Questions for Americans, specifically New Yorkers?

hollydolly

hollydolly

SF VIP
Location
London England
I just watched a virtual tour of South Bronx .. the footage was taken a year ago... in his footage he passes a BP garage.. Fuel station whatever you call it... .. and I understand that prices in the US are per galln... whereas the prices shown in the UK are per Litre...

In this film tho.. on the Price board it said a price for '' regular cash'' and a seperate price for '' regular credit''...then a different ( higher price) for ''Ultimate cash'', and ''Ultimate credit''....


Can someone explain to me what that means ?:unsure:

have a look here at around 11 minutes in


 

I am not a New Yorker, but I can tell you that we call these places what they are, gas stations.

As for Ultimate Cash and credit, beats me. I never saw that posting, but if I had to guess, I would say that if you want $20 worth of gas, you need to go inside and give the clerk the $20 and she will put that amount on the pump. Then you can go back outside and start pumping the gas. You will also need to give the pump number. Credit could be the same way. Take the card inside and tell the clerk the pump number and how much in dollars do you want in gas. She would run the card and charge that amount to the card.
 
oldman said:
I am not. New Yorker, but I can tell you that we call these places what they are, gas stations.

As for Ultimate Cash and credit, beats me. I never saw that posting, but if I had to guess, I would say that if you want $20 worth of gas, you need to go inside and give the clerk the $20 and she will put that amount on the pump. Then you can go back outside and start pumping the gas. You will also need to give the pump number. Credit could be the same way. Take the card inside and tell the clerk the pump number and how much in dollars do you want in gas. She would run the card and charge that amount to the card.
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Thank you , OM.... well we call them petrrol garages.....however I understand that potentially people might have to pay in advance for fuel, ..we do too but only at umanned garages. ...or at self service stations

The question tho' is.. why 2 dfferent prices.. and what does Ultimate mean in respect of Cash & Credit ?
 

We typically have three grades of gas available at the pump with different octane levels, each is a different price.

Then most stations have a loyalty program, use their card or an affiliated card (like from a grocery store) and you get a discount.

Cash vs credit is simple, cash price is less because the station doesn't have a credit card processing fee to pay plus it motovates the customer to go into the station to pay and purchase more stuff. Once inside who can resist buying a rotisserie hotdog or lotto tickets?šŸ¤‘
 
C50 said:
We typically have three grades of gas available at the pump with different octane levels, each is a different price.

Then most stations have a loyalty program, use their card or an affiliated card (like from a grocery store) and you get a discount.

Cash vs credit is simple, cash price is less because the station doesn't have a credit card processing fee to pay plus it motovates the customer to go into the station to pay and purchase more stuff. Once inside who can resist buying a rotisserie hotdog or lotto tickets?šŸ¤‘
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Thanks C50 ... we also have several different grades... of fuel... more than just 2, at every garage..

We have regular, premium, Unleaded... diesel etc..all on the board...and the prices for each would be different.. the cheapest fuel to the Super leaded... would be about Ā£1 difference in price... ..however there would be no difference at all in the price when paying by cash or credit card... I've never seen that before...

Like this...
IMG_4667-scaled-e1646062283381.jpg
 
hollydolly said:
Thank you , OM.... well we call them petrrol garages.....however I understand that potentially people might have to pay in advance for fuel, ..we do too but only at umanned garages. ...or at self service stations

The question tho' is.. why 2 dfferent prices.. and what does Ultimate mean in respect of Cash & Credit ?
Click to expand...
They charge more for credit to offset the bank fees that the vendor is charged for accepting a credit card. Banks usually charge anywhere from 2 1/2% up. The highest that I have heard was 5 1/2%. It may be higher, but doubtful.

Bankers will tell anyone who asks how do banks make most of their money. Bankers say ā€œcharging interest and fees.ā€
 
Some places here in the states charge to cover the processing fees on credit cards not just gas stations.
As the fees went up more places have like a 3% fee to cover it.
I find it funny the worst group that does it in my area is government offices. I thought we were going to no cash but seriously in some instances it saves to pay cash.
 
oldman said:
They charge more for credit to offset the bank fees that the vendor is charged for accepting a credit card. Banks usually charge anywhere from 2 1/2% up. The highest that I have heard was 5 1/2%. It may be higher, but doubtful.

