Is there such a thing as gas station etiquette?

[redrider90]

Is there such a thing as gas station etiquette? I just narrowly avoided a fight  just now after coming within 1" of the bumper with another car.
So get this, a woman is pulling up to the pump in front of me and I am following her. She stops way short so I get as close as I can to use my pump.
So I stop 1" between bumpers.  I start to fill up and I see some guying from the other side of the pumps looking at our 2 cars and yelling and flaying his hands  . I see the woman of the car in front of me going back and forth looking at the 2 cars clutching her chest. So I figure something is going down. I ask the flaying man if there is a problem and he starts yelling at me how close I got to the woman. He said did you see how close you came? And I said well I didn't hit her is there a law that I have to allow so much room? Her gas filler was on the side and not a rear filler.  Then he starts yelling at me that I didn't show the woman any respect ( )  because I should have left more distance between the cars. I asked him how much distance is "respect" and he yelled at me some more and drove off flaying his hands as he got in his pickup.  So then I see the woman looking again at  the bumpers of the 2 cars. I guess she cannot believe 2 cars can be an inch apart. So I ask her what was wrong and she said I came "to close to here car and that  she almost had a "triple heart attack".     So I apologized for not leaving more room and asked her what 6 more inches would have mattered and she had no answer. I asked her did I hit your car and she said no. I said would you like to call the    and she said no. And I said well I was just trying fit my car so I could get my hose to the filler tank on my car and after all it was just a gas station and I wasn't blocking her in.  Her tank filler was not even an issue as it was well away from her bumper and closer to the rear door. So there you have it, there is a thing called "gas station etiquette" and there are also medical conditions called "triple heart attacks" that can be brought on by almost touching bumpers. Good thing this is not an open and carry state otherwise I might be laying in the morgue right now the way the dude in the pickup was carrying on. Man was he 

[jackson]

Sounds like she was pulling a "Fred Sanford" with the heart attack BS. 
If your bike didn't touch her car, I don't see why she had a problem.

[andrewdonald1]

Assuming your side of the story is accurate and not distorted, I thought you did an amazing job handling it.

Asking the lady if she wanted to call the police... seriously what a nice little touch you did there.
What more could anyone ask for?

The dude in the truck... people have some serious crap going on in their heads most of the time (like 98% of the time).
You just happen to be in the area for him to project (dump) his anger on..

[Lannis]

I'll bet the truck dude is wishing he hadn't flayed his hands.   That would take a LONG time to heal.   Must be some sort of masochist ....

Sounds like crazy people to me.   Doesn't sound like you did anything wrong ....

Lannis

[old as dirt 2]

you should have pulled  out your cell and start taking pics of the P/U driver and his plate and tell him if there is any problem to please report it to the proper authority and you'll be right here waiting for them. have a nice day.

[rodekyll]

Yeah.  The protocol is f***'em.  Transact your business and clear the lane.

[canuguzzi]

This is why you carry old paper bags. The smaller kind work just fine. When she said she nearly had a triple heart attack, wait until she turns around, blow up the bag and smash it between your hands. That should do it.

Only kidding, out here someone would call it in as an assault bag.

[Lannis]

Only kidding, out here someone would call it in as an assault bag.

The pickup truck dude is already guilty of assault, the OP just chose not to call the cops.   I'm sure that if it happened just like this, and the cops viewed the video, you could own the yelling, threatening guy ....

Lannis

[Rich A]

I was waiting for a woman to finish filling her car with gas. She sees me, gets in the car, then picks up her cell phone, sits there and makes a call.

Rich A

[Guzzistajohn]

No, Etiquette is a thing of the past. Rudeness is the norm. It's all about me,me,me. Piss off the wrong yea-hoo these days and they might "pop a cap in you're ass"

[davedel44]

You should have thanked them both for helping you practice your patience.     Dealing with other drivers is one of the most stressful things we do riding or driving.  Let it slide no need to bother with it.

Dave
Galveston

Dave
Galveston

[Triple Jim]

Dealing with other drivers is one of the most stressful things we do riding or driving.  Let it slide no need to bother with it.

Good advice.  I was talking to my dentist and his assistant during my last visit, and the subject of getting stuck behind a slow driver on a country road came up.  My dentist said that it used to bother him, but now he simply drives the same speed as the guy in front of him and doesn't worry about it.  "If he goes 45, I go 45...  if he goes 35, I go 35."   I need to practice that.

[Lannis]

Good advice.  I was talking to my dentist and his assistant during my last visit, and the subject of getting stuck behind a slow driver on a country road came up.  My dentist said that it used to bother him, but now he simply drives the same speed as the guy in front of him and doesn't worry about it.  "If he goes 45, I go 45...  if he goes 35, I go 35."   I need to practice that.

But that's the great thing about riding motorcycles.   If someone ahead of you is going 35 on a country road (speed limit 55 here unless otherwise posted), there's not a road in the state of Virginia where I can't pass him .... !   If you're in a Nissan Versa, though, you might as well lay back and be late to where you're going .... 

Lannis

[fotoguzzi]

Good advice.  I was talking to my dentist and his assistant during my last visit,

was your mouth full of cotton too.. My D likes to fill up your mouth then start asking questions. when I don't answer he starts in on the latest vacation to Hawaii or the Country Club he golfs at and how the golf bag can't fit in his Lamborghini.

[Triple Jim]

was your mouth full of cotton too..

Ha, no, my dentist is a good listener.  And if I drove into the parking lot and saw a Lamborghini in his parking place, I'd almost certainly start looking for a new dentist. 

