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Exxon Complaint - Gas pump pre-pay discrimination
Complaint
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA -- On Monday, June 11, 2001 at about 10:45 p.m., my girlfriend and I pulled up to pump 13 at your gas station to fill her tank as we always do (at your gas station). We selected gas and payment type and the clerk informed us over the intercom that we would have to pre-pay. We didn't think too much of this as it was night time. While my girlfriend was inside paying for gas, and as I waited outside for the pump to turn on, I noticed that an older man (probably in his mid 50's) pulled to a pump in the back, but wasn't forced to pre-pay. He was in no way impaired or disabled and also was paying with cash. This irritated me enough, but when my girlfriend told me what one of the clerks said to another clerk inside (probably in training), I was outraged. When the older man pulled up to the pump, the one clerk said to the other, 'You don't have to make the old man pre-pay.' What have we inferred from this? Well, it seems that your Exxon chain doesn't value our patronage and the fact that we spend over a hundred dollars a month at your store. This must also mean that you don't care to have the patronage of the over 40,000 college students living in Gainesville. I will do my best to further your effort. As of now, my girlfriend and I will use a different gas station and we will inform all of our friends of how you choose to treat young customers. If I deem it necessary, I'll also write letters to student newspapers and to 'The Gainesville Sun,' where as a 3rd year journalism student I have contacts and can insure publication. If your business was looking for group to discriminate against in Gainesville, college students may have not been quite the best choice. You'd be suprised what a couple of college kids could accomplish.
At the very least I would like a response from your company regarding this incident.
At the very least I would like a response from your company regarding this incident.
Comments:
Posted by Anonymous on 2001-07-03:
So, what, you were treated unfairly? Did you have to pay more for the gas than the old man? No. Face it - you fit the profile of the kind of person that might fill up and drive off - a younger person, and although you didn't specify, probably with an older vehicle (being a college student and all). You shouldn't be buying gas from Exxon anyway. Besides, did it cross your mind that the clerk might KNOW the old guy?
Posted by Anonymous on 2001-07-03:
What's a guy like the one who left the first user response doing on a consumer advocacy website amyway? Consumers should expect nothing but the best possible customer service when purchasing a product from a business. And, do you have to crack on college kids' cars. Besides, there are plenty of us with rich mommies and daddies. Sounds more like a response from the company than anyone who would use this website.
Posted by Anonymous on 2001-07-10:
Having worked at a gas station, most of our drive offs were older people.
Not all older people aresweet, honest old men and women. Some are cheap, calculative thieves. The gas station was neara housing complex for poor elderly people. Guess who did the most shop lifting?
Not all young people are thieves.
Not all older people aresweet, honest old men and women. Some are cheap, calculative thieves. The gas station was neara housing complex for poor elderly people. Guess who did the most shop lifting?
Not all young people are thieves.
Posted by Anonymous on 2002-04-19:
The guy who left the 1st comment; do you work at a gas station? Get lost and get a life loser. Why are you here? Go find a chat line for poeple with no friends or life.
Posted by Anonymous on 2002-04-19:
Good letter. I couldn't agree more. I will never buy gas there again and I finished college years ago. I suport your cause and commend your efforts.
Posted by Anonymous on 2003-02-23:
are you sure this "old man" wasn't a regular at this gas station? i know at our gas station, my husband and i go all the time and we don't have to pre-pay because the clerks know us. is that considered discrimination?
Posted by Anonymous on 2004-01-07:
Prepay is discrimanatory! They can see who is pumping at each pump. I have left stations and will not return, to ones that make a person go inside 2 times for the privilege of purchasing gas. Best thing is to not go there ever again.
Posted by brittany1485 on 2004-02-21:
I used to work at a gas station and I myself am young and drive a crappy car. Our policy was that after dark, everyone had to prepay. Sometimes we let people pump first anyway, like if it was really cold out and we didn't want to make them stand out there, or if they had a really distintive vehicle. There was a disabled woman who drove a school bus and we never made her prepay because for one thing we knew she was diasbled and didn't want to have to walk back and forth and for another thing, she drove a schoolbus. There was no way she would have gotten away with driving off. And sometimes if someone was at Pump 1 we didn't make them prepay because unlike the other pumps, we could see what was going on.
The old man might have had a previous agreement with the store due to a disability. And the store clerk might who made you pay first might not have even known you were young because she probably couldn't see you. It's really hard to see the pumps at night because of the reflections on the glass. I know where I worked, I couldn't see any of the pumps clearly at night. Even at Pump 2, I couldn't tell if the person was a man or a woman or young or old or anything.
You can boycott the place if you feel strongly about it, but the clerk was probably just doing his/her job. I wouldn't take it personally.
The old man might have had a previous agreement with the store due to a disability. And the store clerk might who made you pay first might not have even known you were young because she probably couldn't see you. It's really hard to see the pumps at night because of the reflections on the glass. I know where I worked, I couldn't see any of the pumps clearly at night. Even at Pump 2, I couldn't tell if the person was a man or a woman or young or old or anything.
You can boycott the place if you feel strongly about it, but the clerk was probably just doing his/her job. I wouldn't take it personally.
Posted by modette on 2004-05-24:
This is why I use a credit card, and if the place does not take a card I do not pump and leave...lol Not worth the hassle, the last time a few years ago I had to go in, and they wanted my credit card...I'm not leaving that with them I laughed at them and was like come on now...she then asked for my drivers lic...okay that is fine nothing on that I care about...but what a hassle. Pay at the pump is the best thing to come along...no more dealing with those people working at the station.
Like anything they are going to judge you by what you drive and how you are dressed...that is just life. Most likely driving a $34K car you are not going to run. Maybe they knew that old guy and maybe he was driving a nicer newer car...I mean an old man in a new cadilac probably will not run...LOL
Like anything they are going to judge you by what you drive and how you are dressed...that is just life. Most likely driving a $34K car you are not going to run. Maybe they knew that old guy and maybe he was driving a nicer newer car...I mean an old man in a new cadilac probably will not run...LOL
Posted by miketech on 2005-12-10:
They may have known the older man. I was at a gas station I don't stop at much and it was before pre pay time 7a to 7p and so everyone was getting authorized then a black kid pulled up in a pretty nice car and they made him pre pay. He knew, I could tell by the look on his face.
Posted by imjustasteph on 2007-04-26:
In some places they make people on the side of the pumps away from view of the store, or the camera, prepay. One I know has a sign up saying 'This pump prepay only after dark' but does not require it for the other pumps which can be seen from the store window.
Assuming there wasn't a good reason, I'd complain to the manager, and I would take my business elsewhere if the issue wasn't resolved.
Assuming there wasn't a good reason, I'd complain to the manager, and I would take my business elsewhere if the issue wasn't resolved.
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