Queuing for fuel or cutting in?

[techniques]

I'll preface this post by saying on the 25th Sept, I got caught on the way home from work on red, had to queue for 1.5hrs at midnight and didn't get home until 2am. Fun.

 

 

Now, the other day, I'm on my bike, and the forecourt man tells me to come back tomorrow morning at 7am. By 7am, there was a massive queue already, and I, coming from the opposite direction, turned right, slipped into the forecourt and joined one of the queues on the further side of the station. Basically, I didn't want to be stuck in the middle of the road and it all sort of worked out.

 

Before I knew it, I was in and out. I love 2 wheels...I thought to myself.

 

Yesterday, however, went differently. The big Tesco near me has been struggling with massive queues (SE area. Near a roundabout. Brighton Road. Major road into London, for those who don't know.) They've come up with a rather convoluted traffic management system where you have to go in, pass the petrol station, spin around in the car park, come back on yourself and join the queue. 

 

I found myself behind a guy on an R1 and thought I'd break the ice.

me: "I don't see why they don't let US cut in. we'd be in and out before 1 car." 

R1 man: "It's not really polite, is it? We're all in the same boat."

 

He's 100% correct. Except, I'm not on a boat, I'm on a bike. Let me cut in.  Is filtering to the front of normal traffic any different? Surely, this is part of the privilege of being on 2 wheels, no? I don't think I'm more Important than anyone. I'm more than happy to queue when I'm in the comfort of my car, with a nice coffee and an audiobook going in one ear. Sitting in a queue on my bike feels silly.

 

 

Thoughts?

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I always filter through traffic. I would not filter through a petrol queue. They are totally different things.

 

One is proper use of the roads. The other is just being selfish.

[Bianco2564]

Personally I don't think the filtering rule applies to queuing for fuel, fine for sneaking thru traffic I do it all the time but in this scenario I'd wait inline.

A. I think it would come across as being arrogant, is your journey any more important than the next person?

B. You don't know who you would be cutting in front of, might be a little old lady who wont say boo or some loon with a weapon in their car who would love to tear you a new one.

[Bender]

NO,  as above. 

[S-Westerly]

Filtering in traffic - yes. Filtering to jump a queue for petrol? NO!!!. Just asking for trouble.

In fact I'd go so far as f**k NO!!!

[Pbassred]

I didn't vote for Brexit.  I didn't vote for this Government.  More than 50% of the people reading this did and THEY are responcible. I definetly did not vote for the current Transport Minister who is my MP. This is not a set of created problems that I voted for.  This have been imposed on me by others and I am tired of being a nice guy about it.  

Last saturday I waited in line in my wife's car, filled it and a 5 gallon jerry can to feed my bike.  Done!

 

[geofferz]

If there's a pump that is empty and cars can't get to because other cars behind are blocking it then jump in, I did. Otherwise no. 

[S-Westerly]

50 minutes ago, geofferz said:

If there's a pump that is empty and cars can't get to because other cars behind are blocking it then jump in, I did. Otherwise no. 

That's fair enough as you are at least on the forecourt. 

[techniques]

3 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

I always filter through traffic. I would not filter through a petrol queue. They are totally different things.

 

One is proper use of the roads. The other is just being selfish.

I definitely see your point. However, in the current state of filling up multiple jerry cans & queuing to top up £3.60. The act of cutting in to get to the other end of the forecourt where cars can't even get to registers quite low on the selfish meter.  At least, this is what I'm telling myself to excuse bad behaviour. 

Edited October 8, 2021 by techniques

[techniques]

2 hours ago, Pbassred said:

I didn't vote for Brexit.  I didn't vote for this Government.  More than 50% of the people reading this did and THEY are responsible. I definitely did not vote for the current Transport Minister who is my MP. This is not a set of created problems that I voted for.  This have been imposed on me by others and I am tired of being a nice guy about it.  

Last saturday I waited in line in my wife's car, filled it and a 5 gallon jerry can to feed my bike.  Done!

 

Unfortunately, I think more and more people have developed this attitude, mostly out of frustration at watching the negative results unfolding due to decisions made by Incompetent people at the top. People who are continually voted in by the public. 

 

"We're all in this together." Yes we are, and it's not looking great.  The forecourt situation very much feels like "Every man for himself." with all the jerry cans.

 

The other day I read an article about an Ambulance driver getting abuse for cutting in. This is where we're at, people. 

 

 

 

 

[billy sugger]

I will always dive into a empty pump if cars can't get to it,  but otherwise I wait in the queue

[Six30]

9 hours ago, techniques said:

I'll preface this post by saying on the 25th Sept, I got caught on the way home from work on red, had to queue for 1.5hrs at midnight and didn't get home until 2am. Fun.

 

 

Now, the other day, I'm on my bike, and the forecourt man tells me to come back tomorrow morning at 7am. By 7am, there was a massive queue already, and I, coming from the opposite direction, turned right, slipped into the forecourt and joined one of the queues on the further side of the station. Basically, I didn't want to be stuck in the middle of the road and it all sort of worked out.

 

Before I knew it, I was in and out. I love 2 wheels...I thought to myself.

 

Yesterday, however, went differently. The big Tesco near me has been struggling with massive queues (SE area. Near a roundabout. Brighton Road. Major road into London, for those who don't know.) They've come up with a rather convoluted traffic management system where you have to go in, pass the petrol station, spin around in the car park, come back on yourself and join the queue. 

 

I found myself behind a guy on an R1 and thought I'd break the ice.

me: "I don't see why they don't let US cut in. we'd be in and out before 1 car." 

