The weather is starting to warm up and my roommate wanted to know if he could borrow my bike to ride to work tomorrow. Thats fine, no problem. I wasn't using it anyway. He got it out and discovered the tires had gone flat over the winter and the air pump I had bought was missing. No major setback though. I figured we would just run down to the gas station and the attendant would fill it up for me like when i was a little kid. I did, however, forget it was Easter Sunday and the garage was closed. So I figured Worst comes to worst, I would sacrifice a quarter for one of those air machines at the convenience store. NO DICE. They are no longer 25 cents. They aren't even 50 cents or 75 cents but a FULL DOLLAR!
What ever happened to the days when you drove up to a gas station and 5 uniformed guys hustled out to checked and topped off your fluids, topped off your air, washed your windows and filled up your tank? Now I am only 29 so I never actually remember this happening but have seen it on TV enough to know that SERVICE STATIONS ARE DEAD. Some people may still call them Service Stations, but honestly, what service do you get? you pump your own gas, you wash your own windows (IF they even have squeegees and water that is not totally filthy), and honestly, how many of you check your fluids every time you gas up?
My last experience at a gas station started by waiting in line for a fuel pump to open up, then getting out of the car and running in to pre-pay (yup they trust their customers THAT much) the minimum wage cashier who doesn't even speak English as a 3rd language. Then I stand there while my hand falls asleep holding the fuel nozzle open (I live in New York and for some reason we don't have those little metal things on the pump that hold the handle in the open position for you.) So 8 minutes later, after watching the gas pump roll past the $100 mark i FINALLY get to put the one 21st century one armed bandit back in it's place. I try to clean some trash out of my car, but the only trashcan in the fuel bay looks like it had been overflowing for a solid week, so thats out. Then I decide to wash the bug goop off my window so I grab for the squeegee and guess what? The bucket is completely devoid of water, just a pasty muddy goop. So I jump back in my vehicle and drive away.
Maybe gas companies wouldn't be seen as second only to Satan in their greed if they still provided at least some semblance of service to their customers instead of turning us up upside down and shaking all the money out of our pockets just so we can move on down the road.
So if any executives from Sunoco, ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Valero or any of the others are reading this, we are not asking for lower gas prices, or a share of your profits. I am not advocating a strike or boycott. All I am asking is stop being so damn greedy and bring back some basics that many people miss, and most of all QUIT CHARGING FOR AIR!
I agree with this Paul, if gas is going to be so expensive and the stations hire immigrants, the very least they can do is provide simple friendly services, and keep the workplace clean. If we pump our own gas, clean our own windows, and provide the the services for ourselves, what in the world are the employees really doing all day?! I wish I can get paid to sit on my ass and make sure I don't get ripped off.
ReplyDeleteGas company greed sickens me. The elevated prices of oil is one thing. But it drives me nuts that we have to pay for AIR. Not to mention the illegals that can't even communicate with their customers!
ReplyDelete