"You'll have to ask my manager, sir"

Unlike more lackadaisical government agencies, the folks at Weights and Measures are usually pretty enthusiastic about their jobs

never a more true statement.

Hey, yo bro, that's a dude I know
Works on Joppa Road, at the Sunoco
If we drive by slow, with the top down low

WHAAAAAA....

You're in princeton, you figure it out.

HappyHarryHardOn: "You'll have to ask my manager, sir"

Pretty much had to be here.

Here's an example of how one Consumerist reader brought down the sword of justice on a Wisconsin gas station. Now it's your turn.

Get over yourselves. You run a whiny-biatch message board. That is all.

Unlike more lackadaisical government agencies, the folks at Weights and Measures are usually pretty enthusiastic about their jobs

Except those in NC....they'll quit on you...

/

I actually got undercharged 2-3 cents compared to the price on the sign. I was outraged.

And here I thought leaving some powerless stooge to take the customer's heat for your shenanigans was an old hat.

I'm not so sure if it is some dumb kid that doesn't know what he's doing. The story I just watched involved gas stations in New Jersey and how one owner is offering an incentive to people who are using cash instead of card to pay for their gas since the credit companies are now raising their prices on him for surcharges and fees.

They likened it to: "Everyone hates the oil companies and the gas stations so while everyone's attention is turned towards them the credit card companies are quietly raising their rates, letting the evil oil companies take the brunt of the outrage."

I think to combat this we should just blow up all the oil companies, gas stations, credit card buildings and laugh hysterically as we walk into the ocean, holding hands.

Any change to oil prices on the other side of the world instantaneously changes the price of gas here, but it takes time for the sign to catch up.

Simple lag delays.

Kid is making minimum wage and not getting laid.
That guy isn't being paid to fall into hysteric's over some tightwad's $0.85 dispute.
(Cause I did the math. Some dumb kid is being crucified because this guy is out $.85)

generally somewhere in the pump says "if there is a discrepancy from the sign, the pump price is correct".

but this guy probably just bought the wrong grade.

LeChevalier: I'm not so sure if it is some dumb kid that doesn't know what he's doing. The story I just watched involved gas stations in New Jersey and how one owner is offering an incentive to people who are using cash instead of card to pay for their gas since the credit companies are now raising their prices on him for surcharges and fees.

They likened it to: "Everyone hates the oil companies and the gas stations so while everyone's attention is turned towards them the credit card companies are quietly raising their rates, letting the evil oil companies take the brunt of the outrage."

I think to combat this we should just blow up all the oil companies, gas stations, credit card buildings and laugh hysterically as we walk into the ocean, holding hands.

Sounds like a plan to me.

This guy gets a FAIL.

The price that is on the pump is what you pay, not what is on the sign. If the bill said more than the price on the pump did then he has a legit case, otherwise he needs to STFU.

My one sort of related cool story. There was one day when all the gas stations were jacking their prices up by about a dime, I come to this one gas station where the signs were being changed and I rushed in there and stuck my credit card before I even opened the tank, and when I finished filling up they had moved the prices up by a dime. Very cool day.

im pretty sure it isnt just that guy that is out, but pretty much everyone who rolls through that station. it's not the 85 cents, it's the principle of it.

/i have principles
//you haters dont

Consmerist stories are entertaining, but I don't think they're anything more than examples of local stupidity, not institutional policies.

This employee was about as empowered as most of the other "Human Vending Machines" in Retail, that is, by design, they're babysitting a cash register, and they're trained to push a button. When something goes wrong, they're useless. It's not the guy's fault, his corporate employer doesn't want him messing with things like pump prices and reversals of charges.

the flexecutioner

I think it's a good principle not to leave the world more obnoxious than you found it.

HappyHarryHardOn: "You'll have to ask my manager, sir"

It's NJ, he looks something more like this...

So much for the reports of gas stations undercharging people.

and the counter guy says he 'doesnt know why it's happening'. 'happening' doesnt mean that it is just a difference in signage, but an actual difference in the pump meter and price charged for the gas. otherwise the guy would say, 'i'm sorry, i'll have a guy change the sign'.

baby dinosaurs: the flexecutioner

I think it's a good principle not to leave the world more obnoxious than you found it.

sometimes, the sarcasm doesnt come across in text. and i'd rather be correct and obnoxious, than quietly cheated.

Russ1642: This same thing happens all the time in retail. They think that machines are gods and that if they are billing at the wrong price then so be it. Nobody should dare to disagree with the cash register.


THIS. Oh man do I hate this. "Sorry, the machine says so" or "the system says". God, people, think for yourselves for a change!

/Not to mention their utter failure at math without the register to tell them how to subtract

After RTFA:
Oh, and a higher gas price for a credit card charge?
<sarcasm>BIIIIG SURPRISE</sarcasm>
Where have you been living, Subby and Consumerist Subby? There's a little thing called Stagflation / Recession going on, but I guess your rich ass hasn't noticed.

