Sunoco Complaint - Defective pump and poor customer service

Posted by Mrs. V on 2010-10-02:

You should ALWAYS be attentive when dispensing gas. It may have been a faulty pump, but it's your responsibility to watch when pumping gas.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

Why was the supervisor going to call the police?

Posted by Fufu487 on 2010-10-02:

I live in Canada and it's STILL common sense to stand by the pump and keep eye it. In a snowstorm, blizzard, hail, whatever. Gas can be dangerous, especially now all over the ground. You were negligent. Yes, you should pay for it.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

If you are concerned that you are not being charged properly at a gas station, or that the gas pumps are not working properly, you are encouraged to contact the Maryland Department of Weights and Measures. Please have the following information handy when calling the Department:
Name and address of gas station, and the pump # at which incident occurred. (410) 841-5790

Posted by spiderman2 on 2010-10-02:

All other issues aside, it can be very dangerous to get in and out of your car while you are pumping gas, and just not because the tank can overflow. The police determined from videotape that this poor kid got in his car after he started the pump, when he got out the static ignited the fumes and boom....toasted.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/03/gas_station_that_was_site_of_f.html

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

There should be signs on the pumps that caution you to never leave the pump unattended, and to touch metal before attempting to pump to dispel any static electricity.

Posted by spiderman2 on 2010-10-02:

I see those signs everywhere, but people tend not to read signs or follow directions.

Posted by Nohandle on 2010-10-02:

In this area at a self pump station if the attendant in the building notices a customer leaving a pump while it is running or dares to light up a cigarette the pump is shut down immediately. No second chances. Yes, there are signs warning of this but some choose to ignore them.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Posted by Skye on 2010-10-02:

Never get back into your car when your pumping gas. You need to be cautious, because after all, gas is a hazardous material, and anything could go wrong. God forbid all that gas that pumped out extra, caught on fire, due to someone throwing out a cigarette or even a cell phone spark. Just a good reminder to be safe then sorry.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

You got back in your car cause it was cold? Try living in Phoenix and filling up your tank when it's 115 degrees outside. I wish I could get back in my car and turn on the AC. But I know how dangerous it is to leave the pump unattended.

Posted by Skye on 2010-10-02:

Who knows why the op got back in their car, that's not the issue. So what if they were cold? The point is, they should never leave the pump unattended at anytime.

We've all pumped gas during a heat wave, blizzard, rainstorms, hail, or when its' below zero, but getting back in your car, while leaving the pump unattended is dangerous. I don't want anyone to get injured or killed because they can't take the current weather conditions they are pumping gas in, to decide to sit in their car while filling up. Also for the safety of others who may be at the gas station at the same time.

Posted by jktshff1 on 2010-10-02:

Yep, your fault for not paying attention. Faulty pump or not, that is not failsafe. I never leave my pumping gas unattended.

Posted by MRM on 2010-10-02:

In the winter, it is dangerous to get in or out of car while pumping gas because of the friction between person and the seat.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

It's the same year-round here in AZ. It's dangerous to get in and out of the car because of the dryness. The static electricity can cause a spark. The pumps all have signs explaining this.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

Hold on a second..why is it the OP's fault that the pump was faulty? If one should NEVER leave a pump unattended, than the pumps shouldn't be made to auto shut off. I do it all the time..while I walk into the store...have never thought twice about the pump not shutting off like it's supposed to.

The OP was mistreated in my opinion, and I would assume the Sunoco employee would have wanted to report this to whoever they're supposed to, to have someone come out and assess/fix the pump.

Posted by Nohandle on 2010-10-02:

JC, I personally didn't blame the OP for what happened..only stated what appears to be the new regulations in this area. There are those automatic shut off pumps but honestly if someone is pumping gas and the attendant notices they have left the pump, no matter the reason, that pump is shut down. Perhaps too many complaints, I really don't know. It's my understanding in some states only employees at a station are allowed to pump gas.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

You are not allowed to pump your own gas in Oregon, the employees must do it, and they clean your windshield while the gas is pumping, and will even check your oil.

Posted by Fufu487 on 2010-10-02:

Sorry, I do blame the OP. I think self-regulating pumps are good for people who might have difficulties holding the pump handle for the decent amount of time it takes to fill up. I can assure you the gas stations never intend for someone to get back in their car and ignore the pump. I'm thankful there are very few gas stations around here that haven't disabled the self-pumping feature. Even with the pump being faulty, if you had been paying attention a little bit would still have spilled, and it would have been legitimate. But 2 gallons?? Come on.

Posted by Nohandle on 2010-10-02:

Thanks ript, I had heard of states with this regulation but not certain which ones. We still have a few full service stations in this area. You know, wash the windshield, check under the hood and give the tires a good kick or two.

Posted by Skye on 2010-10-02:

But how do we know the pump was actually defective? Did they over fill their tank and that's the reason it came pouring out? It was a dangerous situation all the around.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

You're welcome, Nohandle.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-02:

The newer pumps all have automatic shut-off valves for safety. I was talking to a guy while we were both pumping gas a few months ago, and he started to drive off with the nozzle still in his gas tank, ripped the hose right out of the pump as I was yelling to him about it, no gas spilled, because the pump automatically shut off.

