Petrol Pump Overcharging

wheelnut

Hi there,

A few times now, I have noticed that when I go to buy petrol, take the holster out of the holder, and put it into the filler WITHOUT PRESSING THE TRIGGER the pump will start and the cost will go up. This is without dispensing any fuel. This happened a few months back, and since then I have gone to many different filling stations, not just supermarkets, but independents, up and down the country and I have to say that this issue is pretty widespread and seems even more common with newer pumps.

I have checked that the pumps have a valid sticker from what used to be Weights and Measures, but it seems to make no difference. I have complained to several of the large companies, including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Shell, and to be quite honest they are fairly disbelieving. I have however had a refund of the amount with some arguing. However if this is happening across the country, once again the motorist is getting ripped off by paying for fuel that has not been supplied. Has anyone else had similar problems?

Many thanks

Wheelnut

daveyjp

"Has anyone else had similar problems?"


No

crazyguy

They wouldnt be long awaiting a huge fine if this had actualy have happened, I think you may have dreamt it up !

vikingaero

This might be similar to the 1p flip. You fill up to an exact pound value, ie £24.00, go to place the nozzle back into the holster/rack and the display jumps up by 1p. Normally caused by expansion/flex in the hose.

scheming_gypsy

wheelnut wrote: »

Hi there,

A few times now, I have noticed that when I go to buy petrol, take the holster out of the holder, and put it into the filler WITHOUT PRESSING THE TRIGGER the pump will start and the cost will go up. This is without dispensing any fuel. This happened a few months back, and since then I have gone to many different filling stations, not just supermarkets, but independents, up and down the country and I have to say that this issue is pretty widespread and seems even more common with newer pumps.

I have checked that the pumps have a valid sticker from what used to be Weights and Measures, but it seems to make no difference. I have complained to several of the large companies, including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Shell, and to be quite honest they are fairly disbelieving. I have however had a refund of the amount with some arguing. However if this is happening across the country, once again the motorist is getting ripped off by paying for fuel that has not been supplied. Has anyone else had similar problems?

Many thanks

Wheelnut

you may be able to overcome this problem by sticking the nozzle in your car and filling it with petrol. That will bypass the problem you're having when you stick it back on the holster without getting petrol.

Strider590

How do you know it's not dispensing fuel if you've got the nozzle in the filler neck?
Some pumps are so quiet that you can't tell it's working.

Not only that but the fuel has to fill the hose before it gets to your car (think of turning on a garden hose), so in a way we all get scammed by not getting the fuel that's stuck inside the hose, any fuel from the highest point of the hose down to the pump will get drained back into the main tanks when you replace the nozzle.

mikey72

Strider590 wrote: »

How do you know it's not dispensing fuel if you've got the nozzle in the filler neck?
Some pumps are so quiet that you can't tell it's working.

Not only that but the fuel has to fill the hose before it gets to your car (think of turning on a garden hose), so in a way we all get scammed by not getting the fuel that's stuck inside the hose, any fuel from the highest point of the hose down to the pump will get drained back into the main tanks when you replace the nozzle.

That's about half a gallon each time we fill up then?
Odd I never see that when I fill a gallon petrol can.
(It'll never drain back, air can't get in to replace the petrol in the pipe)

Strider590

mikey72 wrote: »

That's about half a gallon each time we fill up then?
Odd I never see that when I fill a gallon petrol can.
(It'll never drain back, air can't get in to replace the petrol in the pipe)

Depends on the bore of the hose, because essentially once the bore is large enough the principle you point to, whilst valid on smaller hoses when syphoning fuel/water, will fail to be true once gravity overcomes the liquid density.
It's like cutting the bottom out of a 2 litre drinks bottle and expecting the contents not to fall out.

Plus I strongly suspect (though I don't know for sure) that for safety reasons each pump would have a one way air vent at the nozzle end to allow the flammable liquids to move back into the main tank where IF there were a problem (fire) topside, there wouldn't be enough fuel left in the hose to cause a major incident.
But again that's just a guess.

vax2002

You may be using a pump that has been Chumped...
they cut the pump off using hand and then squeeze the trigger and empty the hose, you see them lifting the hose aloft slyly, never tried it but if it does work then I would think the hose itself must hold around a quids worth.
Next mug, has to pay to fill the hose.

Hammyman

wheelnut wrote: »

Hi there,

A few times now, I have noticed that when I go to buy petrol, take the holster out of the holder, and put it into the filler WITHOUT PRESSING THE TRIGGER the pump will start and the cost will go up. This is without dispensing any fuel. This happened a few months back, and since then I have gone to many different filling stations, not just supermarkets, but independents, up and down the country and I have to say that this issue is pretty widespread and seems even more common with newer pumps.

I can guarantee I have used more fuel pumps more times throughout more of the UK than you ever have, sometimes filling up twice a day up to 6 days a week. I have never ever once witnessed this. Ever.

Rover_Driver

It just takes a light touch on the trigger for that to happen, as you put the nozzle in the filler, without realising it you can operate the trigger just a fraction which allows a small amount of fuel to flow into the tank.

Try putting the nozzle in the filler with your fingers nowhere near the trigger, and it won't happen.