# Do you stand by your pump? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2016, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647 "2016-11-21T15:21:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/1 "2016-11-21T15:21:51Z")
When I was a teenager I took pumping gas very seriously, and always stood by the pump even in freezing weather. Now I just set the handle and walk away, putting full faith in the automatic shutoff. It’s never failed me. Am I reckless? What do y’all do? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/2 "2016-11-21T15:30:28Z")
In the UK I’ve never encountered anything but the standard (for here) manual pump which goes when you press the trigger and stops when released. As I’ve never had the opportunity to walk away whilst pumping petrol I may be missing something, but my answer is who cares? The time it takes to fill a car’s petrol tank is so short that what are you going to do with that time? ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/3 "2016-11-21T15:33:48Z")
In good weather I set it and go wash the windows. When it’s cold I sit in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/4 "2016-11-21T15:34:10Z")
I sit in the car and wait for the guy to stop and hand me my receipt. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/5 "2016-11-21T15:35:27Z")
I stand by the pump. I just don’t have any reason to walk away from it since I pay with my credit card at the pump, and the gas stations that are most convenient for me to stop at are the sort of places that look like all the food inside had an expiration date of 1979. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/6 "2016-11-21T15:36:06Z")
If it’s nice out I either stand by it just because I’m already there or else wash the windows. When it’s bitter cold, I wait in the car and keep on eye on it in the side mirror. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/7 "2016-11-21T15:36:56Z")
Stand by ------ always. But having been a pump-jockey during my youth it is just force of habit. The only exception is to hit the glass but I’m still at the car/bike and tuned to the noise the whole time. I have seen the shut-offs fail and have had at least one failure myself in the last two years so while rare, there is a reason for being there. PS – if you do have a spill, please report it so someone can get some kitty-litter or whatever down and deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/8 "2016-11-21T15:37:04Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > In the UK I’ve never encountered anything but the standard (for here) manual pump which goes when you press the trigger and stops when released. As I’ve never had the opportunity to walk away whilst pumping petrol I may be missing something, but my answer is who cares? The time it takes to fill a car’s petrol tank is so short that what are you going to do with that time? If it’s cold, which it sometimes is where I am, I’ll sit in the car. If I’m on a longer trip, which is often the case with all the distance we have to cover here, odds are I’ll have to use the restroom when I stop. I’m also likely to be in my van, which has a 19 (US) gallon tank. Takes a bit longer than the 9 gallons I usually put into my Miata. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/9 "2016-11-21T15:38:24Z")
Very confused here… either this has never been available on the pumps where I’ve filled up, (Ontario, New York, Mass and New Hampshire,) or I don’t know how to “set it”! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/10 "2016-11-21T15:39:28Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > The time it takes to fill a car’s petrol tank is so short that what are you going to do with that time? Wash the windows, is what I often do. I guess some people might go inside the attached convenience store to get a cup of coffee or something, but I’d feel a little nervous about leaving my car that far while it was filling. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/11 "2016-11-21T15:42:56Z")
I live in civilization, and don’t even get out of my car (self-service gas is mostly illegal in Oregon). But the person who pumps gas for me generally walks away to assist other customers, and I haven’t been blown up, yet. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/12 "2016-11-21T15:43:00Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Very confused here… either this has never been available on the pumps where I’ve filled up, (Ontario, New York, Mass and New Hampshire,) or I don’t know how to “set it”! [Here](http://www.husky.com/wp-content/uploads/product-img/husky-1a-metal.png). The three-position clip allows the gas to flow w/o the handle being squeezed. These things have been standard for years in TN, GA, TX, and a lot of other places. The flow stop triggers the clip to release when the tank is full. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/13 "2016-11-21T15:43:19Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Very confused here… either this has never been available on the pumps where I’ve filled up, (Ontario, New York, Mass and New Hampshire,) or I don’t know how to “set it”! Check out [this picture](https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-1c5545e63b7923f8f282a46c056281db?convert_to_webp=true), there the “Hold Open” tab will fold down and fit into the notches to the right of it. Some stations have them removed. There may be laws prohibiting them in some places. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/14 "2016-11-21T15:45:13Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > [Here](http://www.husky.com/wp-content/uploads/product-img/husky-1a-metal.png). > > The three-position clip allows the gas to flow w/o the handle being squeezed. These things have been standard for years in TN, GA, TX, and a lot of other places. The flow stop triggers the clip to release when the tank is full. In places that don’t allow me to set it and forget it, I jam my gas cap in the handle to keep it flowing. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/15 "2016-11-21T15:45:14Z")
One of the great C/W standards… ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/16 "2016-11-21T15:49:54Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > I live in civilization, and don’t even get out of my car (self-service gas is mostly illegal in Oregon). But the person who pumps gas for me generally walks away to assist other customers, and I haven’t been blown up, yet. As a resident of New Jersey I also get to sit in my car like a gentleman and have someone else pump the gas. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/17 "2016-11-21T15:53:19Z")
I stay by the pump. Either it’s never been available or I’ve never set the clip right the few times I ever thought of setting it on auto. The water for washing the windows is always so dirty it does nothing to get them clean, anyway. And I’d only be sitting in the car for a couple minutes. Not really worth my time to move away from the pump and then back again. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/18 "2016-11-21T16:00:13Z")
If the pump can be set to automatic pumping (some in my area can’t), I am free to do other things, which I sometimes do, but not always as I may have nothing better to do. If it can’t I have to stand there. The only time the pump malfunctioned was when I was standing there holding it. This was the type of pump that has a rubber boot to seal / recapture the vapors. Very rare now to see that type. While standing there pumping it pumped something like 14 gallons into my 13 gallon tank. After auto-shutoff I removed the gas nozzle and about 1-2 gallon came gushing out of the tank. Went to the clerk and got my 2 gallons of gas credited back to my CC). Only other time I saw autoshutoff fail, again someone standing by the pump as gas poured out of the ‘gas-hole’. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/19 "2016-11-21T16:01:37Z")
I usually stay by the van while it’s filling. I have gotten back inside a few times on bitterly cold days. The wind cuts right though me. I’m staying by the van 95% of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647/20 "2016-11-21T16:01:44Z")
I never got the knack of standing in pumps…wat…nevermind [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-stand-by-your-pump/772647.md?page=2)