This is nothing new.
Now Get off the Full Service line.

booztravlr: HappyHarryHardOn: "You'll have to ask my manager, sir"

It's NJ, he looks something more like this...

this.

\NJ resident

the flexectioner sometimes, the sarcasm doesnt come across in text

Oh, now I see what you did there.
Sorry. I still have a chip on my shoulder about all the customer service I did through school.

HappyHarryHardOn: "You'll have to ask my manager, sir"

Damn, first thing I thought of too.

haha

"We need more special sauce. Put this jar of mayonnaise out in the sun!"

PlNG: After RTFA:
Oh, and a higher gas price for a credit card charge?
<sarcasm>BIIIIG SURPRISE</sarcasm>
Where have you been living, Subby and Consumerist Subby? There's a little thing called Stagflation / Recession going on, but I guess your rich ass hasn't noticed.

This is nothing new.
Now Get off the Full Service line.

actually, there's not.
A recession is two consecutive quarters of GDP loss, we haven't had that recently (new window)

/where have you been?

puckhead: generally somewhere in the pump says "if there is a discrepancy from the sign, the pump price is correct".

but this guy probably just bought the wrong grade.

He paid $4.219

The advertised prices in the prictuer are $4.159 and $4.229... Which grade are you suggesting he chose?

Call the CC company and file a charge back.

Yes, in the prictuer...

/fail

I am looking forward to the 5 consumerist threads that follow.

I remember literally within minutes of the Iraq war starting, prices at the pump shot up.

The gas station I went to had a sign on the door that said 'We do not set the prices for gasoline-- don't complain to the person behind the counter.'

Actually, the person running the station DOES have some authority regarding this. Gas prices are usually changed manually, meaning that in order to raise or lower prices, a person has to go to the machine that controls the pump, and change the prices in the system. Now, MOST gas stations have a policy with regards to price changes that is something like this: if the price is going up, they change the outside signs first, then reprogram the pumps. If the price is going down, they reprogram the pumps first, and then change the signs. Avoids this kind of complaint. What probably happened is this: someone screwed up the last price change in the system, and the kid at the counter doesn't want to be troubled with calling a manager to the front, so instead of doing something about it, just shrugs his shoulders. People in those kind of jobs actually DO have the authority to deal with customer complaints within reason... many simply don't give a crap, and just blow it off.

submitter: Just leave a pimply, confused-looking employee who keeps repeating: "I just don't know what's happening, sir"

Isn't that the MO of every company?

Oh, yeah... the guy's receipt does say "full service." But this is New Jersey. There's no such thing as self service there. Gas prices posted there are, in fact, full service, as NJ law won't allow customers to pump their own fuel.

stealthboy: Russ1642: This same thing happens all the time in retail. They think that machines are gods and that if they are billing at the wrong price then so be it. Nobody should dare to disagree with the cash register.


THIS. Oh man do I hate this. "Sorry, the machine says so" or "the system says". God, people, think for yourselves for a change!

/Not to mention their utter failure at math without the register to tell them how to subtract

YOU DARE CHALLENGE THE MACHINE?

"You don't know why the pump is charging that and you can't get anyone in charge on the phone? Don't worry about it, dude. I have tools in my car. I'll have that pump apart and fixed right quick for you... you can explain to your manager when you get a hold of him..."

as someone who has worked at 3 different gas stations (i'm a glutton for punishment) i'm getting a kick out of this thread

/i would bet good money that the employee knew exactly what was going on, and just didn't want to mess with it

I hate the farkin Consumerist. It's a circle jerk of self-important, hyper-sensitive douches that should never leave their houses.

coxinha: I hate the farkin Consumerist. It's a circle jerk of self-important, hyper-sensitive douches that should never leave their houses.

I smell a shady business owner who has been zapped by the Consumerist or their local Better Business Bureau.

hej: Call the CC company and file a charge back.

For which the merchant will then send a rebuttal ('the pump price prevails' -- and I don't doubt that the price on the receipt DOES match the price on the pump display) and you'll get a representment back in your face. Chargeback decisions are basically in the hands of the merchant's bank, which favors... well, the merchant.

All of which said, the correct action for the attendant to take would be to correct the sign.

Gimli_Gloin: coxinha: I hate the farkin Consumerist. It's a circle jerk of self-important, hyper-sensitive douches that should never leave their houses.

I smell a shady business owner who has been zapped by the Consumerist or their local Better Business Bureau.

Nope, not a business owner and I'm with Gimli_Gloin -- that's grown-up snowflake central right there.

HappyHarryHardOn: "You'll have to ask my manager, sir"

I just came in this thread to make sure.

coxinha: I hate the farkin Consumerist. It's a circle jerk of self-important, hyper-sensitive douches that should never leave their houses.

WHAT ABOUT SHOPPERS RIGHTS???!!?

/bawwwwwwww