand that fueling lanes are for...well, you know...fueling. Anyone who fails to grasp that simple fact is probably not a candidate for a PhD in truck-stop etiquette anyway.

YMMV

TJ

My thoughts exactly. I have tried exactly twice in my life to nicely educate someone, only to find out they knew exactly what they doing and got myself vulgarly cussed out. It’s like they do it on purpose, HOPING to find some easy target like me to bully and try to intimidate. I just walk away.

 

[Chuggs]

I guess they need a station referee. Asks them to promptly dispense fuel. Asks them to move up and they have a 15 minute timer or their rig will be booted. $200 fine to have it removed. Then the lines would keep moving.

Airport ticket vehicles that aren’t picking up or dropping off. Sit there for more than a few minutes...and you will be asked to depart the loading area or be ticketed.

I always keep fingers crossed that I am lucky and find a completely unoccupied lane when I arrive. Yeah...in my dream.

 

[MapNerd]

Experiencing first hand this afternoon that this is a two way street as I sit behind a semi that is not fueling and the driver is nowhere to be found. Wouldn’t be so bad if 3 of the 8 stalls weren’t closed for what looks like pressure washing while three semis that are not fueling block the lanes!

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Experiencing first hand this afternoon that this is a two way street as I sit behind a semi that is not fueling and the driver is nowhere to be found. Wouldn’t be so bad if 3 of the 8 stalls weren’t closed for what looks like pressure washing while three semis that are not fueling block the lanes!

Don't think the spirit of this post is only an RV thing. It is a driver thing, and modern day upbringing. I would rather that all the players pulled from the top of the deck.

 

[STANDERSON]

We were at Costco and someone decided they had to turn around and back into the pump. Everyone was yelling at them and waving their arms for her to stop. She was oblivious.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Folks, I think we all miss what would really work in this situation. He/She may be a new RVer as we all once were. I remember to this day pulling into my first truck stop (TA) at night. It was unnerving with all the noise and hustle. Go up to them and be educational and explain the etiquette of truck stop fueling. Explain how it is our goal as RVers to not tie up the pump lanes any longer than needed. Explain that you should fuel up first and move forward to the yellow line or even better, go park in the larger parking area to tidy up as needed. A friendly conversation can go a long way and help people understand what we're all expecting and how trucker's need to get in and out of there as they have limited duty days. We are all quick to hate and short to educate and be kind. And don't forget to tell them about RVForums.com

I'm an over-the-road trucker, and I truly appreciate your approach! You're right, we are limited in the hours we can drive and earn a living. Quite often, every minute really does count! Thank you!?

 

[Old Bubblehead]

You can't control how people act, but you can control your response.

I pump as fast as possible, and move along quickly. I interact with the other customers (mostly truckers) when they are inclined to do so. I know they are working and being monitored for outages.

I lock to door to the coach when I step out, DW watches cameras. We have had some pan handling occur on stops and we keep our guard high.

 

[STANDERSON]

There are two different types.

1. The one who see you, does their business, and moves away the pump so you can get in and fill up. They usually smile and wave.
2. The one who see you, does their business, walks by you to go into the store and spend 1/2 hour shopping while blocking the pump. They usually ask "If that yours?" "Nope, stole it"

 

[Trucker Bob]

There are two different types.

1. The one who see you, does their business, and moves away the pump so you can get in and fill up. They usually smile and wave.
2. The one who see you, does their business, walks by you to go into the store and spend 1/2 hour shopping while blocking the pump. They usually ask "If that yours?" "Nope, stole it"

Sorry to say when I was driving truck the second came from Eastern Europe they would at least pull up from the pump and than go take a shower . you can't back up because of the other 2 trucks waitin behind you.
TB

 

[Bob K4TAX]

When we are traveling we always utilize the commercial truck lanes at truck stops. As everyone knows who frequents these fuel lanes, commercial driver's and RVers, you fuel and then pull up to the line so the next person can pull up and start to fuel. Generally speaking over the years I have had very little issues fueling at all the major truck stops. Commercial truckers are never a problem.

This week when coming across the gulf coast I pulled into a busy TA. I pulled behind a Tiffin Red thinking he was done fueling but just hadn't pulled up yet. He was standing behind his toad messing around with some straps on bicycles hanging on the back of his toad. Since the fuel nozzle wasn't sticking in his coach I assumed he was finished and just waiting for the customer in front of him to pull off.

After several minutes I got out to stretch. To my shock there wasn't any vehicle in front of him. He kept messing with the bicycles for another few minutes. I walked up to him and asked if he was about finished. He said he hadn't started fueling yet and went back to playing around with the bicycle straps.

I probably shouldn't post what I wanted to say to this jerk. I simply got back in my truck thinking how lucky I was now that I can actually back up. I was able to move back about 30 feet and go to another pump. Needless to say when I was pulling out after fueling this nut job was still fueling. This was one of the worse cases of a rude RVer I had probably ever witnessed. I suspect if he continues doing that in commercial diesel lanes some trucker will point out the error of his ways.

It seems some folks believe they are the only folks in the world and everything around them is for their convenience, and thus not to be inconvenienced by others. What has happened to common sense and courtesy? Why is it, that it seems, society has turned into an "all for me and screw you" attitude?

Just be nice, smile, treat them with kindness {which they will likely hate} and move on. You'll feel much better at the end of the day and your blood pressure will be near normal.

 

[DKRITTER]

Stopped to fuel up one time at a Pilot, the guy in front of me went inside, didn't come out. The manager found him in the restaurant ordering lunch. He looked like he needed to buy a vowel when he came out to move his truck.