This is the strangest service station rule nobody knows about: 'Is this actually a thing?'

One Aussie driver was shocked when she was told she wasn't following petrol-station regulations.

When learning to drive, you study up on the road rules, and you’re given a logbook to fill in to cover the bases when it comes to the law.

However, there are a few unspoken rules you learn after years on the road, like the finger raise to thank a car for letting you through or the one-for-one zipper merge.

But for one Aussie driver, there was another of these ‘unspoken rules’ she’d never heard about.

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“It’s a new rule”

A woman has taken to Reddit to get to the bottom of a recent experience of rule-breaking unbeknownst to her.

The incident unfolded as the driver and her husband pulled into a petrol station for a routine refuelling stop. 

“I went to put petrol in the car this morning, and like every time I get petrol, my husband got out of the passenger side and went to fill up for me,” she started. 

“We were taking our time, talking a bit (I was sat in the driver seat with the door half open, the fuel tank is on that side) and messing around transferring money to pay for it (the petrol station was empty, we weren’t holding anyone up), when the cashier suddenly appeared, way too close for comfort,” she added. 

As her husband prepared to fill up the tank, the cashier approached them, asserting a rule that only the driver—rather than a passenger—was permitted to handle the refuelling process. 

“‘Excuse me, but there’s a rule now that the passenger can’t fill up; it has to be the driver’,” the poster wrote. 

“‘What? Since when?’ we asked. ‘Oh, it’s been a rule for a while now to try and stop drive-offs’ We pushed back a little but quickly just gave up, not wanting to fight with an old woman, and I got out and refuelled.”

However, the driver couldn’t shake her disbelief in the legitimacy of the rule, so she did what any logical person would do: She turned to the ultimate court of public opinion: Reddit. 

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“Is this actually a thing?”

After explaining the events to the thread, she began loading the post with questions.

“Surely this isn’t an actual rule?” she asked.

“My assumption is that she saw us in my beat-up old s**t box, [mucking] around trying to find money (it’s the day before payday, alright?!), so she assumed we were dodgy,” she revealed.

“The rule doesn’t even make sense if it’s to prevent drive-offs. I can jump back into my driver’s seat and drive off far quicker than hubby could race around to the passenger side and jump in.

“Anyways, it made me feel SUPER uncomfortable, and I’d like to know if this is an actual rule or if this old biddy is about to get an email to her supervisor calling her out for being a d**k,” she ended.

“You must look really dodgy”

The post has been commented on over 300 times, from former petrol station attendants to corporates weighing in.

“I work at a fuel station, and it’s true, the driver has to pump fuel. In saying that, I personally don’t care and would never even entertain the idea of bothering to go out and confront anyone about it,” one wrote.

“I don’t get paid enough to get screamed at by a**holes,” they added.

“I’d have asked her to show me the “rule”, another suggested.

“Is a sign posted somewhere? Do they have it in writing? Either way, I would’ve stood my ground. Sounds like complete BS to me.”

However, many were quick to point blame at the driver and her lack of care regarding her appearance.

“Anyone with the lack of self-respect to go out in public in their PJs is dodgy enough to drive off without paying for fuel,” they criticised. 

With another echoing, “Former petrol station attendant, you looked dodgy AF, unfortunately.”

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Have you heard of this rule? Source: iStock

What are the rules?

While the rule mentioned above seems to be discretionary, according to BP, there are several rules and laws we drivers need to adhere to.

Children under 15 are prohibited from operating petrol pumps, even under adult supervision. It’s also a requirement to turn off your vehicle’s engine before refuelling to prevent sparks from electrical leaks. 

Using mobile phones is also a big no-no, as dropping them could produce sparks that ignite flammable vapours. 

When refuelling motorbikes, keep them upright and stable to prevent spills and minimise ignition risks from the fuel tank's close proximity to the engine. 

In case of petrol spills, you should immediately notify staff, avoid starting the engine until cleanup is complete, and refrain from hosing spills into drains or inhaling fumes. 

You’ll also be expected to turn off pilot lights on gas-powered appliances in boats or caravans before approaching the station, and never smoke or light matches near pumps or fuel containers due to petrol’s highly flammable nature.

Originally published as This is the strangest service station rule nobody knows about: 'Is this actually a thing?'