Garage demanding helmet removal

[klingelton]

I've just dropped out to grab a spot of lunch and while i was at it, i chose to put a splash of fuel in the bike.  The PA system crackled with some inaudible instruction, followed by some gesticulated instructions which i presumed meant "remove your helmet".  Nope.  That ain't happening.  I went into the shop and reminded them that we've just been through a 2 year pandemic, where people covering their face wasn't just encouraged, but mandatory.  It's their "policy".  It wasn't last week.  When did the policy change?  They've always had it.  I smelled BS.  The only thing I can think is that when i pulled up, there was a couple of lads on a bike next to me.  So i suspect they were assuming that I was a party to the same shenanigans they were. They then said "we get a lot of drive offs."  I accept that, but then you're making the assumption that i'm going to do the same thing.  You're accusing me of a crime before I've had the opportunity to commit it!

 

I put forward my arguments for not removing my lid while filling up (place is swimming with diesel etc).  eventually they relented and allowed me to fill up.  

 

The lads on the bike next to me were cheering me on.  I don't especially like discrimination.  I'm hald tempted to go back and fill up the car with my lid on and see if the same "policy" applies.

 

[Fozzie]

I'm on the fence with it, on one hand, I can see why they want your helmet off. While some get religious exemptions etc, ultimately the bike helmet is the tool of choice for the drive off offender generally speaking. I've not been asked in ages, but if I am, and it's polite, I'll just take it off. As often they are being polite as they've been asked to enforce the rule by someone above them. 

 

Or just use pay at pump places, every now and again you'll look up and see a grumpy cashier staring daggers in the window.

 

[Bender]

Yup I'm easy, your probably having a go at some one that's just doing what they have been told to do, might have been fine last week, could have had a spate of fill up and fook off since. 

[NeilM]

Like @Benderimplies. 

You're probably having a dig at some poor bugger on minimum wage whose obligations entail asking you to remove your £400 lid......

I understand the frustration but it certainly isn't the kid serving you thats made the ruling.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Never had a problem with a flip front lid. Full face, I can see why they ask for helmets to be removed. I know it's a pain but that's one reason why I wear flip fronts.

[S-Westerly]

Ditto. I wear a flip lid and usually never been asked to take it off. Once was asked and yes it does annoy me as it presumes just because I ride a bike I'm more likely to be a scallywag.

[Bender]

21 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

Ditto. I wear a flip lid and usually never been asked to take it off. Once was asked and yes it does annoy me as it presumes just because I ride a bike I'm more likely to be a scallywag.

Should wear your pirate patch and bandana under it  

[MikeHorton]

Some garages have issues with claiming against their insurance for 'bilkings' if they don't request the wearer to take the lid off before filling. If I'm in a rush I tend to use the local chip and pin Asda no faff helmet stays on and no issues. Fuel theft is a big problem and most the garages are not owned by the fuel companies they don't get the big slice of the pie so I guess it hits them in the pocket when folks don't pay

[onesea]

If I can I will refuse to fuel and move on rather than take lid of at garage...

 

Shell actually changed there policy so that motorcyclist don't have to remove there helmet.

 

"We are pleased to advise that our motorbike customers are no longer automatically being asked to remove their helmets when refueling, as we know that you have to be 16 or over to ride one. Where customer assistants are unsure that the customer is aged 16 or over, they will ask the customer to remove their helmet, lift their visor or show their identification. We are asking customers to remove their helmets or lift their visors inside the shop, as a courtesy to the site staff and other customers. However, this is not a mandatory requirement."

 

And have more updated there wording, that gives more reasons.

https://support.shell.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115005908285-Do-I-need-to-take-off-my-helmet-when-I-fill-up-my-motorbike-#:~:text=Station staff need to be,staff can verify their age.

 

Garages are the only place I take this stance.  Having dropped a lid resting on my bike in i do not leave my helmet on the bike.

Just about any flat surface in a garage will have oil residues and that is not good for my lid.

 

I became more belligerent on this when I started using a fuel card, where they require your registration number.  

On most forecourts staff cannot read your reg plate, or identify  what vehicle you are from. Car, Motorbike, Van is about as good as it gets.

 

How do they even know if they have had a non payment? if they don't know which pump and vehicle your from.

 

I guess if asked now I would pull my neck scarf up for COVID reasons. Then complain they refused to serve me wearing a mask..

 

[husoi]

The beauty of having a flip up helmet...  

[Bender]

50 minutes ago, onesea said:

If I can I will refuse to fuel and move on rather than take lid of at garage...

 

Shell actually changed there policy so that motorcyclist don't have to remove there helmet.

 

"We are pleased to advise that our motorbike customers are no longer automatically being asked to remove their helmets when refueling, as we know that you have to be 16 or over to ride one. Where customer assistants are unsure that the customer is aged 16 or over, they will ask the customer to remove their helmet, lift their visor or show their identification. We are asking customers to remove their helmets or lift their visors inside the shop, as a courtesy to the site staff and other customers. However, this is not a mandatory requirement."

 

And have more updated there wording, that gives more reasons.

https://support.shell.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115005908285-Do-I-need-to-take-off-my-helmet-when-I-fill-up-my-motorbike-#:~:text=Station staff need to be,staff can verify their age.