Bankers will tell anyone who asks how do banks make most of their money. Bankers say ā€œcharging interest and fees.ā€
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that's very old school.... our stores and garages dont charge a credit card fee.... haven't for many years....
 
Thanks everyone for answering the question because it really did stump me.....


That said..I loved the Video.. it was fascinating to see.. how different the whole area that the Video maker covered on his ( preumably) scooter.... and how it just a few minutes ride.. it went from beautiful to verry run down... but the characters on the way during the video were fascinating to me...

I'd love to visit there.. very colourful....
 
hollydolly said:
Thanks C50 ... we also have several different grades... of fuel... more than just 2, at every garage..

We have regular, premium, Unleaded... diesel etc..all on the board...and the prices for each would be different.. the cheapest fuel to the Super leaded... would be about Ā£1 difference in price... ..however there would be no difference at all in the price when paying by cash or credit card... I've never seen that before...

Like this...
IMG_4667-scaled-e1646062283381.jpg
Click to expand...
I think at current rates, the price of gas in England converted to U.S. $$ would be $7.91 per gallon.

Holly: Does that price sound about right?
 
oldman said:
I think at current rates, the price of gas in England converted to U.S. $$ would be $7.91 per gallon.

Holly: Does that price sound about right?
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yes depending on what grade you buy... yes that's about right...

Currently at my local garage unleaded 95... which is the cheapest is Ā£1.29 per litre... = 3.5 litres equal a US gallon and that equates to Ā£4.90 ...Sterling... which is approx $6.60 USD...however a gallon in the UK is 4.5 litres.. so a Gallon of fuel for us using the same cheapest fuel would be Ā£5.80 which is $7.92 USD which is exactly what you worked out....

Middle range fuel is 97... octane , and that is a few pennies more per litre...

Super unleaded is currently Ā£143.9 per litre..... at my local garage, and diesel is Ā£141.9 per litre... = Ā£6.38 per gallon $8.71 USD


These are the lowest prices... garages and supermarket forecourts all set their own prices..so currently depending on where we go for our fuel we can be paying anything between Ā£1.29 per litre... to Ā£1.50 per litre.....
 
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Prices vary between towns, and between states due to taxation and other burdens. Are there different prices between England, Wales, and Scotland? What about price differences between cities and rural areas?

I could pay 25 cents less a mile away or 45 cents more 4 miles away. It doesn't pay to drive on nearly empty in order to catch a cheaper price. Prices can change at a moment's notice, too.

Locally, stations discount the per gallon price anywhere from 10 to 25 cents when paying by checking account.

People paying actual cash in hand, not a debit or checking acct, do not get the discount, makes no sense/cents. Credit cards are often charged 15 cents more than cash customers, but some stations don't upcharge.

There are 3 levels of octane with prices higher as you go.
Regular, Premium, and Ultra. Then there is Diesel. Then there are the summer additives, some stations put the sign up to notify customers and sometimes there is a separate pump handle with a big E for Ethanol.
 
hollydolly said:
yes depending on what grade you buy... yes that's about right...

Currently at my local garage unleaded 95... which is the cheapest is Ā£1.29 per litre... = 3.5 litres equal a US gallon and that equates to Ā£4.90 ...Sterling... which is approx $6.60 USD...however a gallon in the UK is 4.5 litres.. so a Gallon of fuel for us using the same cheapest fuel would be Ā£5.80 which is $7.92 USD which is exactly what you worked out....

Middle range fuel is 97... octane , and that is a few pennies more per litre...

Super unleaded is currently Ā£143.9 per litre..... at my local garage, and diesel is Ā£141.9 per litre... = Ā£6.38 per gallon $8.71 USD


These are the lowest prices... garages and supermarket frecourts all set their own prices..so currently depending on where we go for our fuel we can be aying anything between Ā£1.29 per litre... to Ā£1.50 per litre...
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You people use some high octane gas. I think the majority of Americans use 87 octane, dhich may be one reason why our prices are lower. Prices in our country are all over the place. I read online that some places out west were below $2 a gallon. Our prices where I live range from about $2.79 to $3.29 per gallon. I donā€™t shop around for gas. I have my favorite station and thatā€™s where I always go. I also try to use the same brand.
 
Murrmurr said:
When cards are used, the card company charges the business a fee. Businesses usually charge their customers only half the fee they have to pay to the company.
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Also, yes, it is old-school.

The fee is called a convenience fee, believe that or not. It covers the cost to the cc company or bank for processing the purchase on the business's behalf.

