# "Because I'm busy waiting on the customers who are in line, Sir" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 13, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969 "2009-09-13T23:02:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/1 "2009-09-13T23:02:15Z")
What circle of Hell do linecutters get sent too? Picture it, a convenience store on a Sunday afternoon. Church is over, the hungover college kids are stumbling out of bed and wandering to the nearest open shop to campus. There are 2 employees on; one of whom is 8 months pregnant and spending alot of time in the bathroom peeing or vomiting. The other is me. There are about half a dozen people in line. As I’m waiting on customers when I get the sense that someone’s standing next to me. Out of the corner of my I see an old guy in a suit standing on the side of the candy-partition this (it only goes up to neck level). He doesn’t realize I see him so I keep waiting on the customers who are actually line. Finally he says “I want gas”. Me: “The line’s over here sir (points directly ahead to line of people).” Old Guy: “I just want gas” Me: “Hello, just the coffee? (to next person in line)”. OG: “I’m not waiting in line” Me: “Have a nice day (to coffee person). Sir, the line’s over here”. OG:“PUT twenty on three! (drops double-sawbuck over counter)”. He walks back out to the pump. I don’t even touch the money and go back to waiting on the line (which isn’t getting shorter). A minute or two goes buy and the help icon from pump 3 pops on the POS screen. I look out and he’s trying to pump (I notice all the pumps have cars on them and there’s a car waiting behind him. I go back to waiting on customers. He comes back in. He is not happy. OG: “My pump’s not working” Me: “I didn’t turn it on yet sir, you need to wait in line”. OG: “Just turn the DAMN pump on” Me: “Your total is $4.40, do you need matchs? (to woman at register)”. OG: “What’s your problem? Why won’t you turn the pump on?!” Me: “Because I’m busy waiting on the customers who are in line, Sir”. OG: “GIVE ME MY DAMN MONEY! I’M NEVER COMING HERE AGAIN!” Me: “(picks money up and hands it to him) Credit or Debit? (to girl with 3 bottle’s of soda)” OG: “(storms out cursing)” This entire exchange took less than 5 minutes. If he’d have waited in line he’d have been pumping gas by the time he came back inside. He’s a regular and pulled this before (most of my coworkers just cave). He’ll be back again. The whole 2nd time he was inside I never turned or looked directly at him. This was the 3rd time someone tried to pull that shit today; one was by trying to hand me money over the partition, the other was some hungover freshman who assumed I’d let him cut to front after he went out to fetch his ID. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/2 "2009-09-13T23:21:58Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > He’s a regular and pulled this before (most of my coworkers just cave). He’ll be back again. I’m amazed. I’d have found a different store to go to. I’m not going to wait in line twice just to get gas. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/3 "2009-09-13T23:25:28Z")
As someone who doesn’t enjoy lines very much, I bless you! ---
**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/4 "2009-09-13T23:30:36Z")
Just signed in so I could applaud you too, **alphabo867**! People who are too damned important to wait their turn like other people don’t deserve to be served. Does your station not allow “pay at the pump”? I would think Mr. Ahole Customer would get himself a debit card if he hates lines so much. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/5 "2009-09-13T23:36:29Z")
Whoa, what a fucking dick! Here’s hoping the next gas station he goes to charges more. Did the other customers comment? (I HATED people like this when I was a cashier.) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/6 "2009-09-13T23:38:40Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I’m amazed. I’d have found a different store to go to. I’m not going to wait in line twice just to get gas. Why would he? He only has to wait once. Or he could use a credit card, and not wait at all. Good job, OP. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/7 "2009-09-13T23:42:55Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Why would he? He only has to wait once. First he has to wait to give some money to the cashier to get the pump turned on, then he has to wait to get his change. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/8 "2009-09-13T23:48:09Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > First he has to wait to give some money to the cashier to get the pump turned on, then he has to wait to get his change. $20 doesn’t get as much fuel as it used to. There probably won’t be any change unless he’s filling up his lawnmower. ETA: How else would it work if he were paying cash? He’d have to do the same exact thing anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/9 "2009-09-13T23:50:10Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I’m amazed. I’d have found a different store to go to. I’m not going to wait in line twice just to get gas. What other option do you suggest? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/10 "2009-09-13T23:51:24Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > First he has to wait to give some money to the cashier to get the pump turned on, then he has to wait to get his change. Boohoo, my heart is breaking. Besides, didn’t he say $20 worth? (If I were a customer in line, and the cashier let this guy cut in front of ME, that would be the last time I’d shop there. First come, first serve?) ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Violaceous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Miss\_Violaceous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Violaceous)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/11 "2009-09-13T23:52:09Z")