 

Garages are the only place I take this stance.  Having dropped a lid resting on my bike in i do not leave my helmet on the bike.

Just about any flat surface in a garage will have oil residues and that is not good for my lid.

 

I became more belligerent on this when I started using a fuel card, where they require your registration number.  

On most forecourts staff cannot read your reg plate, or identify  what vehicle you are from. Car, Motorbike, Van is about as good as it gets.

 

How do they even know if they have had a non payment? if they don't know which pump and vehicle your from.

 

I guess if asked now I would pull my neck scarf up for COVID reasons. Then complain they refused to serve me wearing a mask..

 

Just about every garage I go to have cameras on every pump, most including tesco have an anpr camera that simply logs a list of number plates with a time stamp, I know a few businesses that do this but have no signage

 

As for knowing when there is a non payment most still have to be authorised by till operator I'm sure when there is an unpaid amount still on screen its fairly obvious. 

 

https://flexed.co.uk/staff-petrol-stations-uk-cover-costs-fuel-thieves/

 

You have the right to fill up where you want but it's not worth the agro of arguing with individual staff. 

 

[husoi]

To be fair to the station's staff. Any stolen fuel will be taken from their wages.

Who's to say that a certain bike isn't stolen? If a thief takes a stolen bike to fill up and takes a run the station will not be able to recover the money and that will be taken from the poor guy's salary.

Keep in mind that they don't make much more than minimum wage.

 

It is discriminatory yes but a very frequent event.

Pay at the pump would be the ideal option as you are giving your card details before filling up.

 

Note this is a fairly common practice in the continent.

[MikeHorton]

Yep it should all be pay at pump but the bosses don't like it they want people to come into the shop and buy stuff, I seldom buy anythng in the shops. On the anpr thing yes most use cloned plates or adjusted with a bit of black tape. Dead easy to get dodgy plates made up criminals buy the machines to make the plates 

Edited April 21, 2022 by MikeHorton

[Tiggie]

As a petrol station staff veteran I never used to bother unless it was a scooter or a 125 and I didn't recognise them as regulars.

 

It is an absolute pain in the arse but needs to be asked otherwise if there is a driveoff there's a good chance its coming out of the cashiers wage or best case a severe bollocking for not following procedure. In fact if there is a drive off and you have followed procedure it can still end up a massive argument 

 

The cashier is liable everytime they press the button on the till to authorise a pump. It is up to them every time to decide if its safe or legal to do so

 

If anything the main issue I used to have was people wanting to fill up anything other than an actual legal fuel can. Milk bottles, 2 litre coke bottles etc etc.

 

I also had a massive argument with a man once because I wouldn't let his (probably) 8 year old son use the petrol pump. Guess who would of been getting blamed if anything went wrong in that situation?  

 

 

[Tiggie]

4 hours ago, Bender said:

As for knowing when there is a non payment most still have to be authorised by till operator I'm sure when there is an unpaid amount still on screen its fairly obvious. 

 

The system I used would beep at you if the pump hadn't been paid for within approx 5 minutes.

 

[Copycat73]

frankly it is ignorant to interact with another person wearing a helmet .. 

[Mickly]

22 minutes ago, Copycat73 said:

frankly it is ignorant to interact with another person wearing a helmet .. 

Even a open face / flip fronted one?

[MikeHorton]

I find interacting with humans overrated I prefer animals for company far more sensible! 

[manxie49]

23 minutes ago, MikeHorton said:

I find interacting with humans overrated I prefer animals for company far more sensible! 

I'm definitely with you on that one 

[manxie49]

I have a flip front helmet I use when touring,  I usually just pop the front up when at a filling station and have never had any problems.  I was only ever asked to remove my crash helmet once, it was a small country filling station in the Lake District.  Young girl serving was very apologetic and stated it was so the CCTV could get a clear image of persons as they had, in her words, "a couple of incidents".  I was actually fine with it, only takes a couple of seconds to remove the helmet ...... I had a bit of a joke with her and said, with the helmet off she could better appreciate my natural beauty anyway 

[Pbassred]

I have been google and searching the Home office web site and have yet to fine any evidence of petrol theft as a particular feature of Motorcyclists.  I did find a Bennetts article about insisting that Motorcyclist removing their helmets because of crime in the general area.

I have though been told that I couldn't pay for my fuel until I removed my helmet! Tesco also insists that I remove it.  Its policy! 

[Bender]

8 minutes ago, Pbassred said:

I have been google and searching the Home office web site and have yet to fine any evidence of petrol theft as a particular feature of Motorcyclists.  I did find a Bennetts article about insisting that Motorcyclist removing their helmets because of crime in the general area.

I have though been told that I couldn't pay for my fuel until I removed my helmet! Tesco also insists that I remove it.  Its policy! 

I doubt it's specific to bikes but with a lid on cameras are of little use 

[Stu]

If I am asked to remove my helmet then if I can I just go elsewhere simple! 

[Pbassred]

yes, but that not the point.  its discrimination.

 

 

[Ian Frog]

If you cast your minds back discrimination in the 70`s was turning up at a pub and finding a note on the door that said "No leather jackets! I seem to remember around the same time signs that said "No Blacks or Irish".

Fortunately we live in more enlightened times !

Cheers

Ian