In this case, "processing" means recording the purchase, and all those recorded purchases are included in the business's monthly statements from cc companies and banks so that the business has a record for their monthly ledger. This would be for the previous month, of course, which is not convenient.

These days, the machine you stick your card in does the processing, because it's digitally connected to the business's cash register. Businesses that still charge a card fee have old-school registers...and ledgers. Either that, or they're ripping you off.
 
Owlivia said:
Prices vary between towns, and between states due to taxation and other burdens. Are there different prices between England, Wales, and Scotland? What about price differences between cities and rural areas?

I could pay 25 cents less a mile away or 45 cents more 4 miles away. It doesn't pay to drive on nearly empty in order to catch a cheaper price. Prices can change at a moment's notice, too.

Locally, stations discount the per gallon price anywhere from 10 to 25 cents when paying by checking account.

People paying actual cash in hand, not a debit or checking acct, do not get the discount, makes no sense/cents. Credit cards are often charged 15 cents more than cash customers, but some stations don't upcharge.

There are 3 levels of octane with prices higher as you go.
Regular, Premium, and Ultra. Then there is Diesel. Then there are the summer additives, some stations put the sign up to notify customers and sometimes there is a separate pump handle with a big E for Ethanol.
Click to expand...
Yes there are differing prices wherever we go in the UK.. and even in the same areas, because the garages all belong to a different company... For example BP near me are the most expensive..then there's Shell, who are a little cheaper, then Esso... then the supermarkets all have their own petrol stations.. and Costco too...

..as I explained here in my previous post...
quote.''
''These are the lowest prices... garages and supermarket forecourts all set their own prices..so currently depending on where we go for our fuel we can be aying anything between Ā£1.29 per litre... to Ā£1.50 per litre..''.

I explained all about the different octanes here also in my previous post, Unleaded..'95...'97...premium unleaded...Diesel... ... however in the Uk you're not penalised for paying by cash or credit card..everyone pays the same regardless of the method of payment... so if its Ā£1.99 per litre at a sepcific garage... .. that's what you pay , whether paying by card or cash!...and that's the same whether it's in Any of the 4 countries of Great Britain...
 
hollydolly said:
yes, but that hasn't been happening for many years in the UK or Europe..... there's no fee for paying by card in the UK
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Businesses owned by individuals who have to pay the card fee, and charge you 1/2 the fee, either don't want to pay a monthly fee for the internet, or they chose to keep the business's original cash register for sentimental reasons, or they have an antique register that's part of the business's vibe or aesthetic.

Or, they're ripping people off.
 
Murrmurr said:
Businesses owned by individuals who have to pay the card fee, and charge you 1/2 the fee, either don't want to pay a monthly fee for the internet, or they chose to keep the business's original cash register for sentimental reasons, or they have an antique register that's part of the business's vibe or aesthetic.

Or, they're ripping people off.
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yep you know it....lol
 
Incidentally going back to the OP... and the video of South Bronx...does any of you know that particular area? I found myself genuinely fascinated as to how everything changed in just a few minutes and a mile or 2...
 
hollydolly said:
Incidentally going back to the OP... and the video of South Bronx...does any of you know that particular area? I found myself genuinely fascinated as to how everything changed in just a few minutes and a mile or 2...
Click to expand...
I can tell you that there is a whole lot of the south bronx that you should avoid. That place is like a war zone and it hasn't improved as much as they'd have you believe.
The Bronx contains the highest rate of poverty in New York City, and the greater South Bronx is the poorest or the poor.
This area is often recommended to be avoided by tourists due to safety concerns, in particular, Mott Haven and Hunts Point.
 
squatting dog said:
I can tell you that there is a whole lot of the south bronx that you should avoid. That place is like a war zone and it hasn't improved as much as they'd have you believe.
The Bronx contains the highest rate of poverty in New York City, and the greater South Bronx is the poorest or the poor.
This area is often recommended to be avoided by tourists due to safety concerns, in particular, Mott Haven and Hunts Point.
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Well I have no clue which part of the South Bronx I was watching in the video... altho' I could see much deprivation in the small parts of it that were shown, , but everyone in the video at least seemed quite chilled.... and there were parts that were quite beautiful..altho' I could see they were new...

I will take you at your word that it's probably not the place for me to visit in person, and maybe just to enjoy the video... instead... (y)
 

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