Post paid gas stations still exist?

On Saturday, we were doing errands and stopped to get gas. The gas station was busy, so we had to wait. The person in front of us pulled up and started trying to pump gas. He pulled the handle and nothing happened; he thing went over to the automated kiosk and looked quite confused. By this time, I saw a space open up, so I zipped around and got to a pump. I went inside, pre-paid for my gas (I decided against using the kiosk that took cash; many of the kiosks around don’t take cash).

When I was done pumping gas and got back into my car, the guy still hadn’t started pumping gas. At first when we saw him, we couldn’t understand how anyone couldn’t know how to pump gas (he appeared older than me). While I was pumping gas, my wife was analyzing the situation and saw that he had a Boise State shirt on and surmised that he might have been on vacation.

OK, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. So, the question is, where do you pay for gas after you pump it? I’ve lived in California for the last 18 years (with a small stint in Portland where you can’t pump your own gas) and all I can remember is paying for gas first; my memory could be foggy.

I read some forums and people complain about pre-paid gas when you’re using cash as you have to go into the cashier and then afterwards to get change (if needed). I frankly never considered this a problem; maybe I’m just used to this process. Hmmm.

4 Replies to “Post paid gas stations still exist?”

  1. Surprised it wasn’t an Oregon State shirt – not only do they trust enough to pay after the gas goes in the tank, they feel we are unfit to pump it ourselves.

    I like it our way – never once said I just wish I could get out of the car in the cold rain and pump my own gas.

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