Petrol Station attendants

Muahahaha

bonzodog2 wrote: »

I doubt that

actually youre right, it would be even less than €2.50 profit on €30 of petrol. Profit margins are tiny in selling fuel, its the shops sales that keep them afloat.

rainbowtrout

I prefer to fill the car myself. Half the time, especially if it's coming close to payday I'm doing some mental maths while filling it which go something like

"Today's Friday, I'm getting paid Wednesday, I have to spin to Galway on Monday so I'll need more than €20 of diesel, oh I think there's a direct debit coming out on Tuesday, better leave it at €35" so it's not as simple as handing the attendant the money and letting them get on with it. I'm paying with my debit card 99% of the time anyway, so I still have to go into the shop.


There's an attendant in one of the petrols stations in the town I live in. It took about 5 years of telling him I was fine, I could fill it myself before he stopped asking. Prior to that, he would still try to fill it when I said no, or stand watching me fill it which was a bit weird. Especially when there was a rake of other cars on the forecourt he could attend to.

ongarboy

rainbowtrout wrote: »

I prefer to fill the car myself. Half the time, especially if it's coming close to payday I'm doing some mental maths while filling it which go something like

"Today's Friday, I'm getting paid Wednesday, I have to spin to Galway on Monday so I'll need more than €20 of diesel, oh I think there's a direct debit coming out on Tuesday, better leave it at €35" so it's not as simple as handing the attendant the money and letting them get on with it. I'm paying with my debit card 99% of the time anyway, so I still have to go into the shop.


There's an attendant in one of the petrols stations in the town I live in. It took about 5 years of telling him I was fine, I could fill it myself before he stopped asking. Prior to that, he would still try to fill it when I said no, or stand watching me fill it which was a bit weird. Especially when there was a rake of other cars on the forecourt he could attend to.

What happens if you want to pay by card? Does he have a remote chip and pin reader on hand?? I think the days of attendants are numbered. Must be 10 years since I've come across one.

Autosport

A few stations offers this service and I have often used these stations but pump my own fuel as one of the attendants went to put petrol instead of diesel into my car.

Andy From Sligo

Autosport wrote: »

A few stations offers this service and I have often used these stations but pump my own fuel as one of the attendants went to put petrol instead of diesel into my car.

Theres the ting you see, you would hope that being served by attendant would stop all this malarkey and fill you up with the right fuel - if they get it wrong too then , well i dunno. all hope is lost!

Tigger

Stations claim they make less than 5c per litre gross profit but there are stations that don't sell anything else so really think this has to be wrong
I do fully agree that the likes of apple green make the vast majority of their profit from the other sales

screamer

When it's milling rain and you've the kids in the car it's great to have an attendant there and you can usually give them cash also. With self service I didn't notice any decrease in price similar to self service checkouts. We do the work they charge the same......... what they could do is out in more pump pay points so that if I'm inconvenienced with fuelling my own car in not doubly inconvenienced with having to trudge through the shop to pay for it......

cowboyBuilder

XR3i wrote: »

fuel injection technician

Best Job EVER!!!


seriously, it was the summer of '99, I was in the USA on a tourist visa, and got a job for 3 months for cash in hand as the above.

Best summer of my life ... memories.

Craic was great with the customers, they loved me cos I was from the old sod .... and every night partying.

joseph brand

tayto lover wrote: »

They want you to fill your own so that when you go in to pay you might buy something else. It's a business decision.

You still need to physically go inside to pay while the guy fills your car. Unless you want to wave your laser card out the window.

Sir Osis of Liver.

Sir Osis of Liver. wrote: »

Do women shake the petrol pump after filling up or is it just a man thing?

I do it too :P


I'm going to get me a high vis jacket and head to a petrol station to make a few bob :cool:

whisky_galore

I prefer to fuel my own car/van. Attendants hark back to the days when cinemas had ushers and buses had conductors, nice but hardly necessary. If you're not able to fuel up, god help you, it's hardly rocket science.

