Gas station blunder - who’s at fault and who should be responsible?

[AhoosierA]

Yesterday I stopped by a gas station to get some gas and went inside to use the restroom and buy a water. I noticed there was a sheriffs car there but didn’t think anything of it.

As I’m standing in line the sheriff is talking to a younger boy (probably 18-20 yrs old) and I over hear what the situation is.

The young boy had came into prepay for his fuel and handed the cashier a $5 bill to prepay $5 worth of gas. The gas station clerk accident put in $50 prepaid and neither who or the boy realized it.

The boy went to pump his gas and wasn’t paying attention to the pump as when you prepay, it stops at the amount that you prepaid for, or when your tank is full.

The boy gets a full tank of gas, around $25, and before he can drive off the gas station clerk realized her mistake and was wanting the boy to pay the $20 difference. But the boy didn’t have $20 to give, so she called the cops on him!

The cop was being nice to the kid but didn’t really know how to handle the situation. He kept asking the kid “is there anyone you can call” and the kid was on the phone trying to get ahold of someone.

Eventually I interjected and offered to pay the difference which was like $20.08 but while doing so I made sure to throw in my opinion.

This kid paid for the correct amount that HE wanted and the clerk did not do her job, therefore I believe this responsibility should have fell on the store/clerk and not the boy.

[MrTickle]

I'm curious what the cop said. Anyone who has read Lenin's 'State and Revolution' knows that when there's a dispute between petit-bourgeoisie (gas station) and proletariat (customer), the police sides with the petit-bourgeoisie. It's why even peaceful strikes get broken up by cops.

In this case the business should eat it.

Well done for paying, you're a standup guy.

(also, how much gas can $5 even get you?)

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

think that's a tough shit on the business...one thing if you could recover the overage, but in this case you can't outside of siphoning gas from the tank...if the clerk wanted to do that then by all means go for it...

was this some small mom/pop gas station? seems like a lotta trouble to get $20 worth of gas if it was a big chain station...

[AhoosierA]

It’s not necessarily a small mom/pop gas station but a smaller chain in the region (Thornton’s). And it was in a small town about a hour away from any major city.

The clerk and the cop seemed to be stuck on the fact that there are signs saying “Do not leave gas pump unattended” however no way are they meant because of this reason, but more so in case something were to happen like the pump falls out of the gas tank while going.

In no way was this theft by the boy. However I felt like that’s how it was being treated.

$5 these days probably don’t get you very far but when you’re a teenager $5 can seem like a lot!

[MumblesBadly]

It’s not necessarily a small mom/pop gas station but a smaller chain in the region (Thornton’s). And it was in a small town about a hour away from any major city.

The clerk and the cop seemed to be stuck on the fact that there are signs saying “Do not leave gas pump unattended” however no way are they meant because of this reason, but more so in case something were to happen like the pump falls out of the gas tank while going.

In no way was this theft by the boy. However I felt like that’s how it was being treated.

$5 these days probably don’t get you very far but when you’re a teenager $5 can seem like a lot!

The clerk should definitely have to eat the cost of the extra gas dispensed. The signage mentioning not leaving the pump while it’s dispensing is meant for safety, i.e. avoiding excessive spills due to nossle (sp?) falling o to the ground while still activated, not to keep from dispensing more than paid for by the customer because the clerk entered the wrong amount at the register.

Thorntons, BTW, probably has the best condiment station for roller grill items among all of the gas stations chains in the US, with QuikTrip a close second. But if stretching your stomach with hotdogs-on-a-stick is your thing, T/A Travel Centers of America is the place to stop for then while over the road.

[Dan Druff]

Here's what I'm not understanding.

If the pump has to be prepaid, how could the customer possibly cheat the gas station?

I suppose they can argue that he noticed it going past $5 and kept pumping out of opportunity to steal, but honestly that's a weak argument. When you prepay, you have the reasonable expectation that you don't have to watch for overages.

Gas station definitely should have eaten it.

Very nice of you to pay the $20.

[Daly]

Here's what I'm not understanding.

If the pump has to be prepaid, how could the customer possibly cheat the gas station?

I suppose they can argue that he noticed it going past $5 and kept pumping out of opportunity to steal, but honestly that's a weak argument. When you prepay, you have the reasonable expectation that you don't have to watch for overages.

Gas station definitely should have eaten it.

Very nice of you to pay the $20.

Because the petroleum transfer agent fat fingered an extra zero. Hey put $5 bill into the register and entered in $50.00 into the system which allowed the kid to pump up to $50.