R1 man: "It's not really polite, is it? We're all in the same boat."

 

He's 100% correct. Except, I'm not on a boat, I'm on a bike. Let me cut in.  Is filtering to the front of normal traffic any different? Surely, this is part of the privilege of being on 2 wheels, no? I don't think I'm more Important than anyone. I'm more than happy to queue when I'm in the comfort of my car, with a nice coffee and an audiobook going in one ear. Sitting in a queue on my bike feels silly.

 

 

Thoughts?

 

 

i was in a que in  a car and a fella on a scooter done that , minute later i could get to to the other side of same pump , i had a go at him, he said im only putting in 2 litres , had another go at him... and he then shut up.

[daveinlim]

On my ride home from central to south London yesterday there was no massive queues in any station. Pumps had 1 or 2 card at each spot. Some only had super unleaded but at least there was something. 

 

[MikeHorton]

52 minutes ago, Six30 said:

 

i was in a que in  a car and a fella on a scooter done that , minute later i could get to to the other side of same pump , i had a go at him, he said im only putting in 2 litres , had another go at him... and he then shut up.

You could always have rammed the pump up his arse and said "it's okay I'm only putting 2 litres in"

[PaulCa]

Use  red petrol can.  Park the bike round the corner.  Approach the most friendly looking person at an unleaded pump, hand him cash and fill the gerry can on his bill.  Done.

[SometimesSansEngine]

At self checkouts in the supermarket, you wouldn't 'filter to the front' if everyone else had trolleys but you had a basket, whilst attempting to claim you'd be in and out quicker than them and you can fit you and your basket down the side of the queue to the front.

 

Yes to going to a pump no-one else is using.

[techniques]

39 minutes ago, PaulCa said:

Use  red petrol can.  Park the bike round the corner.  Approach the most friendly looking person at an unleaded pump, hand him cash and fill the gerry can on his bill.  Done.

 

"Most friendly looking person at an unleaded pump."  Good luck finding one of those in the SE at the moment! 

 

 

[techniques]

31 minutes ago, SometimesSansEngine said:

At self checkouts in the supermarket, you wouldn't 'filter to the front' if everyone else had trolleys but you had a basket, whilst attempting to claim you'd be in and out quicker than them and you can fit you and your basket down the side of the queue to the front.

 

Yes to going to a pump no-one else is using.

Well, that's why self-service tills are there. For the lighter, nippier shopper with a basket. In-n-out. Much faster than a trolley and the normal checkout.

 

For your analogy to work, forecourts would need to have dedicated fuel pumps just for bikes, which isn't actually a terrible idea as we need a lot less space to get the job done, and we wouldn't have to hold any cars/vans up. A couple of dedicated fuel pumps for bikes in a corner somewhere, inaccessible to cars. I'm salivating.

[SometimesSansEngine]

1 hour ago, techniques said:

Well, that's why self-service tills are there. For the lighter, nippier shopper with a basket. In-n-out. Much faster than a trolley and the normal checkout.

 

For your analogy to work, forecourts would need to have dedicated fuel pumps just for bikes, which isn't actually a terrible idea as we need a lot less space to get the job done, and we wouldn't have to hold any cars/vans up. A couple of dedicated fuel pumps for bikes in a corner somewhere, inaccessible to cars. I'm salivating.

 

My analogy does work, as most supermarkets I go to aren't basket only for the self checkouts

 

As for the forecourts, as most of the time the pumps aren't fully utilised it would, commercially speaking, be a terrible idea

[Guest]

Cruise up to the queue, pop a cap in everyone on your way past. Ride up to pump, fill up, rip pump off leaving fuel pouring out. Pull out Zippo lighter that says 'Saddam mad ass' on it. Light cigar, ride off and hurl lighter behind you, sending the whole place to hell you dirty rascals.

That's what I do anyway. Did it today down Tesco earlier, then realised I forgot to get washing up liquid. Could have got some at the local shop but they don't have fairy and it's the only one I use with my sensitive skin.

[S-Westerly]

Didn't set the station alight but I did once pull away from the pump and the bike seemed stuck. Gave it a bit more welly and the hose that was wrapped around my pannier detached from the nozzle and sprayed petrol everywhere. Haven't been back there since.

[Pie man]

I tried that once ..........I cut in and started filling up my scooter, I only wanted 2L, and some Tw*t at the other side of the pump started having a go at me. Cheeky fecker 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nah I would sit in the queue to be honest. 

[PaulCa]

Just to annoy you lot a bit.  I filled the car with 40 litres a few days ago.  No queues, no hassle.  

Northern Ireland takes fuel deliveries from ports and has a relatively large cache, it also has relatively small distances to filling stations.  So the main areas have no restrictions and no queues.

 

We did have an issue a few years back due to the NI protocol and fuel supplies stopped for a while, prices started to rise as stocks ran down, but it was sorted in a month or so and it all went back to normal.

 

There is always the option to drive 40 miles to the border and buy fuel from the Republic of Ireland in Euros if the shit hits the fans.

Edited October 8, 2021 by PaulCa

[S-Westerly]

Doesn't annoy me at all as I've managed to fill up the car and the bike whenever I've needed to without any issues at all. Yes there have been shortages but not affected me, smug git that I am.

[Fish]

I was queuing the other evening to fill up and when the guy managing the forecourt saw me he waved me in. I stayed where I was as I didn't want to be pushing in and even the guy behind me was telling me to go for it.

 

I just thought it was wrong, as said we're all in the same issue.

 

Filled up today and was waiting behind a complete twat in an Range Rover Evoke who put £10 in! These are the morons we need to fix.