Costco gas stations

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4 banger TJ

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Burnsville, MN
This is a bit of a rant, and I really hope I explain it in a way that makes sense, either way, here we go. If you’ve ever visited a Costco, I’m almost sure you’ve noticed the gas station, and the craziness that goes on there. For people that want cheap gas really bad it makes sense, but you have to wait in line for almost 10 minutes at times to get it. Usually, there are three pumps in each row, like this:

1|4..........7|10..........13|16
2|5..........8|11..........14|17
3|6..........9|12..........15|18
^..^..........^....^............^....^
(The arrows point the direction the cars all face while waiting in line)

Sometimes I will get gas at Costco. I mean, it’s cheaper. So why not? I will pull into line and wait like everybody else. Let’s suppose that I’m waiting in row 2, and the person filling at pump 4 leaves, and then the person at pump 5 leaves. Now there is one person filling their car in this row, at pump 6, and let’s say that they just started filling their car so they might still take a while. Now, let’s suppose that there are two people in front of me also waiting on this one guy at pump 6. The people behind pump 6 don’t move past it and into pumps 4 and 5. They wait for an extra 2-5 minutes for this guy to finish, and then they move up. I am in a bit of a hurry, and I can’t wait for the guy at pump 6, so I move around all the cars in front of me, and pull into pump 4. I get out, and start pumping the Jeep. While I’m pumping, the guy at pump 6 leaves, and the two cars that are now behind me pull up. They still got their gas, and they waited in line for the same amount of time as they would’ve if I didn’t pull ahead because they were only waiting for pump 6. It would’ve been faster for everyone if they both pulled past pump 6, but I’m not complaining, because I still got my gas.

Yesterday, I found myself in this exact scenario. One guy was filling up, and nobody wanted to pull past him, so I did. When the other two drivers pull up, this lady (probably mid 30s, with two kids in her car) steps out of her car, but she doesn’t fill her tank, she instead walks over to me and immediately starts screaming. I think it went something like this:
CL= Crazy Lady
CL: What the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re supposed to wait in line like everybody else!
Me: Sorry, what?
CL: You know exactly what you did, and you need to leave. Now!
Me: I don’t understand what you mean. If you’ll please just let me fill up my car, I’ll be on my way.
CL: You have to wait in line like everybody else! Just because you’re in a hurry doesn’t mean you get a free pass to be an asshole!
Me: Alright, I’m sorry. Now can you please just leave me alone?
CL: What did you just say to me!?
At this point a guy walks over from his car (also mid 30s, kind of a strong, fit looking guy) trying to be the hero of the day comes along to back CL up. He puts his finger to my chest and also starts to yell, even though he has no idea what’s going on.
CG= Crazy Guy
CG: You need to leave this woman alone! Don’t you know how to respect women!?
Me: Please don’t touch me. (I tried my best to act calm, if I yelled back it would’ve gotten worse)
CG: I’ll stop bothering you when you apologize for harassing this woman!
Me: I have already said all the apologies I need to. Now can you both just leave?
CG: (Pushes the gas nozzle sensor so it thinks I’ve put it away) No, I think you’re the one that needs to leave you fucking punk!
Keep in mind that I’m a 17 year old boy that’s barely been driving for over a year.
Me: Wow! I guess I didn’t need that much gas after all!
CL: He just pushed the thing down to stop the gas!
CG: Yeah, asshole! That might teach you to respect women!
Me: (Gets in my car)
CG: Yeah you little fucker! Run away! I hope you remember this day asshole! Fuck off!

At this point I started the Jeep and started to drive away when the crazy guy ran up to me and kicked my door and punched my mirror. I immediately stopped. Not only because I was now fuming mad, but I also now had to fix my drivers side mirror which, luckily wasn’t broken. Then the crazy lady started screaming that I ran this guy over, which I obviously did not. Then security was called over to resolve the issue. I explained everything that happened while the crazy people argued that every word that came out of my mouth was a lie. The security guard realized that I was the only somewhat normal one of the bunch, and explained that there is no rule that doesn’t allow, nor allows people to (for lack of a better word) cut in line to save time.

So that’s my story. I’ve gotten gas multiple times at Costco, and “cut” in line, and nobody has ever been upset. Am I in the wrong for cutting? From now on I will be much more reluctant to purchase gas there now. Has anyone else had an encounter with some crazy wackadoodle?

Oh, also, people at Costco get gas like this just to be in the shortest line, which I think is insane and dangerous.

1576263211139.jpeg
 
Interesting...I fill at costco all the time (and there are many nuts here in NY). While I always see the people dragging the gas line over their trunk, I have not encountered a screaming match yet. It does seem that most people at this particular one move around cars to get to the open spot in their line. BTW If I were you, I would have done the same thing you did, I also respect your maturity to keep yourself level headed in that situation.
 
Costco is nuts, as are the gas stations. It's a Disney World for adults, and I avoid that place like the plague :ROFLMAO:
 
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People are stupid and love making a big deal over nothing. Regardless of however people *think* the order should be for waiting in some line, there's no rule that you have to leave or any of that dumb crap just because you didn't follow that norm.

And if people don't want to pull in to an open pump, I don't see anything wrong with going around them and pulling in.

Either way, there's no excuse for either of those people to act like that to you. You didn't say anything disrespectful to the lady and that jackass, white knight wannabe had no right to step in like that either.

Both of those people were acting like entitled little pricks for pushing their imagined rules on you when Costco is the owner of the gas pumps and decides what rules there are or aren't. There's no sign at Costco saying you can't do what you did even if there was, it's not their right or responsibility to enforce rules for a place they don't own.