_round of applause_ ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/12 "2009-09-13T23:55:15Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > First he has to wait to give some money to the cashier to get the pump turned on, then he has to wait to get his change. We have a Honda Civic with a relatively small gas tank, and we don’t get any change from $20 on a fill-up. At current prices, $20 gets less than two-thirds of a tank. And the fact is that, in most places, if you want to pay with cash, this is how it works. Sure, there are still a few gas stations, mainly in small-town and rural America, that will let you pump your gas first and trust you to come inside with the money afterwards. But for the most part, if you want to use cash, you hand over your money first and then pick up your change (if there is any) after you’ve filled up. The guy clearly knows how it works. After all, the OP says that he comes often to that gas station, and he clearly also has experience paying with cash. Why should he get to jump the queue, just because he chooses to pay that way? Do the people already waiting in line deserve to be asked to wait longer just so this guy they’ve never seen before can go in front of them? ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/13 "2009-09-13T23:56:22Z")
Kudos to you, **alphaboi**. The Lords of Customer Service Karma smile upon you for your noble deeds. Life’s too short to appease those who think they’re better than everyone else, and they’re not the sort of customers that make it worthwhile anyway. The sooner more establishments figure out that sucking on every dick that walks through the door ends up costing in the long run, the happier we’ll all be. (I’d hold out hope that they take that stand in the name of human dignity rather than money, but the temperature in Hell is set to stay good and hot for at least the next hundred years, and the pigs are taking even longer than that to evolve those wings.) ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/14 "2009-09-13T23:56:40Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > $20 doesn’t get as much fuel as it used to. There probably won’t be any change unless he’s filling up his lawnmower. > > ETA: How else would it work if he were paying cash? He’d have to do the same exact thing anywhere else. If it was me, I’d be filling up my tank. I’d give $60 to the cashier, he’d take five seconds to turn the pump on, and then I’d come back in and wait in line to finish the transaction. I compare it to places where you don’t have to pre-pay, like where I go here. I don’t have to wait in line for the cashier to start the pump, not does the cashier wait until my (presumed) place in line before he turns it on for me. Perhaps that’s a bad comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/15 "2009-09-14T00:02:24Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > What other option do you suggest? Well, how about this: I wait in line to give the cashier my money, the cashier turns the pump on, then, since it’s my turn, stands there and waits for me to finish pumping gas and come back in to get my change before he waits on anyone else? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/16 "2009-09-14T00:09:34Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > If it was me, I’d be filling up my tank. I’d give $60 to the cashier, he’d take five seconds to turn the pump on, and then I’d come back in and wait in line to finish the transaction…I don’t have to wait in line for the cashier to start the pump, not does the cashier wait until my (presumed) place in line before he turns it on for me. Perhaps that’s a bad comparison. You wish to make a business transaction, other people who got there before you also wish to make business transactions, why should you get to make your transaction before they make their transactions? :rolleyes: BTW if all someone want’s is their change _back_ from a prepay I only make them wait untill I finish the order on register at that moment. Sometimes if I see on the POS that’s the pumps been hung up I do the refund and take the money out to I can quickly hand it back to the customer while ringing someone else up. If they want anything else (tobacco, lotter, or other impulses) they have to get back in line. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/17 "2009-09-14T00:12:39Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > You wish to make a business transaction, other people who got there before you also wish to make business transactions, why should you get to make your transaction before they make their transactions? :rolleyes: _shrug_ You’re forcing me to make it two transactions, including one that involves waiting for people who got there after me. Are you going to let me cut in line to get my change? ETA: I now see your edit. Fair enough. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/18 "2009-09-14T00:14:48Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > _shrug_ You’re forcing me to make it two transactions, including one that involves waiting for people who got there after me. Are you going to let me cut in line to get my change? No-one’s forcing you. Run a credit or debit card through the machine, fill your car, drive away. If you want to use cash for a fuel transaction, it’s your choice, but at about 90 percent of gas stations it works exactly the same way. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/19 "2009-09-14T00:16:39Z")
Nobody’s forcing anyone to do anything all that time consuming or unnatural. You wait in line to pre-pay with cash, and you overestimate how much your tank can hold, you can wait in line to get your change. You could avoid the whole thing by using your credit or debit card at the pump, but by using cash you’re relegating yourself to having to stand in line and hand it to a person. Just get back in line, god damn. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/20 "2009-09-14T00:33:42Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Nobody’s forcing anyone to do anything all that time consuming or unnatural. You wait in line to pre-pay with cash, and you overestimate how much your tank can hold, you can wait in line to get your change. You could avoid the whole thing by using your credit or debit card at the pump, but by using cash you’re relegating yourself to having to stand in line and hand it to a person. Just get back in line, god damn. I assume since my bank account is usually emptied by the end of the month, and since using debt is so casual, you’ll personally pay the huge fees if I miscalculate and over draw. Penny over and the bank charges $45. I just find these posts shoving debt and credit cards down people’s throats as simple options, with no regard for their life situation, to be incredibly ignorant, and small minded. How dare people not be like you!:rolleyes: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969.md?page=2)