Should I have gone Gypsy?--Gas station rudeness

[Deleted]

Yesterday I was going to fill up at a crowded gas station. A woman was pulling away from a pump so I pulled in behind her. She started waving her hand at me out the window and pointing at me as she made a u turn. She continued waving her hands and making faces at me so I figured there must be something wrong with the pump. I pulled up away from the pump so I could talk to her and she says, "Oh, I had just pulled up on the wrong side and needed to turn around-- I still need gas." I was all and didn't say anything and just pulled around and waited behind somebody else...I'm kind of WTF about it. IMO, you pull out, you lose your spot. I would have just pulled back around and got back in line if I were her. Do you think this was rude/weird?

[Kore]

If you pull out, you lose your spot. I would have done what you did, but I'd be annoyed.

[Deleted]

If I were her, I probably would have said something to you as I was pulling out to reposition.

But if I were you, I would have let her go ahead of you and I don't think she was rude.

[Deleted]

I don't think it's rude, but it's definitely weird/annoying. I also would have just pulled back around to get back in line.

I would be scared to go Gypsy on people who do weird shit.

[stingsharkruns]

I've pulled up on the wrong side before... but I wouldn't have the balls to move my car to the proper position while there are lines of people waiting. I'd either leave or get back in line.. but i'm not a confrontational person (i'll leave a note on a car, but i'm not trying to get into a fight with someone).

[LoveTrains]

Jan 9, 2013 11:08:10 GMT -5 v said:

If I were her, I probably would have said something to you as I was pulling out to reposition.

But if I were you, I would have let her go ahead of you and I don't think she was rude.

This. I think she is an idiot for pulling in on the wrong side, but she was there first. I don't think she should lose her spot in line because she is a moron. It was her turn still.

[Deleted]

I guess maybe rude isn't quite the right word...it just seemed ridiculous and unnecessary to do all that grimacing and flailing around to save five minutes. I mean I expected to turn around and see a crazed zombie about to bite my head off the way she was acting. I feel like I would have just pulled around and got back in behind me if I were her.

[limey]

It's definitely weird, but I'll stop just shy of saying it was rude.

And who doesn't know what side the gas tank is on their car? Even if it is a rental or friend's, just look for the little arrow.

[Deleted]

What little arrow, limey?

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2013 11:20:56 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

But if I were you, I would have let her go ahead of you and I don't think she was rude.

This. I think she is an idiot for pulling in on the wrong side, but she was there first. I don't think she should lose her spot in line because she is a moron. It was her turn still. [/quote]

Maybe she's like me and gets gas like once every two years and can't remember how to do it properly or what side the thing is on? (don't even get me started on when I go to self-serve places -- it always requires assistance and gets lots of laughs from the attendants who have to help me).

Or she wasn't driving her regular car? Or she and her significant other switch off on cars often enough that she can't remember which has the hole on which side?

Or maybe I just really want to think that those who are clueless about gas acquisition aren't always idiots

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2013 11:28:39 GMT -5 limey said:

And who doesn't know what side the gas tank is on their car? Even if it is a rental or friend's, just look for the little arrow.

What little arrow?

[limey]

This one!

The arrow points to the right (next to the gas pump icon) showing you that the gas cap will be on the right side of the car.

[rikki]

Jan 9, 2013 11:45:09 GMT -5 v said:

Jan 9, 2013 11:28:39 GMT -5 limey said:

And who doesn't know what side the gas tank is on their car? Even if it is a rental or friend's, just look for the little arrow.

What little arrow?

Next to the gas gauge there is usually an arrow that indicates which side it is on.

[everam01]

You guys don't know about the little arrow? All cars have them, right?

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2013 11:46:47 GMT -5 limey said:

The arrow points to the right (next to the gas pump icon) showing you that the gas cap will be on the right side of the car.

Does every car have that? I swear that I've never noticed that before. But I drive like one or two times a year and am proud when I even realize the tank was empty.

[catbus]

Annoying, but I would have done what you did. Not worth a confrontation.

Jan 9, 2013 11:18:59 GMT -5 Mrs.flang said:

I can't really imagine this ever happening to me because I would never wait in line for gas.

I have to wait in line for gas every time, because we only fill up at the Costco gas station (significantly cheaper than anywhere else, plus 2% cash back on our Costco AmEx).

