# I was caught stealing gas, and now a sandwich board is my fate **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 31, 2004, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693 "2004-07-31T03:13:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/41 "2004-08-01T05:39:08Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Consider my mind boggled, but I don’t think I’ve ever been to a gas station that doesn’t require pre-payment. > > You mean there are actually areas where they trust people enough to let them put $45 of gas into their car before offering up any money for it? Some poor guy at a gas station in Oklahoma must think I’m a total moron. It was one of those pumps as some of the midwestern posters were describing. Well, I’ve never seen one before, not that you don’t have to either go inside and pay first (you have to estimate how much you’ll get), or one with the card thingie. So, I pull up to the pump and try to figure out where to put my card. There’s no “card thingie”. So I go into the gas station and tell the kid “I need to get some gas, but there’s not card thing, can I pay with my debit card?” He says sure. So I say, “well I need to fill up, I’m guessing I need about 15 bucks worth”. He says “okay”. So I pull out my card for him to take the money. And he says “well you have to put the gas in first so I’ll know how much to charge you”. So I say “oh, well I need 15 bucks worth”. I swear it was like “who’s on first”. He looks at me as if I’m a bit retarded. I say (reinforcing his opinion likely), “um, how do I do that then”? Don’t you have to turn it off"? He’s REALLY looking at me as if I’m quite stupid at this point. He says “well, you just go pump the gas and then you come tell me how much it was”. I swear, my jaw must have cracked the concrete floor. I couldn’t stop myself “you mean you’re just going to TRUST me”? (with this statement, I’m sure I completely sealed my doom as being thought the dumbest blonde EVER as far as this boy was concerned). Eventually, it pierced the blonde void, but I’ve never been anyplace where you just told them, and they BELIEVED you. No computer readout, nothing. Just the customer tells the clerk how much he or she pumped. Boggles the mind alright. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/42 "2004-08-01T15:01:59Z")
I suggest we make Josh Davidsbug stand outside the offices of the Delmarva News wearing a sandwich board reading, “Eye ‘Cant’ Right.” ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/43 "2004-08-01T19:48:07Z")
I’ve just got one question. The husband said he was out of work and they had to eat, but I don’t know of anyone who eats gas. If it’s an issue of them not being able to eat, wouldn’t it have made more sense for her to do a dine and dash? ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/44 "2004-08-01T19:53:38Z")
LOL **Eve** Now _that’s_ an appropriate punishment. ---
**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/45 "2004-08-01T20:02:35Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > Ordinarily, I wouldn’t be so harsh, but that story was so poorly-written, I used their “Contact Us” option and sent them this message: > (snip) lol! 🙂 As a slight hijack I have never seen a prepay gas station in the uk. My average tank costs me £35 or $50. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/46 "2004-08-02T01:24:47Z")
Prepayment for fuel isn’t a new concept. Back in the late 1960’s there were unmanned fuel stations in the Carolinas. You fed dollar bills into the pump, just as you would the stamp machine at the post office. Then again, you filled the tank for around $5 as the price was 26.9¢ per gallon. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/47 "2004-08-02T01:43:39Z")
I first encountered a pay-before-you-pump gas station in Texas in '84. ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/48 "2004-08-02T04:50:17Z")
Something I just thought of on the non-pre-pay gas stations: From my expierience, they do have some sort of control over the pumps and a readout of how much gas has been pumped into cars on a separate console, but the pumps are always on as long as the gas station is open. While it’s more trusting than pre-pay, it’s not like you’ll be able to get away with telling the cashier that you put in five bucks when it was really twenty. Unless they were really busy, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/49 "2004-08-02T12:20:42Z")
> [@raz](#): > > Wait a second. Some places make you pay _before_ you pump? I have honestly never heard of that. What if you want to pay with cash? How much more inconvenient can you get? Here in Kansas you can use your debit card or credit card and swipe it before you gas, but since I don’t have either I just gas up, then go inside and give the clerk my money. I had no idea that some places made you pay before you pump. Poor innocent Kansas. We think everyone is honest I suppose. Pay-before-you-pump is pretty much the norm around here. You can use a debit card or credit card at the pump, or go in and give the clerk enough cash to cover what you think will fill your tank. I can get gas at the station at the end of my street before paying, but only because they know me. Not literally “know me” but they remember me because I go there a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Martiju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/50 "2004-08-02T13:25:53Z")
