Increasing problem of 'Fill and Drive Off'

JohnM5206

Recent press reports indicate this to be an increasing problem for fuel stations with more motorists not paying. Having experienced refuelling in some parts of USA where this has been a problem the process now requires that you deposit your cash or have a card charged for an amount of fuel which is the all that the pump is cleared to deliver. If you buy less fuel than paid for, you then collect any cash balance or the balance is refunded to your card. Any thoughts as to why this system is not used in UK?

Alter_ego

It is when you use pay at pump.

photome

Alter_ego wrote: »

It is when you use pay at pump.

Is it

I thought you paid at the end rather than before you start filling.

I have driven in the USA quite a bit and haven't found anywhere that would let me put fuel in without prepaying.

Would it work here, I am not so sure, the filling stations I have used over there are more like rest stops and people tend to spend a while at the filling station. we just want to get in and out, and I think it would slow the process up

Alter_ego

photome wrote: »

Is it

I thought you paid at the end rather than before you start filling

Not in Tesco

photome

Alter_ego wrote: »

Not in Tesco

How does it work if you prepay for say £40 and you can only get £35 in, how do you get your "change"

TrickyWicky

I don't understand why they don't install rising bollards on the exit of a forecourt and have one way ramps on the entrance.

Print a barcode on the receipt and scan it on the way out for the bollards to drop. That or you use ANPR.

That would solve it.

KTF

Alter_ego wrote: »

Not in Tesco

In Tesco your card gets authorised first so when you put the pump back on you get billed for the amount you have used.

Macca83_2

With Tescos you have to put your card in and enter your Pin before it will dispense fuel. I guess if you drive off it just debits the amount from your account. You don't pay a set amount upfront.

arcon5

Pay@pump is merely a matter of convenience for the motorist and an attempt to increase efficiency on the retailers side. Not the result of fill and runs - after all if somebody was going to do this, they would simply press the 'pay at kiosk' button. You'd have to be something special to click the 'pay at pump', insert your card, enter your pin and fill up then run away thinking you've not paid for the fuel haha

I suspect if this was a major issue in the UK then stations would be taking precautions against this. At the moment they only seem to have NPR cameras and manual-approval to enable to pump to be used.

lazer

The petrol statio beside me has started to use this silly system, where you have to pay before hand - and I hate it.

They are losing money from me, I would normally fill my car with petrol, but not anymore as it means makeing 2 trips into the shop, one to ask to be allowed to fill my car up (Generally costs about £54), so would need to leave £60 and I don't tend to carry cash and use my credit card and am not prepared to leave my bank card with a shop assistant, they could take the details down and use them.

The only sensible prepay pumps are the automated ones, where you insert your card, fill the car up and they then take the relevant amount from the card.

arcon5

If they are going to do this pre-pay type system, they'd be better off having people outside taking money from people. As above, two trips to the kiosk is massively off putting. In fact one trip is annoying, which is why more places should do what Asda do and have you pay on the way out. They could possible have a barrier up to stop you escaping if necessary - this would act as a massive deterrent.