REPLY: 1:153/757.21@fidonet fef3388e
MSGID: 1:153/757.1 62e73062
CHRS: LATIN-1 2
TZUTC: -0700
TID: hpt/lnx 1.9 2022-07-03
Hello August,

 AA> Turns out that in the last two weekends alone, some assholes
 AA> filled up their tanks and just drove-off. Apparently the
 AA> police/court system is so time-consuming that the station
 AA> owners found little recourse to react except to force pre-
 AA> payment. The station owner said that they lost $6000 due to
 AA> drive-offs.

We have had to prepay here for as long as I can remember. It could be that gas
thieves are the reason.

 AA> I settled with using my credit card (so that I had the
 AA> privilege of having a variable fuel amount), but I still had to
 AA> "go inside" to get my receipt.   :(

I use my debt card most of the time. I choose $50, my car seldom takes more
than around $40.00. They just withdraw the actual amount whatever it is even
though the pre-authorize for $50.00. It has never been a problem.

 AA> Paying at the pump has a rather annoying system. The machines
 AA> are programmed to force you to pre-select a maximum $-figure
 AA> for the fill-up.  I wouldn't necessary know much extra I'd like
 AA> to squeeze into the tank to declare that it's full.  At the
 AA> $100 option I was close. Mine came to $89 (for 47.9L).

 AA> Someone else told me about their first experience with the pre-
 AA> pay system, and ended up paying too much for the fuel. They did
 AA> NOT get the difference in cash.  Not sure how that is supposed
 AA> to work.  I forget whether they paid in cash or debit.

I've never had that happen to me but not all merchants are created equal.

 Ttyl :-),
         Al

... Always look out for #1 and be careful not to step in #2.
--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20220504
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