Today I was in Eureka and drove into the Costco gas station. I guess most vehicles have gas tank access on the left, because each of the lines for spots on the right side of the gas pumps were four or five vehicles deep while the spots to the left of the pumps were occupied with no vehicles behind them. And to my satisfaction, two vehicles in the one of the left side spots pulled out at once, giving me immediate access. I pulled to the forward pump, and several cars who came in behind me got into line for right sided spots. It was a few minutes before a vehicle pulled in behind me.
I’ve got a secret. See, my tank access is also on the left side of my vehicle. But I pulled into a space with the pump to my right. Why? The secret is below the fold.
Because the pump hose is long enough to stretch to the opposite side of the vehicle.
Now don’t spoil it for us and tell anybody!
Oh, and one more tip. Don’t fall for the premium gas hype. For about 9 out of 10 vehicle models, there’s no difference in the performance of various grades of gasoline. If you’re paying more than the smallest price available at your pump, you’re probably throwing money away.
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July 12, 2011 at 7:54 pm
tra
Well I don’t get my gas at Costco, so maybe they have some strict one-way rule there, but at most gas stations you can just pull in from either direction.
And sometimes those hoses will go all the way around (or over) but sometimes not. Depends on the gas station. And sometimes they’ll reach over my vehicle, but then it’s awkward to get the nozzle to swivel around to where it will fit into the gas tank properly. So I usually prefer to pull up to the correct side.
One gas station where it’s strictly one-way is the one in Hoopa — where gas is usually about 30 cents cheaper per gallon than the average price in Eureka, by the way. (Do NOT try to pull in the other way, or the locals will let you know in no uncertain terms that this ain’t O.K.!) There is often a bit of a line. because it’s the only gas station in town, but the two lines are usually about the same.
July 12, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Eric Kirk
There’s no rule TRA. People are just afraid to pull the hose around, so much that they would rather wait an extra five to ten minutes to pump their gas. I think there’s an odd psychology at play. It works for me though.
I had probably never noticed it before because I haven’t waited in a line for gas since the odd/even days of the late 1970s. But Costco offers the cheapest gas in the county, so there’s often a crowd. This was the first time I noticed the right-favoring pattern.
July 12, 2011 at 10:17 pm
tra
It could be that some of those folks just aren’t confident that having the hose on the “wrong side” is going to work for their vehicle. I know that having the hose on the “wrong side” often doesn’t work out for me, since the filler is about mid-way along my vehicle and at many gas stations the hoses don’t reach and/or the nozzle doesn’t swivel around to fit into the hole properly and as a result the pump “auto-stop” repeatedly, as if the tank is full, even when it isn’t.
At any rate if you don’t want to have to pull the hose around or over your vehicle, well, as long as there’s no one on the other side of the pumps, you can just turn your vehicle around the other way and *presto* the hose is on the “correct” side of your vehicle.
Even if there’s already a line, I suppose you could get in the shorter line, backwards, and then back up as you advance towards the pump…but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone do that — except in NYC!
July 13, 2011 at 5:35 am
Fred Mangels
The Willits Safeway has hoses meant for reaching across the vehicle, if needed, and they have signs advising of that.
July 13, 2011 at 10:54 am
brian
Eric! Costco! Evil Big Box Costco? How about the car you are pumping that Big Box gas into, Union made?
July 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Mitch
brian,
http://www.livereal.org/Costco-vs-Walmart.htm
July 13, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Eric Kirk
Well Brian, Costco has been billed as the “blue” WalMart. But the point has been oversold.
http://reclaimdemocracy.org/walmart/costco_vs_sams.php
Some Costco workers are union. I have no idea about their gas. Are there any oil unions anymore?
July 14, 2011 at 7:17 am
brian
Never said anythng about Wal-Mart…… A Big Box is a Big Box……The car you drive Eric, was it made by UAW members?
July 14, 2011 at 7:22 am
Eric Kirk
Brian – all big boxes are the same? Is that your argument? It’s not mine.
As to your question, yes, I believe so. But not the one I’m about to buy.
July 14, 2011 at 10:03 am
brian
So there are “good” Big Box and “bad” Big Box? And judgement of that point is for who to decide? You? Me? Who ever? And has for your cars, you can buy whatever you want. But if you want to do good for the USA buy American made (easier said than done at times).
July 15, 2011 at 7:46 am
Noble
Who taught you my trick?
While I always buy the cheapest gas too, it’s worth mentioning that the price difference is negligible at this point with the price of gas in general.
The concept of a “big box” store in itself is not the problem. It’s the fact that these “big box” stores usually got to that size by abusing and exploiting their employees, suppliers, and communities that is a problem. The difference between a “good” big box and a “bad” big box is all in how they treat their stakeholders. One can judge small/local businesses using the same criteria and find many of them seriously lacking.