One time I had a petrol van and the eejit of an attendant had about a litre of diesel pumped in before I could stop him.

whisky_galore

I prefer to fuel my own car/van. Attendants hark back to the days when cinemas had ushers and buses had conductors, nice but hardly necessary. If you're not able to fuel up, god help you, it's hardly rocket science.

One time I had a petrol van and the eejit of an attendant had about a litre of diesel pumped in before I could stop him.

BattleCorp

When I was in California a couple of years ago, the local petrol station offered the service. It was one price if you filled up yourself but it was more expensive if the attendant did it for you. Maybe two or three dollars more on a fill of petrol.

Lots of people went for that service. Maybe they didn't want to risk stinking up their hands with the smell of gasoline.

BattleCorp

PTH2009 wrote: »

anyone see the pat short movie Garage

powerful movie and shows the death of these independent petrol stations

Off topic but that film wasn't what I was expecting. Very depressing film. Pat Short was good in it, very different from his normal type of character.

Del2005

It's the law in Oregon that you can't fuel your own car. Never felt more stupid sitting in the car handing my credit card to some stoned person to stick the nozzle in my car then they walk off and you have to wait for them to come back to take the nozzle out, it's usually a minute after the car was full by the time they get back but longer some times. Suppose that what happens when the State wants to cook the unemployment numbers.

Andy From Sligo

BattleCorp wrote: »

When I was in California a couple of years ago, the local petrol station offered the service. It was one price if you filled up yourself but it was more expensive if the attendant did it for you. Maybe two or three dollars more on a fill of petrol.

Lots of people went for that service. Maybe they didn't want to risk stinking up their hands with the smell of gasoline.

Precisely! - also if you are a bit suseptible to a it of OCD then you do not know who has had that nozzle before you! - it might have more faecal matter than a toilet seat! lol :eek: ... and then after filling up you sit down and eat your sausage and mustard lattice!

Andy From Sligo

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Precisely! - also if you are a bit suseptible to a it of OCD then you do not know who has had that nozzle before you! - it might have more faecal matter than a toilet seat! lol :eek: ... and then after filling up you sit down and eat your sausage and mustard lattice!

Jaysus you'd want to be cleaning your hands every time you opened a door or paid money to the nice man in the shop or pressed the buttons on the ATM or took part in some digital penetration.

OK OK the last one is fair enough, especially if the bird is from Sligo. But still!

Vinculus

I like going to petrol stations where women wash your car with their bewbs.

Vinculus

Vinculus wrote: »

I like going to petrol stations where women wash your car with their bewbs.

So hollywood then?

Bit of a trek in me MR2 and on a cold day them nipples would ruin the paintwork.

Andy From Sligo

i sorta like knew an old attendant years ago (well knew in the way he used to reguarly fill up me car) - anyway he was past retirement age, and he was progressively getting achy out in all weathers and had to jack it in (he went home , sat in chair every day , i think in 2 weeks he pegged it! - loved that job so he did. - station went self service after that, and was never the same - just morphed into all the other self service stations.

If attendants were brought back it would get all the retired OAP's a little job to keep em occupied ... (if a romanian or polish person dont get there before them) and they can have a nice ol chat with the public bless em

Graces7

Nothing but praise for the courtesy and helpfulness of local garages here in Kerry . I have but to ask and they fill the car.. I almost always use the same one ( thank you Hegartys on the Muckross road) and they are great, Of course being old and disabled helps but all the same.....I know the ladies at the hot food counter now too. Chat while i wait.

MugMugs

Is this not still done elsewhere?

Pretty much any station I visit at home this is still done.

Andy From Sligo

Vinculus wrote: »

I like going to petrol stations where women wash your car with their bewbs.

I find your left with a lot of streaks

Andy From Sligo

MugMugs wrote: »

Is this not still done elsewhere?

Pretty much any station I visit at home this is still done.

what? - women wash your car with their bewbs?

where u live?