P.s. The design for lines at Costco pumps is also pretty terrible since the pumps don't have much space between them as it is.

By the way, was this at the Costco on the corner of Burnhaven and McAndrews?
 
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The thing I hate about Costco gas. Is the nozzles don't work in certain vehicles. And you have to stand there and hold the handle. This was the case on my very common Yukon. I don't know how many other vehicles are affected by this.

The thing they need to change is how many check out lines they have inside the store. I can generally get around the crowds within the store to find my stuff. (I buy big items like dog food there.) But once you get up to the checkout. It's lines are to long. I've waited forever just to pay. And they've gotten real chintzy about boxes too. Their optical department isn't what it used to be either. American Eyeglasses has way better deals. As do several online retailers.

But there are several things about costco that I love. The fish and meat is always fresh. As they have such a fast turn over. So many people buying.
 
This is the EXACT reason why I refuse to use Costco for gas though they are cheaper. The fact that we have to wait for attendants to fill our gas in Oregon already irritates me and I cannot deal with the Costco gas stupidity on top of that. The pumps need to be placed in a different way to facilitate faster fills but every Costco I have been to has pumps in the same stupid configuration.
 
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psrivats said:
This is the EXACT reason why I refuse to use Costco for gas though they are cheaper. The fact that we have to wait for attendants to fill our gas in Oregon already irritates me and I cannot deal with the Costco gas stupidity on top of that. The pumps need to be placed in a different way to facilitate faster fills but every Costco I have been to has pumps in the same stupid configuration.
Click to expand...
Wait...you have gas attendants in Oregon? What is it, the 1950s over there?!?
 
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For me, waiting for more than one car in line for gas is not worth my time to save $0.05/gallon. I only fill up at the BJs gas station during off peak hours. Otherwise, it’s any other reasonably priced gas station, usually Wawa as there are a ton around me. Once, when a car wash opened up nearby, they had a promotion for a free car wash. I got trapped in the line and waited an hour to go through the car wash. A $3 car wash. Never again.
 
jazngab said:
New Jersey also mandates that you cannot pump your own gas
Click to expand...

My 19 yr old son accidently went to a full service gas station here in CA. (Which I haven't seen in years.) and was confounded by why they insisted on pumping his gas. LMAO! He was totally confused by it. He came home and told his mother and I about his "strange" experience. We howled. :)

Remember when they'd wash your windows just for buying gas? And check your oil? "May I check your oil mamm?" Remember that bit of nicety our society used to have?
 
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moab said:
My 19 yr old son accidently went to a full service gas station here in CA. (Which I haven't seen in years.) and was confounded by why they insisted on pumping his gas. LMAO! He was totally confused by it. He came home and told his mother and I about his "strange" experience. We howled. :)

Remember when they'd wash your windows just for buying gas? And check your oil? "May I check your oil mamm?" Remember that bit of nicety our society used to have?
Click to expand...
I think I've seen a full service gas station maybe once or twice ever and while some of that extra stuff sounds nice A) I'd rather do it myself and B) there's enough other situations where I get unnecessary service from someone who wants a tip.

But some of that is kinda like carry-outs at grocery stores, I guess. When I was in high school/college, I worked at a grocery store where you were supposed to assume the carry-out without asking and weren't allowed to take tips. Since I've moved from Texas, I've come to find that anywhere that even offers a carry-out is pretty rare and many places around here even expect you to bag your own groceries entirely (Aldis and Cub Foods).
 
4 banger TJ said:
That's the one!
Click to expand...
Yea, that's the one I go to. I've been pretty fortunate to not get caught behind much of a line very often, but some of the people that shop at that Costco tend to come off as very snobby and entitled compared to everywhere else in the area. Burnsville tends to have a pretty decent population of friendly people, but Costco seems to attract some real snotty people for some reason.
 
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Equilibrium31 said:
Wait...you have gas attendants in Oregon? What is it, the 1950s over there?!?
Click to expand...

Yes and I hate it is one of the few things I really dislike about living here. I just have a couple stations I fill up as usually and I make it a point to go very early in the AM or very late at night so that I don't end up waiting. These are the reasons that are given but I think it's time this "law" went away. Apparently gas stations can also get fined if they let people fill their own gas.
 
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That's a pretty out-of-control experience. Not at all what I would expect out of MN. Seems like you handled it as well as possible.

Few thoughts: 1) when I use Costco I try to go when the store isn't open and gas lines aren't crowded, 2) there is usually an attendant. That person should have helped get things back on track, 3) this is hard but if you can take video of the incident then you're gaining the upper hand. When you're under attack like that you may not remember but it will help resolve things if needed later (e.g., police, court).

As unfortunate as this incident was, you can expect more of it from time to time. Our society allows for variability in behavior. You're way ahead if you can deal with it without getting drawn into it.
 
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Proud of ya for keeping cool, I probably wouldn't have been so level headed.

Costco gas pump layout was designed by a complete moron. Most cars have the filler on the left side, so the pumps for the right side of the car are always open. The people pulling the gas nozzle over to the drivers side to fill up are ignorant because the bulge on top of the pump nozzle is the shutoff valve. It won't always work if it's sideways or upside down.
 
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I drive many, many miles and max out the Costco cashback on gas purchases. I almost always get has between 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm. No lines that late.

@Chris 's Costco in Salem has the worst parking lot and access. I think it was designed by Stevie Wonder with a consult from Mickey Mouse.
 
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