[Wayne Orwig]

October 2008 (I believe). There were a few weeks where gasoline prices went way up, and many stations had no gasoline. I've forgotten the political details of that mess. Plus I think there was a refinery fire.

So after running my bikes empty to and from work, I put a can in the car and went looking for a station that was open. The few that had fuel, usually had long lines. I found one in the country that was opened. It only had two pumps opened. I pulled in, and noticed that there was a long line of cars, to use the 'east' side pump, and only one car to using the 'west' side. Well, I didn't want to cut in line or piss anyone off, but I like being efficient, so I eventually drove around to the 'west' side. Nobody noticed or cared. They just waited in their cars doing who knows what. The one person pumping ahead of me leaves, and I get out and start pumping. No issues, nobody in the long line on the 'east' side cares.
I notice the person on the 'east' pump, still not pumping. She tries and tries the pump. Makes a phone call. Tries the pump. She asked me if mine works. I said 'yes, but you need to prepay or use a card'. As she still yacks on the phone, she heads inside. I fill the car, then I start to fill the empty gasoline can. There is still a LONG line behind her, with nobody pumping fuel, and nobody cares. Nobody on my side, and I am ready to leave. Just as I finish filling my car, and the can, she comes out of the station. With a bag of groceries. She puts those in the car, then goes to the pump to pump her fuel. I leave, and there is now an empty pump. Still a line behind 'miss inconsiderate'. Nobody notices the empty pump I just left.
I don't know which part was more amazing, that she didn't care about wasting those peoples time, that those people didn't care or notice that I sort of cut in front of them all, or that none of them noticed that their time was being wasted like that.

Humans can be pretty weird.

[Lannis]

I don't know which part was more amazing, that she didn't care about wasting those peoples time, that those people didn't care or notice that I sort of cut in front of them all, or that none of them noticed that their time was being wasted like that.

Humans can be pretty weird.

All of them.   She didn't care, and them waiting in line all had their heads down texting or typing ....

Lannis

[kevdog3019]

Red,
     If ever there was a time to pull out the Male Feminist Solidarity Card this would have been it.  That dude was showing his card of Women's Respect and you could have REALLY put him in his place with yours by saying you were one of "them".  Remember this next time.      

[arveno]

and asked her what 6 more inches would have mattered and she had no answer.

.... 6 more inches always matter 

[Gliderjohn]

What annoys me is people at a busy gas station that fill their car and then leave it at the pump while they go to the bathroom, buy whatever, etc. for an extended period of time.
GliderJohn

[redrider]

 Then he starts yelling at me that I didn't show the woman any respect

Was there ethnicity involved?

[Tobit]

There are usually enough pumps where I gas up that there's no pump access issue.  But what's up with the guy who parks his truck, cranks the sound system - with external speakers - way up, blasting profane music while he walks inside to hang out?


Then there's the occasional gas station with two pumps and a bunch of HD riders parked all around them, not getting gas, while they have a smoke, check tattoos and stage a living advertisement.  I will park close as possible and snake the hose over or around the glides and fill up the LeMans.

Tobit

[dilligaf]

There you go!  Just blow him a kiss. That will short circuit all 10 neurons in their brains and they will quietly go away.

12.  Just went through this with my PCP.  12 neurons.    
Matt

[screamday]

Is there such a thing as gas station etiquette? I just narrowly avoided a fight  just now after coming within 1" of the bumper with another car.
So get this, a woman is pulling up to the pump in front of me and I am following her. She stops way short..........

Yes.....there is such a thing as gas station etiquette. Pull up to the next available pump as far as you can so as to leave enough room for the available pump behind you to be accessible. Not rocket science. 

[lucydad]

Great story...just stay chilled.  I notice here on the TEXAS gulf coast, as the summer heat and humidity builds....drivers get more and more testy and touchy.  Best strategy:  be a willow in the wind.  The non-reply reply is a good choice so is the non-reaction to the assholes. 

[blackcat]

The non-reply reply is a good choice so is the non-reaction to the assholes.

Different scenario but I had a guy yelling at me for (blank) so I staid cool and respond in a collective amount of verbal gibberish resembling some obscure Eastern Block language. He just shook his head and walked away while a friend of mine who was out of view was on the floor silently laughing. 

[Orange Guzzi]

Dropping the fuel filler nozzle while the handle is locked open always clears out the gas pumping area.  Asking for a light will get people moving even faster. 

My favorite scene is when someone washes their car with the squeegee sponge. 

[segesta]

Here in Chicago, you have to determine whether the gas station etiquette will be that of India, or the USA, or Mexico, or Poland, or China. Because each person at the gas station may have first learned to fill up the tank in those countries! Everyone has different ideas of personal space, waiting their turn, etc.

PS I forgot:... or the Philippines, or Guatemala, or Algeria, or...

[Kent in Upstate NY]

Years ago, when returning from the Laughlin River Run, a bunch of us were watching  folks filling up at Ludlow which was the only gas for miles. A Vago, cut in front of a minivan and got upset when the minivan gave him a slight bump, at least he perceived it that way. He then got off his bike,  pulled a knife and slashed the tire of the minivan. And yes, ethnicity was involved. He was white.

[normzone]

I was in a line of six cars waiting for pump access.

When it was my turn, I saw a guy skip the line as two pumps opened up - only one of them that he could reach on his trajectory.

I made a point of moving over and taking the one he was aiming for, the next person in line jumped on the other pump, and the line skipper was out of luck. He had to go back and get in line.

He came over and told me my behavior was rude - I asked him "what about you and all those people waiting in line?"

He replied that that was different.