Vinculus

Sorry, I'm just dreaming.
I don't actually own a car.
I'll go now if that's ok.
Sorry









BEWBS!!

ofcork

Theres one in cork at least and they are over as soon as you pull in to fill it.

Andy From Sligo

anyone notice the increased risk/ correlation between cars being hijacked whilst your in shop paying for petrol and buying a few bits (or a weeks shopping like some tools do!) - if the attendant came out and filled yer car whilst you were still sitting in it and just pay him afterwards no chance of yer car getting hijacked off the forecourt! - ah sure but that would be too simple I suppose! and the petrol station shop would loose associated business with people coming into the shop boo-hoo!

Andy From Sligo

that applegreen station on the Pearse Road in sligo - well going back years (i think when it was esso/innishfree) someone (cant remember if it were man or woman) drove off with nozzle still attached in tank - another reason you need an attendant on forecourt

Elemonator

It's such a pointless job.

Robsweezie

XR3i wrote: »

fuel injection technician

fuel implementation artist

granturismo

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

With elf n safety gone mad lately these days i am so surprised they still let us peasants of the general public anywhere near a volatile substance such as petrol/fuel - ...they might think again about getting the attendants back

One of the reasons, attendants were phased out was because they were constantly exposed to petrol and diesel vapours, whereas the car owner is only exposed for a few minutes.
Then the roofs were raised on the forecourts to allow greater flow of air and most of us were used to pumping our own fuel by then.
Attendants were reintroduced on some forecourts to minimise drive offs.

AgileMyth

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

anyone notice the increased risk/ correlation between cars being hijacked whilst your in shop paying for petrol and buying a few bits (or a weeks shopping like some tools do!) - if the attendant came out and filled yer car whilst you were still sitting in it and just pay him afterwards no chance of yer car getting hijacked off the forecourt! - ah sure but that would be too simple I suppose! and the petrol station shop would loose associated business with people coming into the shop boo-hoo!

Has that ever actually happened?

artanevilla

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

anyone notice the increased risk/ correlation between cars being hijacked whilst your in shop paying for petrol and buying a few bits (or a weeks shopping like some tools do!) - if the attendant came out and filled yer car whilst you were still sitting in it and just pay him afterwards no chance of yer car getting hijacked off the forecourt! - ah sure but that would be too simple I suppose! and the petrol station shop would loose associated business with people coming into the shop boo-hoo!

Statistically more likely to be robbed when you're in the garage.
Statistically more likely to be hijacked when in the car being attended to.

rainbowtrout

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

anyone notice the increased risk/ correlation between cars being hijacked whilst your in shop paying for petrol and buying a few bits (or a weeks shopping like some tools do!) - if the attendant came out and filled yer car whilst you were still sitting in it and just pay him afterwards no chance of yer car getting hijacked off the forecourt! - ah sure but that would be too simple I suppose! and the petrol station shop would loose associated business with people coming into the shop boo-hoo!

Or you could just lock your car going into the shop to pay.

Andy From Sligo

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Or you could just lock your car going into the shop to pay.

Which opens up the question, who locks their car when they go into shop to pay? (especially if it hasnt got remote control central locking) -

Jimoslimos

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Which opens up the question, who locks their car when they go into shop to pay? (especially if it hasnt got remote control central locking) -

Most cars do nowadays. Anyway if it doesn't have remote central locking it's probably not worth robbing anyway.

Andy From Sligo

I happen to think the best thing to let customers do is fill up, then let them move on away from the pump and go into the shop to pay leaving the pump clear for the next vehicle - but if you do that i bet they think you are gonna scarper without paying!

Andy From Sligo

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Most cars do nowadays. Anyway if it doesn't have remote central locking it's probably not worth robbing anyway.

clever way of looking at it our car (well the wifes car) hasnt got remote central locking and your right its not worth nicking ... to be honest

Lia_lia

Sir Osis of Liver. wrote: »

Do women shake the petrol pump after filling up or is it just a man thing?

Ha! I do this. My Mother taught me to do it...sounds so wrong now.