Gas Station should eat it...... and the owner of the station will probably make the cashier eat it.

I think it’s an honest mistake on the kids part. If it came out to $48 before the mistake was I’d be more suspicious. At $3.50 a gallon you can check your e-mail and have $20 spill out before you know it.

[splitthis]

I was at the express lane at Marcs the other day. There was a long line. Black chick in front of me told cashier laundry detergent was 1.99 not 2.99 on sticker. This caused a price check which stalled an already long line. After 5 mins white dude behind me offered the extra dollar difference with an annoyed and shaky hand. Black chick declined with a neck jerk and oh no. Closeout chick confirmed price was correct which caused black chick to start a tirade that price on shelf was below the 1.99 item. Entire line started complaining. This is why the bill which would eliminate the need for classes for concealed carry should not pass.

[GrenadaRoger]

Yesterday I stopped by a gas station to get some gas and went inside to use the restroom and buy a water. I noticed there was a sheriffs car there but didn’t think anything of it.

As I’m standing in line the sheriff is talking to a younger boy (probably 18-20 yrs old) and I over hear what the situation is.

The young boy had came into prepay for his fuel and handed the cashier a $5 bill to prepay $5 worth of gas. The gas station clerk accident put in $50 prepaid and neither who or the boy realized it.

The boy went to pump his gas and wasn’t paying attention to the pump as when you prepay, it stops at the amount that you prepaid for, or when your tank is full.

The boy gets a full tank of gas, around $25, and before he can drive off the gas station clerk realized her mistake and was wanting the boy to pay the $20 difference. But the boy didn’t have $20 to give, so she called the cops on him!

The cop was being nice to the kid but didn’t really know how to handle the situation. He kept asking the kid “is there anyone you can call” and the kid was on the phone trying to get ahold of someone.

Eventually I interjected and offered to pay the difference which was like $20.08 but while doing so I made sure to throw in my opinion.

This kid paid for the correct amount that HE wanted and the clerk did not do her job, therefore I believe this responsibility should have fell on the store/clerk and not the boy.

well sorry, you are wrong....law is on the side of the gas station....the law acknowledges that retailers do make mistakes and the purchaser is liable to pay for the excess taken and return the over-refund...the policeman on the scene knew that and he could have arrested/cited the kid for petty theft...the kid should have given back the money he still had and signed a note payable/draft/given some collateral to ensure he would make good---perhaps the spare tire or tire jack from the car would have been appropriate, or a wristwatch or cell phone also would have been good.

frankly, I have little sympathy for the station owner--after all, if you pay peanuts then you have to work with monkeys

[BeerAndPoker]

Pump should have shut off at $5 but obviously employee added the extra 0 at the end.

Their prepaid card system must suck or he must have to manually add the gas amount in to "x" pump otherwise it would have rejected $50 when he scans the prepaid card so the gas station needs a better computer system if the worker can make an additional error like this.

Gas station is definitely at fault but to go over the $5 he thought he was getting to a $25 bill the kid obviously realizes this and is taking advantage when he knows he cannot afford to pay the amount if they come after him for it.

To be clear I'm all for the station eating it completely but we know how this works in society when it comes to the law they always lean towards the business here so a split of the difference kind of seems fair too where the kid pays $10 and the gas station eats $10 if it went to $25.

If this was a $5 additional on the $5 then fine 100% gas station eat it but you know the time difference between pumping $5 and $25 worth of gas even if you are off in daydream land not looking at the total amount pumped.

Now if the clerk didn't catch the boy before he drove off I wonder how they would have handled this? I bet they would just have to eat it because even if they got cameras that have the kids license plate number the error what are you going to do hunt him down for $20 when the original error was made by the clerk?

In a way OP did something nice that he didn't have to do but I don't think we get to proper resolutions in life by settling what really was a mistake made by both parties involved (gas station clerk worse mistake than the kid who should still have known what he was doing wasn't right).

Also, what if pump goes over $2 and kid realizes so he tells them but he don't even have that on him? If the station still wants him to call someone to get the money then they deserve a big fuck you and horrible yelp rating.

[jsearles22]

Pump should have shut off at $5 but obviously employee added the extra 0 at the end.

Their prepaid card system must suck or he must have to manually add the gas amount in to "x" pump otherwise it would have rejected $50 when he scans the prepaid card so the gas station needs a better computer system if the worker can make an additional error like this.

