Gas Station Pet Peeve of mine...
 

Okay, two things.
I live in Oregon, which doesn't allow for pumping you own gas. Something I've always actually supported and liked.
But I'm REALLY reaching a point where I want self serve gas.

2nd thing? I pay for my gas, in cash.

Now more and more stations want me to go in and "pre-pay" if I'm using cash. OK..not a big deal. BUT....

The problem is, when I go in to pre-pay and wait for the gas to be done being pumped I inevitably look outside to see the attendant topping off my tank. Even though Honda and most manufacturers say don't top off your tank, and even Oregon Law say's don't' top off peoples tanks. There are stickers on the tanks saying DO NOT TOP OFF.

The further frustration is if I say something to the attendant, such as "Please Don't Top Off my Tank" before they pump the gasoline? I also inevitably get a dirty look and the insulted reply that they NEVER top off the tank. ( Sure Right....)

I don't know how anyone feels about the potential damage of topping of your tank. It might be pretty minor. BUT..
When there IS a state law in place saying do not top off tanks, and stickers all over the pump itself stating do NOT top off tanks...stop at shut off.
I really hate that gas stations and attendants don't seem to consistently follow that protocol.

Which makes me wish Oregon would drop the No Self Serve laws, and allow me to pump my own gasoline. I trust myself. I evidently cannot trust the attendants to do it right.

Lucky for me where I live we can pump our own. Topping off can lead to fuel going back into the charcoal canister killing it over time.

My Pet Peeve is the person in front of me that pumps goes inside to pay cash & them spends 15 to 20 minutes shopping in the mini mart. Man that gets me $%#!ed off.

I've had to drive through Oregon several times, on the way down to Nevada. For some reason, the idea of letting someone else touch my car, and especially for something I can do so easily, really rubs me the wrong way. I usually fill up in Vancouver and try to make it all the way through without stopping just to avoid it.

Until now I hadn't heard any negative consequences to topping off, and the first half dozen articles I found talked more about the damage to the environment than to the car. After finding two on OppositeLock that actually show photos of the tank and plumbing, I think I won't do it anymore... unless I'm trying to make it all the way through Oregon again.

I'm not sure about the liabilities of topping off. I've done it for many years on a half-dozen long-term vehicles and have never had a problem. I've never been stupid about adding fuel to excess, but pumping a bit more has been okay for me. I also try to add a tiny amount of fuel before the cost registers. I figure that in a lifetime, I'll have earned one free tank of gas. <g>

Years ago before self-service gas, I'd sometimes find the attendant half-seated against the side of the car. That'd that'd piss me off and I'd say something. Jeans with rivets aren't kind to paint.

sucks that u cant pump your own gas. going inside to pre-pay is a royal pita already.. and wat do you do if filling before returning a rental?

ask them to fill $20 on your company credit card and later have to go inside YET AGAIN to have the actual fill dollar receipt so that you have a receipt for the expense? LOL.. wtf