Where I live gas is about 80p/litre, not 88p - but probably varies. I’ve only come across one pre-pay station, near Bristol Airport and the owner told me that too many people were driving off without paying. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/51 "2004-08-02T14:20:37Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Totally aside from the content, that is one of the most poorly written news articles I’ve ever read. WMDT is a _very_ local news station (CBS affiliate) out of Salisbury, Maryland, located at the heart of the Delmarva Peninsula. Salisbury and Dover (DE) are probably the two largest “cities” on that peninsula, which is four times the size of Delaware. The local economy is centered around the poultry, agriculture, and seafood industries, but gets an annual boost from D.C. and Baltimore tourists going to the Atlantic beaches. There are no interstate highways on the Delmarva peninsula. I grew up with WMDT as the evening news and never noticed how bad it was until I had “big city” (Dayton OH) news to compare. With the local economy and educational standards (and with Baltimore and D.C. so close, and so much nicer) it’s not surprising that WMDT gets “last pick” of each year’s journalism grads. ---
**Author:** ![TRUE-BRIT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TRUE-BRIT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRUE-BRIT)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/52 "2004-08-02T15:09:14Z")
In England gas is for cooking and petrol goes in a car. A few people steal piped gas, COOKING GAS, by putting a Kodak Film, an old film negative in the gas meter door, they push it into and snag the CMF2 gas consumed measuring wheel device, which stops it spinning and running, so they get free unrecorded gas. When the meter readers comes they have to pull it out quick and start the wheel re-spinning - so it looks normal. Others pretend to be out and accept the gas companies low estimate/s, or pay on their own self read - readings. Off course its illegal so be warned -don’t do it. Its gone on for years. i bet they did this in 1920S old New York. TRUE-BRIT. LEEDS, ENGLAND. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/53 "2004-08-02T18:56:55Z")
> [@Jurph](#): > > WMDT is a _very_ local news station (CBS affiliate) out of Salisbury, Maryland, located at the heart of the Delmarva Peninsula. Salisbury and Dover (DE) are probably the two largest “cities” on that peninsula, which is four times the size of Delaware. The local economy is centered around the poultry, agriculture, and seafood industries, but gets an annual boost from D.C. and Baltimore tourists going to the Atlantic beaches. There are no interstate highways on the Delmarva peninsula. I grew up with WMDT as the evening news and never noticed how bad it was until I had “big city” (Dayton OH) news to compare. With the local economy and educational standards (and with Baltimore and D.C. so close, and so much nicer) it’s not surprising that WMDT gets “last pick” of each year’s journalism grads. I don’t know exactly how you’re classifying “interstate”, but Salisbury is located at the intersection of RT 13 and RT 50 and both are considered fairly major highways that transverse the Peninsula. Having said that, it is evident that the local television news is top heavy with interns, and many of the “on the scene” reporters are very unpolished, and God forbid you give them a slighly complex word to pronounce. [From the SWED site](http://www.swed.org/zlocation.asp) > [@](#): > > Wicomico County is located in the heart of the Delmarva Peninsula at the intersection of two major highways; U.S. Rt. 50 (E,W) and U.S. Rt. 13 (N,S). Wicomico County offers a rural location within two hours of Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Norfolk. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/54 "2004-08-02T19:33:34Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I don’t know exactly how you’re classifying “interstate”, but Salisbury is located at the intersection of RT 13 and RT 50 and both are considered fairly major highways that transverse the Peninsula. Having said that, it is evident that the local television news is top heavy with interns, and many of the “on the scene” reporters are very unpolished, and God forbid you give them a slighly complex word to pronounce. > > [From the SWED site](http://www.swed.org/zlocation.asp) I was defining Interstate as a highway with a red-white-and-blue shield, that is named with the I-xx naming convention. US-13 and US-50 are US highways; in Delaware, there are parts of US-13 that are much more poorly paved than nearby state roads (compare US-113 near Dagsboro and DE-1 in Rehoboth). And actually, I told a little white fib. There are about seven miles of I-95 that clip the northern edge of Delaware that will cost you something like $7.00 to traverse completely (more if you get caught speeding). My point, though, was that I grew up not really knowing what an Interstate was, and once I found out, and learned the difference, I became obsessed with it. You can marvel at my obsession with pedantically correct highway terminology [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264323), but it ain’t pretty. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/55 "2004-08-02T23:20:34Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > If you do not have a credit card, you go into the station, give them a $20 bill and then go out and tank up, then you go back in and get your change. They only turn on the tank after you pay them up front. Or usually, these days, two $20 bills. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/56 "2004-08-03T01:04:21Z")
Mongo write gas thief article! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693/57 "2004-08-03T02:24:37Z")
> [@Jurph](#): > > You can marvel at my obsession with pedantically correct highway terminology [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264323), but it ain’t pretty. :eek: OK… now you’re scaring me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-caught-stealing-gas-and-now-a-sandwich-board-is-my-fate/257693.md?page=2)