I didn't steal your gas, you jerks.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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On my way home from Minnesota about a week ago, I stopped for gas just inside the Wisconsin line. I pumped $24 in pay-at-the-pump gas (I was on fumes), and went inside to use the restroom and buy some snackage and a jug of windshield washer fluid. A trainee took my cash, and had to ask the two busily-gabbing ‘senior’ employees a couple of times to get their attention long enough to get the price of the washer fluid. Back outside, I was filling the washer tank when a store employee (one of the gabbers, I assume) came out and walked directly to my truck. I thought, from the grim look on her face, that she believed I had lifted the washer fluid without paying for it (it was kept outside). Ready to haul out the trainee as my alibi, I was going over possible responses in my mind, when she abruptly turned and walked back into the station. Assuming she’d figured things out, I finished up and was on my merry way.

Fast-forward to Saturday. In my mailbox, I had a letter from the Hudson, WI police department. In short, it says someone driving my truck pumped $10 worth of gas and did not pay for it, thereby violating “City Ordinance 187-13, which carries a fine of $284, plus restitution.” Now I normally think of myself as a fairly long-fused guy, and I’m not really angry about this. Resolved is a better word. I mean, everybody makes mistakes. Heck, I once accidentally drove off without paying at a gas station in Missouri. I discovered this when I got home and mailed them a check. They were so shocked when I sent them the money that they gave me some coupons for free stuff at their station! But this employee didn’t casually inquire if I’d forgotten to pay, which would have allowed me to show her my receipt for the gas I did pump. She just surreptitiously took my license plate down and branded me a thief.

So here’s what I plan to do. I’m sure I could handle this by sending a copy of the receipt to the Hudson PD. But they didn’t start this; the Hudson Kwik Trip did. I will call some Hudson civil attorneys today and find out if I have a decent tort case of any kind here. I don’t consider myself a litigious person, but if I threaten, I want to be prepared to carry out the threat. Assuming there is a legal vehicle for remedy, I will contact the Kwik Trip, informing them of the circumstances, their employee’s mistake, and requesting that they contact the Hudson PD and make things right, with a letter to me absolving me of the false charge. My letter will state that should they fail to do so, I will proceed with both the legal action and a letter to the Hudson Star-Observer, the local paper, and the Hudson BBB. Again, I have no idea if the media angle is newsworthy, but you never know; I might catch a slow news day.

Why is this timid boy (over-re)acting so egregiously? It’s easy. Life has been dealing me several swift kicks to the nether regions lately, which I have more or less taken like a doormat. Action–even talking about action–feels much better. Space provided below for those who think I have lost my last marble.

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Fight back.

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The answer that you will probably receive from the Kwik Trip (my lord that is an obnoxious misspelling) is that someone pumped $10 of fuel on your pump without paying. Someone probably did a reach-around, seeing that your truck was there unattended for a while. They figured that they could get away with it – and they did, they got the gas, you got the blame.

I’d send a nice letter first. No threats, no mention of the media or the BBB or legal action. Simply tell them that they’re mistaken, you purchased fuel via pay at the pump, here’s your receipt, you filled your tank for considerably more than $10. You also purchased several items inside the store. (Include that receipt if you have it.)

Suggest to them that perhaps someone pumped fuel on the pump by your truck during your extended time inside the store (go ahead and nicely mention that it was because one of their employees didn’t know the proper price of some of the merchandise you wanted) but reiterate, no, it wasn’t you. You paid for everything that you took away with you.

Then say that they have raised the allegation, have no evidence to prove it, and they have the burden of rectifying the matter with the police. Tell them to contact the police to “cancel” the report, immediately.

Now, here’s where you zap them – clearly carbon copy the letter, with the enclosures, to the police department in care of the address on the letter.

As a courtesy, give ten business days for a response.

If they don’t want to make things right after that, then you can get nasty. But try a reasonable approach first – its the better method of catching flies, ya know?

4

Sheesh, tlw, you take all the fun out of righteous anger! :slight_smile:

“Be reasonable.” Blech. I prefer the outraged method myself; I can understand the about the life-dealt swift kicks and would want to react with scalding anger just to vent. However, you did make a very good point. That’s probably the best choice.

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Yeah, you’re probably right, tlw. I posted partly to have someone talk me out of being bloodthirty anyway. But I sure didn’t need this aggravation. Grr.

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Can they do a reach around? I thought that once you put the nozzle back into the pump that you need to re-insert your card to get more gas…?

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Not if they choose the “Pay Inside” option.

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Wisest Novel, I’m a big fan of running off with a good head of steam, but I’ve learned the hard way that it rarely works the way that I hope that it would. I now try to share my hard-learned wisdom with others. :smiley:

I didn’t mean to rain all over your righteously indignant parade, though. You have every right to be peeved – you’ve been wrongfully accused of doing something illgal and immoral, and that’s a crock. Be angry, be damn angry! Just don’t let it show with them. Scream and rant and rave here. We understand, and we can’t screw you over if you spit nails here.

Why not open a Pit thread to talk about the cow who made the false accusation? I know I would!

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I’m all for the reasonable approach first too, Wisest. This is a case where being reasonable first just might solve the problem faster.

Explain in detail what the employee who took your license number did, too. That ought to earn her a real good reaming from her boss. :wink:

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tlw, it just so happens I am drafting the “nice” letter as I read your latest reply. I thought the thread had died, but popped back in to paraphrase some of your excellent comments from earlier. Oh, and I’ve never started a Pit thread; this is about as close to a rant as you’ll ever catch me. I did consider it briefly, though.

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You used “Pay at the Pump” feature, and you do have the receipt, so tell the Hudson, WI PD to get bent, and that you already paid. No proof required in my mind, the onus is on them. Fight back is right, send QT a copy of the receipt.

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[sub]Hey, I live in Hudson WI.[/sub]

Sorry it happened to you. :frowning:

Do you want me to go kick their ass?

13

I guess this is why they have signs at our stations that say “Please do not leave vehicle unattended when pumping gas” I’m not trying to be an I told you so or anything, don’t get me wrong. It just dawned on my the reprecussions of leaving your car alone.

This is rather frightening, as sometimes when I forget to get gas the night before, then have to get it on the way to work, and am running late and so don’t have time for just about ANYTHING, I’ll pump gas, then run inside to buy something while the gas is pumping, get out and yank the nozzle just as its done, put on the cap, and take off. Then eat on the way to work :frowning:

Do places in the midwest/east cost have some sort of ‘honor system’ in which you pump first then pay? Here in California, Its not possible to ‘steal’ gas like that as far as I know. When you give the attendent money (BEFORE you pump btw) you get that much worth of gas.

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Do places in the midwest/east cost have some sort of ‘honor system’ in which you pump first then pay?

Is there any other way?

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Not yet, Boscibo, but if the gentle approach doesn’t work, I may hit you up for a good lawyer reference!

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I don’t think that he did leave his vehicle unattended while he went inside. Sounds to me like he pumped, finished, and THEN went inside.

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Yeah, pay at the pump for gas and then more stuff at the counter.

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Most of the gas stations around here are pump first, pay after with pay-at-the pump options. The only ones that make you pay first are in “bad” neighborhoods, or late at night. My local station makes you pay first or at pump only on the two pumps closest to the road, after 9 pm.

They want you to fill 'er up and then come in and spend on snacks…with the pay first option you’re more likely to just pay for $5-$10 dollars worth and then go.