# Are you responsible for a gas attendant's pumping mistake? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676 "2005-07-28T23:54:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676/41 "2005-07-30T23:30:25Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I hate to say this, but I doubt that. Even in CA, there generally must be an attendant on duty - somewhere. He doesn’t have to be there to pum or take your money (disabled persons might be an exception) but AFAIK, he has to be there in case of Emergencies. There’s an 'all night" gas staion right across the street, with card readers and all, but the manager told me he has to have someone 'on duty" to be open. After hours, these stations have their lights turned off, and I’ve never seen anyone inside. Either the law is different here, or every gas station in town is operating illegally. I’ve never been unable to pump my own gas in Spokane no matter how late it was. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676/42 "2005-07-31T01:10:24Z")
If someone has an accident at a gas station while filling up (like driving away with the nozzle still in or something like that), I think the station would like to have somebody around to help out. A gas station is dispensing a flammable substance and its sale is regulated. I would assume that a gas station owner wants somebody around. Even if it’s just one guy sitting behind bulletproof glass. ---
**Author:** ![Grither](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grither/32/425_2.png) [@Grither](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grither)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676/43 "2005-07-31T02:30:12Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > If someone has an accident at a gas station while filling up (like driving away with the nozzle still in or something like that), I think the station would like to have somebody around to help out. > > A gas station is dispensing a flammable substance and its sale is regulated. I would assume that a gas station owner wants somebody around. Even if it’s just one guy sitting behind bulletproof glass. At least in NE Minnesota, this is not true. We have a brand of _totally unattended_ gas stations (Armor, I believe). You pull up, and either slide your credit card through the slot or put cash into a machine, and it activates the pumps. If you put in more cash than your tank will take, it prints out a receipt for you with a code number that you can enter the next time you go through to get the rest of your gas. It may be a law elsewhere that you need to have an attendant, but that apparently isn’t so here. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676/44 "2005-07-31T09:00:04Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > Can any lawyer answer this? I drive up to a gas station, and say “$10 please”. The attendent gives me a full tank. Passengers in my car include a former state governor, and a Roman Catholic Cardinal. Both testify I asked for just $10. Thus there is no dispute I may be lying or misspoke. > > Must I pay in that case? I already did. With all due respect, Tim314 does not evidence any qualifications or cites. I don’t have any reason to believe he is correct. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676/45 "2005-07-31T17:03:34Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > Can any lawyer answer this? I drive up to a gas station, and say “$10 please”. The attendent gives me a full tank. Passengers in my car include a former state governor, and a Roman Catholic Cardinal. Both testify I asked for just $10. Thus there is no dispute I may be lying or misspoke. > > Must I pay in that case? Sure- you’re still getting a product you can and will use, and there is no way of taking it back. You are getting value. Of course- you can complain to the manager, and maybe get the guy fired for poor customer service. Not the same with higher octane gas, where the ‘extra cost’ is valuless for you. ---
**Author:** ![Feydeau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Feydeau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feydeau)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676/46 "2005-07-31T17:58:09Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > California law, which I imagine is similar to many other states, requires self-service stations to have someone come out to pump gas for people with disabled license plates or placards. However, there is fine print that says they don’t have to provide an attendant for handicapped persons if there is only one attendant on duty. > [@Grither](#): > > At least in NE Minnesota, this is not true. We have a brand of _totally unattended_ gas stations (Armor, I believe). You pull up, and either slide your credit card through the slot or put cash into a machine, and it activates the pumps. If you put in more cash than your tank will take, it prints out a receipt for you with a code number that you can enter the next time you go through to get the rest of your gas. > > It may be a law elsewhere that you need to have an attendant, but that apparently isn’t so here. About a month ago, I was in Bakersfield (California) on business and stopped at a station that had a set-up just as you describe. I’ve never seen one where I live, though (Los Angeles area). ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676/47 "2005-07-31T18:10:50Z")
> [@Feydeau](#): > > About a month ago, I was in Bakersfield (California) on business and stopped at a station that had a set-up just as you describe. I’ve never seen one where I live, though (Los Angeles area). A few years ago, the first few stations that had pumps that accepted credit cards here (NC, USA), allowed access any time, whether there was an attendent or not. I’m pretty sure that’s not true anywhere anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676/48 "2005-07-31T20:29:26Z")
I can think of at least 5 gas stations in Minnesota and Iowa that have 24-hour pay at the pump setups. The store is closed, nobody’s there, but you can still swipe your card and get gas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-responsible-for-a-gas-attendants-pumping-mistake/314676.md?page=2)