[limey]

Well, all late model cars in the US have them.

If you have a 65 Mustang, then no.

[stingsharkruns]

I was about to say my car doesn't have an arrow... but now, I don't know.. and I don't know what side the tank is on. Last time I got gas i popped the hood instead of the gas tank.. =/ it had been a few weeks since I got gas.

[limey]

Jan 9, 2013 11:55:24 GMT -5 stingsharkruns said:

I was about to say my car doesn't have an arrow... but now, I don't know

Well, I learned this little tid bit when I worked as an automotive engineer 12 years ago. So if your car was made in the last 15 years, I'd bet money you have an arrow.

Report back LOL

[Deleted]

I never noticed that little arrow before! I'm going to look for it next time I drive.

[stingsharkruns]

Welp, my car has the arrow. I drive an 04 350Z ... learned something new today.

[Deleted]

I probably would have let her go also. Although I think she should have just got back in line. Then again, if I had a really shitty day, waiting in line for gas would make me stabby and that would probably be my last straw, so I could totally see me doing exactly what she did.

I'm scared to provoke people too much in a vehicle. We've had two incidences in this area of batshit crazy people shooting people over road rage and things of the like.

[limey]

The arrow is really small and subtle. No? If you weren't looking for it, I doubt you'd stumble on it.

I'm LMAO at Gypsy's response. There is a not so small portion of me that agrees with this.

[alexis]

My car doesn't have the arrow, but it is over 20 years old. I don't think she is necessarily a moron. I would assume she is driving a car different than her usual. All the cars I have ever owned have the gas intake on the driver's side so it is pretty ingrained to drive up with that side toward the pump. Once I was driving a rental car with the intake on the passenger side, but I automatically pulled up on the driver's side since that is what I am used to. I got out, saw I was facing the wrong way, got back in and pulled out to turn around. When I pulled up to the pump again I was still on the driver's side! Even though I had been thinking about it. The habit of many years is hard to break. Although if I had been her, I would have just gotten in line again.

[orangello]

My car's a 2003 and has an arrow. I didn't notice it until my husband clued me in after we'd had the car for oh, 5 years or so, and I kept asking what side it was on.

[Deleted]

It was still her turn. I don't see the big deal but I've encountered it a lot and have done it before. It is very common here.

Do you have any idea how confusing it is remembering which side your gas tank is on when you switch cars almost daily? I don't think to look at the arrow because it's just habit.

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2013 12:23:41 GMT -5 aswartzw said:

It was still her turn. I don't see the big deal but I've encountered it a lot and have done it before. It is very common here.

Do you have any idea how confusing it is remembering which side your gas tank is on when you switch cars almost daily? I don't think to look at the arrow because it's just habit.

I don't really care how confusing it is. I just think it is annoying to clog up traffic and make somebody else turn around and get all twitterpated because you can't remember which side your tank is on. Just pull through and turn around and wait five minutes.

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2013 12:29:16 GMT -5 @lilly said:

Jan 9, 2013 12:23:41 GMT -5 aswartzw said:

It was still her turn. I don't see the big deal but I've encountered it a lot and have done it before. It is very common here.

Do you have any idea how confusing it is remembering which side your gas tank is on when you switch cars almost daily? I don't think to look at the arrow because it's just habit.

I don't really care how confusing it is. I just think it is annoying to clog up traffic and make somebody else turn around and get all twitterpated because you can't remember which side your tank is on. Just pull through and turn around and wait five minutes.

But she already waited? Why does she have to wait again because she goofed? I really think you're being impatient over this.

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2013 12:33:33 GMT -5 aswartzw said:

Jan 9, 2013 12:29:16 GMT -5 @lilly said:

I don't really care how confusing it is. I just think it is annoying to clog up traffic and make somebody else turn around and get all twitterpated because you can't remember which side your tank is on. Just pull through and turn around and wait five minutes.

But she already waited? Why does she have to wait again because she goofed? I really think you're being impatient over this.

Well, I don't know that she waited...but regardless, I just think it is polite not to make your mistakes inconvenience others.

[calico]

Move your feet, lose your seat. If I were feeling VERY generous, I would have let her take her good sweet time in front of me. In this situation, I would probably not have noticed her hand waving and would have already been out of my car and starting to pump gas. When it's your turn for service, you need to have your shit together.

But I'm a bitch like that, so take it for what you will.