Gas station is definitely at fault but to go over the $5 he thought he was getting to a $25 bill the kid obviously realizes this and is taking advantage when he knows he cannot afford to pay the amount if they come after him for it.

To be clear I'm all for the station eating it completely but we know how this works in society when it comes to the law they always lean towards the business here so a split of the difference kind of seems fair too where the kid pays $10 and the gas station eats $10 if it went to $25.

If this was a $5 additional on the $5 then fine 100% gas station eat it but you know the time difference between pumping $5 and $25 worth of gas even if you are off in daydream land not looking at the total amount pumped.

Now if the clerk didn't catch the boy before he drove off I wonder how they would have handled this? I bet they would just have to eat it because even if they got cameras that have the kids license plate number the error what are you going to do hunt him down for $20 when the original error was made by the clerk?

In a way OP did something nice that he didn't have to do but I don't think we get to proper resolutions in life by settling what really was a mistake made by both parties involved (gas station clerk worse mistake than the kid who should still have known what he was doing wasn't right).

Also, what if pump goes over $2 and kid realizes so he tells them but he don't even have that on him? If the station still wants him to call someone to get the money then they deserve a big fuck you and horrible yelp rating.

Yelp rating? I bet Druff of all people doesn’t even check gas stations yelp ratings FFS

[BeerAndPoker]

Pump should have shut off at $5 but obviously employee added the extra 0 at the end.

Their prepaid card system must suck or he must have to manually add the gas amount in to "x" pump otherwise it would have rejected $50 when he scans the prepaid card so the gas station needs a better computer system if the worker can make an additional error like this.

Gas station is definitely at fault but to go over the $5 he thought he was getting to a $25 bill the kid obviously realizes this and is taking advantage when he knows he cannot afford to pay the amount if they come after him for it.

To be clear I'm all for the station eating it completely but we know how this works in society when it comes to the law they always lean towards the business here so a split of the difference kind of seems fair too where the kid pays $10 and the gas station eats $10 if it went to $25.

If this was a $5 additional on the $5 then fine 100% gas station eat it but you know the time difference between pumping $5 and $25 worth of gas even if you are off in daydream land not looking at the total amount pumped.

Now if the clerk didn't catch the boy before he drove off I wonder how they would have handled this? I bet they would just have to eat it because even if they got cameras that have the kids license plate number the error what are you going to do hunt him down for $20 when the original error was made by the clerk?

In a way OP did something nice that he didn't have to do but I don't think we get to proper resolutions in life by settling what really was a mistake made by both parties involved (gas station clerk worse mistake than the kid who should still have known what he was doing wasn't right).

Also, what if pump goes over $2 and kid realizes so he tells them but he don't even have that on him? If the station still wants him to call someone to get the money then they deserve a big fuck you and horrible yelp rating.

Yelp rating? I bet Druff of all people doesn’t even check gas stations yelp ratings FFS

Valid point when it comes to gas stations we just stop wherever is convenient (although Druff might drive around to save 15 cents a gallon) but their isn't anywhere else you can bash them so that's the reason I said yelp.

[Daly]

If I’m the kid I tell the cop/cashier it’s not my fault because there is a reasonable expectation that the pump should have shit off. But because I’m a nice guy I’ll let you siphon the extra gas out so long as you can do it in the next 10 minutes.

Here is a hose buddy..... get going.

[OSA]

18-20 year year old boy? Don't tease me, bro

I would have paid for the boy's gas.

Then I would have pumped him full of something, but it wouldn't be unleaded, that's for sure.

[GrenadaRoger]

The clerk should definitely have to eat the cost of the extra gas dispensed.

While that seems fair initially, ultimately it is a poor business practice...because if you make employees responsible for underpays, over-refunds etc then, by extension, they are entitled to keep overpays, underrefunds--or so they will think...and there will be a lot more overcharges/shortchanges occurring: in the long run you will have lots of customer disputes and volume will drop off

[MumblesBadly]

The clerk should definitely have to eat the cost of the extra gas dispensed.

While that seems fair initially, ultimately it is a poor business practice...because if you make employees responsible for underpays, over-refunds etc then, by extension, they are entitled to keep overpays, underrefunds--or so they will think...and there will be a lot more overcharges/shortchanges occurring: in the long run you will have lots of customer disputes and volume will drop off

A few verifiable customer complaints of a particular clerk cheating them and that employee would be fired. At the same time, a clerk making a single mistake by giving a customer too much of a product wouldn’t deserve having to personally cover the cost, but if he/she does it repeatedly, would likewise be told to seek employment elsewhere.