Posted by MRM on 2010-10-02:

New Jersey also has staff fill up your gas.

Posted by Starlord on 2010-10-03:

I have worked at a gas station, and we had a similar incident happen. The gas gave a spurt back out of the filler pipe when the pump shut off. The customer started screaming and yelling about a "good seventy-five cents worth of gas o0n the pavement." I hollered to my boss that the next was on me. I pumped seventy-five cents worth, and the customer saw the difference. I had to clean it up, of course, but it shut him up. If the OP was not watching the pump, where does he get the $2 figure? As with any fluid, a little bit spilled looks like a whole lot more.

Posted by clutzycook on 2010-10-03:

Starlord, the OP said it was about 2 gallons. Still, I'm agreeing with you about how he knew it was 2 gallons.

Posted by CrazyRedHead on 2010-10-03:

I saw video footage on the new about someone who got in there car while pumping gas. It wasn't pretty. It showed him getting lit up and burning alive. I never leave it unattended. The only time I use the the self fill up thingy is when it is cold but I still stand by the pump to watch, but with both my hands in my pocket. It always seems windy at the gas stations.

Posted by GenuineNerd on 2010-10-04:

You should NEVER leave the nozzle unattended when you are filling a vehicle up. Sometimes the automatic shut offs on the pumps fail, resulting in the spillage of gasoline. The very moment you notice gas spilling is when you pull the nozzle out and put it back on the pump, not while you're sitting in your car keeping warm, noticing a gas smell. Static electricity can be generated from opening and closing a car door, as well as from outerwear, and if fuel is spilled, a stray spark can start a fire, destroying your car and damaging the gas station. If it's cold, just brave it for the few minutes it takes to fill your car up.

Posted by GenuineNerd on 2010-10-04:

I heard that Oregon and New Jersey prohibit self serve gasoline, mainly to create and preserve jobs for gas station attendants.

Posted by PepperElf on 2010-10-04:

you are responsible for keeping an eye on the hose when you are filling your car.

even if it's cold outside.

so if you ignore the pump and let the gas spill everywhere?... you did it so it's your bill. no one forced you to ignore the pump, it was your decision.

Of course this is becoming a rare case. Many gas stations - by choice or by local laws - have chosen to disable this "keep it running" feature. Meaning - you can't walk away from the pump and leave it running.

Posted by Venice09 on 2010-10-04:

Nerd, I'm not sure about Oregon, but you can't pump your own gas in New Jersey. I don't know if it's to preserve jobs or for safety reasons, but I do know that some people are too absent minded to be around gasoline (not referring to the OP).

Posted by CaptainSpaulding on 2010-10-04:

The only reason that pumping your own gas in New Jersey is not allowed is because of the Gasoline Retailer's Association lobby in Trenton.

Posted by CrazyRedHead on 2010-10-04:

If the automatic shut off malfunctioned at the pump, who's to say that the emergency shut off in the station won't malfunction and you blow up the entire gas station and the tanks underground? Will you still insist that the pumps are faulty? Oh wait, you wouldn't would you, cause you would be dust since the blast would take out probably a good square mile around that station, and think of all the people that you killed or hurt all because you wanted to sit in your car for whatever reason and not pay attention.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-04:

Jeez...I think the OP has taken enough of a beating already.

By the way, I lived in Oregon and while you cannot pump your own gas there, I can tell you that the attendants use the auto pump feature all the time while they're running back and forth to pump gas. So...they are leaving the pumps unattended while they run to the next customer and get them started. The entire time I did not witness any spills, explosions or otherwise dangerous situations that caused me to fear for my life.

The point of the review was how the employee treated the OP, not judging and reprimanding the OP for not hovering over the pump.

Posted by trmn8r on 2010-10-04:

The point of the review in your mind may be how the employee treated the OP. The last few sentences lead me to believe the OP asked for a refund for the gas they wasted, and may have not wanted to leave without reimbursement. The attendant would have no reason to call the police simply due to the spill.

Therefore, my opinion is the majority of comments that suggest people should read warning signs and not leave the nozzle unattended are legitimate. If they did, there wouldn't be a need to complain about losing product they paid for or demand a refund.

Professionals leave nozzles unattended, but remember that they will know if the nozzle on pump X isn't auto-shutting off.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-04:

I would like to hear what exactly happened in the exchange between the OP and the employee. There would have needed to be more of a reason to call the cops than the gas spilling.
Also, the gas on the ground will run into the drains at the gas station and go through an oil/water seperater to pull the fuel out of the water

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-04:

ript2010 was correct on this one. Nearly any gas station I've ever been to, always has the same sign posted that warns about leaving the pump unattended. While many of us are guilty of it by using the idle time to clean our windows, remove trash from the vehicle, run inside for a restroom break, etc...The bottom line is that we are responsible for our own actions.

Posted by Anonymous on 2010-10-04:

Ahh ok..so those teenage kids running the gas pumps are professionals. I didn't realize that..silly me.