My Stand on Principle and Steve McQueen Exit

[Beezer]

A few winters ago, I stopped at a Gas Station to put air in the front tire of my car. I put $1.25 into the machine and nothing happened...it was broken.

So I went into the store and asked for my money back as the machine was not working. The Clerk said, "There is a number on the machine you must call to get your money back. We have nothing to do with this machine."

Needless to say I blew a gasket...Moonwalked out of there with both guns blazing...then I fishtailed out of the parking lot like Steve McQueen...car tires smoking...

I related this story to a co-worker and his response was..."All of this over a buck twenty five?"

What are your thoughts?

 

[Lara]

I would have replied, "You mean a buck twenty five X every customer who pays $1.25 for air in their tire".
That's $456.25 per year. And it's on the gas station's property.

 

[Beezer]

I really have to laugh in hindsight about it all, though.

I mean, it was just a lousy buck and a quarter. I related this story to my brother and he said, "I get it Beeze. You lose it when you think something is unfair. You've been like that since I've known you."

Perhaps that was it in a nutshell. The whole situation was unfair which drove me to go Postal.

 

[Lawrence00]

You shouldn't have ignored the "out of order" sign. And shouldn't have removed the tape placed over the quarter bandit slot.

 

[Robb.hisself]

Keeping perspective and your 'ship' righted through the gales of life is hard enough. Add wild emotions to it and things get out of focus real fast. Know that about yourself and tendencies will keep you out of trouble and out of jail. Most men don't bother because mommie always made it 'right' for them. Time to grow up.

 

[chic]

Air is free where I live at every gas station I've ever gone to. When did they start charging for it????

 

[Lewkat]

Since when does one have to pay to put air in a car's tire?

 

[CallMeKate]

No paying for air here... it's always been free. I usually reserve "losing it" for losses over $50... and there have been way too many of those in the last couple of years.

 

[Pepper]

I love seeing the name Steve McQueen again. He was a wonderful actor and died so young. I miss him.

 

[Purwell]

You probably took more off your tyres than $1.25!

 

[JeeperDon]

Be self sufficient... carry this in your trunk/boot... $32 at Amazon.

 

[Robb.hisself]

Be self sufficient... carry this in your trunk/boot... $32 at Amazon.

Excellent idea. And always working, too.

 

[oldaunt]

Not everyone can afford to just dump a buck and a quarter.....

 

[911]

I don’t know of any business that charges for air, but I do know that some businesses allow these companies to put in their product and then pay the owner a royalty for each time it is used. To jump all over a person that has nothing to do with the business deal is just wrong, especially for a $1.25.

I would have done as the person told me to do. Call the phone number and ask for a refund.

 

[Jeni]

many businesses who have vending machines on site etc until the item becomes a problem often will refund and keep tab so when machine is serviced the machine company reimburses the store etc.... the call the # is hoping people just forget about it ... did the staff of store tehn put a sign out of order up? or was their a # to tell someone to drive there to do it

 

[caroln]

Air is free where I live at every gas station I've ever gone to. When did they start charging for it????

The only place for free air in my town is at the tire shop. Every gas station in town has gone to these "pay for air stations".

 

[Knight]

A few winters ago, I stopped at a Gas Station to put air in the front tire of my car. I put $1.25 into the machine and nothing happened...it was broken.

So I went into the store and asked for my money back as the machine was not working. The Clerk said, "There is a number on the machine you must call to get your money back. We have nothing to do with this machine."

Needless to say I blew a gasket...Moonwalked out of there with both guns blazing...then I fishtailed out of the parking lot like Steve McQueen...car tires smoking...

I related this story to a co-worker and his response was..."All of this over a buck twenty five?"

What are your thoughts?

That $1.25 couldn't have been to important since calling didn't occur to you. For $1.25 you burned probably more than that in mileage off your tires. I guess where you live makes a difference. Here in Las Vegas air is free.

 

[Jules]

... did the staff of store tehn put a sign out of order up?

That is what I’d like to know. They’re part of the problem, since it’s on their property. They will be paid rent or get a portion of the users fees.

 

[911]

That is what I’d like to know. They’re part of the problem, since it’s on their property. They will be paid rent or get a portion of the users fees.

What if the attendant wasn't aware that the air machine wasn't working? That may have been the first customer to have complained about not having any air.

Going back a lot of years, I used to work part time at one of the local gas stations. We had a nice clean station that we all took pride in by keeping it clean. I was standing at the register one afternoon and a woman walked up to the counter and told me that instead of standing around with my hands in my pockets, which they weren't, I could take the 2 minutes and put some toilet paper in the women's room. I apologized and told her we check the dispensers each day before we open and I checked this morning and both dispensers had plenty of paper on them.

After she left, I went into the lady's room and both rolls of paper were gone. I came to the conclusion that someone needed our tp at home more than we did here. My wife tells me that is the first thing she does before she sits down is to check to make sure there is paper available.

 

[Beezer]

YOU RIPPED ME OFF A $1.25!!........