There is still an attendant in my local petrol station at home. Supervalue in Killarney! Which I where I usually go for petrol when I'm driving back to Cork. Never see it anywhere else though.

I've a friend who, for some reason, was scared of filling her car up with petrol when she first started driving. For about a year she used to go into the shop and ask for a staff member to fill her car with petrol. I found it bizarre. Was only 3 or 4 years ago so never really any petrol attendants around, usually ended up being shopkeepers.

Lia_lia

Graces7 wrote: »

thank you Hegartys on the Muckross road

"Best petrol in Killarney" according to my brother! Whatever that means.

Andy From Sligo

Lia_lia wrote: »

"Best petrol in Killarney" according to my brother! Whatever that means.

make mine a pint then

Andy From Sligo

my mrs loves the smell of petrol, when we had a petrol lawnmower as i was filling it up she would pick up the red container and just sniff it! - weird! :eek:

questionmark?

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Which opens up the question, who locks their car when they go into shop to pay? (especially if it hasnt got remote control central locking) -

Who doesn't lock their cars!! That's madness. Let me leave this expensive item unsecured. It's like people who leave their car running, doors unlocked and go back into the house whilst the car warms up in the morning.

blackwhite

Muahahaha wrote: »

actually youre right, it would be even less than €2.50 profit on €30 of petrol. Profit margins are tiny in selling fuel, its the shops sales that keep them afloat.

For independently owned dealers (could be flying any brand), gross margins are between 4-8cent per litre.

Esso, Topaz and Maxol sites actually owned by the companies are making between 10-12 cent per litre on fuel sales, Applegreen owned sites make about 8-10 cpl on fuel

questionmark?

blackwhite wrote: »

For independently owned dealers (could be flying any brand), gross margins are between 4-8cent per litre.

Esso, Topaz and Maxol sites actually owned by the companies are making between 10-12 cent per litre on fuel sales, Applegreen owned sites make about 8-10 cpl on fuel

You need to sell a lot of fuel to pay for the overheads of a petrol station with those margins!

diomed

Just to balance up the slagging off petrol pump attendants.
I had that job when I was 14 and never made a mistake.
In 2003 I bought a new car, my first diesel, and filled it up with petrol.
I blame myself because, at one time, I was a petrol pump attendant.

Andy From Sligo

questionmark? wrote: »

Who doesn't lock their cars!! That's madness. Let me leave this expensive item unsecured. It's like people who leave their car running, doors unlocked and go back into the house whilst the car warms up in the morning.

They do though - quite a lot of people do it. Same as a lot of people leave their cars unlocked at the pump why they go pay for the petrol. I dare say if their car is nicked they wont be doing it again!

heres a thought though, if you go to your insurance company after your cars nicked off the forecourt .... and it turns out you didnt lock the car, can they renegade on fulfilling the claim???

Same if your car was nicked off your drive and you hadnt locked it, will they fulfil your claim???

BunkMoreland

Lia_lia wrote: »

I've a friend who, for some reason, was scared of filling her car up with petrol when she first started driving. For about a year she used to go into the shop and ask for a staff member to fill her car with petrol. I found it bizarre. Was only 3 or 4 years ago so never really any petrol attendants around, usually ended up being shopkeepers.

I know a guy who worries that the pump won't stop itself when the tank is full. When has that ever happened??

Andy From Sligo

diomed wrote: »

Just to balance up the slagging off petrol pump attendants.
I had that job when I was 14 and never made a mistake.
In 2003 I bought a new car, my first diesel, and filled it up with petrol.
I blame myself because, at one time, I was a petrol pump attendant.

why does a petrol nozzle fit into a Diesel tanks neck in the first place? - thats what I want to know?

BunkMoreland

Super-Rush wrote: »

One of the petrol stations down here in Carlow has an attendant still.

He's not a million miles from Pat Shortts character in The Garage either.

I know where you're talking about. I won't say in public here cos it wouldn't be fair on him.