So I stopped at QT tonight to fill up the truck. Last day of school for the district here and the parking lot has become the gathering spot for the high school kids.

At the other end on the opposite side of the island, middle aged guy pulls up in his Escalade, swipes his card, inserts the nozzle, starts the flow of fuel and then walks inside the store while the pump is running. A Jeep with 4 kids in it sees this, pulls up behind me, grabs the nozzle out of the Escalade, proceed to fill up their Jeep, put the nozzle back in the Escalade and drive off.

I finished, walked towards the store to get a couple of things as the guy with the Escalade comes out. I told him what happened and said I had the license plate number and vehicle description if he wanted to follow up on it. He then gets pissy with me and yells, "Why the fuck didn't you stop them?"

I asked, "Why didn't you stay with your vehicle?"

I left him in the parking lot yelling at me, went inside, got my stuff and exited to go back out to my vehicle. I left and he was still at the island, sitting in his Escalade, yelling at someone on his cell phone. Never did ask me for the plate number or vehicle description.

Sorry, I'm not getting into a confrontation that was instigated by someone else's irresponsibility over something as minor as a tank of gas.

The pumps got one of them big red OFF buttons for when the place catches fire? Whooops *CLICK*

That would also be one of those fun things to record on video, send it to the local news, or put it up on the YouTube.

I would get gas elsewhere.

Seems like a small price to pay for that lesson learned. Of course his reaction indicates that it was everyone's fault but his. So maybe not.

I would have shot their tires out and pistol whipped the little snots, then put them under citizens arrest.

What the heck did he expect you to do? No good deed goes unpunished I guess.

My take...

• I wouldn't have told him anything.
• I would have dropped the trigger on his nozzle while I was fueling. He can fuel up when he returned.
• I'd likely find a better place to fuel up.

There is simply no point in involving yourself in this sort of stuff, as you found out the hard way.

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
He then gets pissy with me and yells, "Why the fuck didn't you stop them?"

I have no legal duty to intervene on your behalf.

However, I have information that will assist in criminal prosecution and recovery of damages. Take it or leave it.

He earned that one.

You were nicer than you had to be.

quote:

"Why the fuck didn't you stop them?"

ME- "Because it's not my problem."

Some people you just can't help w/o getting into an argument.
I had a young lady ring up my "buy one, get one 50% off" sandwiches but as if the second was free, in my favor, to the extent I only paid for the $8 and the $10 one was free. I did the right thing by pointing it out. She tried to explain that taxes don't show up for the whole order. I gave up shortly after.

I'll do my part to help but I'm not going to sit and argue w/ someone after a certain point. I took my free smoked chicken, shrimp and andouille saw-sage sammich and went on my way.

For some reason, I was reading your post and kept visualizing that scene from Zoolander.

-Rob

I might have done what you did, I might have said nothing and laughed knowingly to myself. Depends on how I felt that day. What a prick.

Guys like that help with my job security. I'm in environmental consulting that specifically deals with gas stations and USTs. More times than not, the auto shutoff doesn't work.

quote:

Originally posted by steelcityfishanddive:
More times than not, the auto shutoff doesn't work.

Wow, really?

ETA: thought I read emergency shutoff.

i wouldnt second guess my decision and move on. Good on ya for gettin the plates.

quote:

Originally posted by Deqlyn:
i wouldnt second guess my decision and move on. Good on ya for gettin the plates.

Yep

What would I have done in your shoes, or if I were you?

In your shoes, I would have done the same thing that you did. Unfortunately, respect for authority and life is so far gone these days, intervening could have possibly got you jumped by a pack of punks over a tank of gas. Even if you handle yourself well, it's still a losing situation.

If I were actually YOU, I'd maybe have my daughter deflate their tires with her bow and arrows! (I keed, I keed!)

You did exactly what you I would have done, minus the bother of even telling him.

1) I am no longer surprised when I read a headlines saying, "man fatally shot after confronting kids for stealing gas"

2) My first reaction as I was reading the story is that the scenerio sounded like one of the NBC "What would you do?" Set ups. I have no interest in participating in anything like that.

To add - That's pretty ballsy of the kids who stole the gas. I'm guessing this was not the first time they had done this. Hell, those Escolades hold a lot of gas, the driver likely never would have even noticed.

....because I'm not willing to shoot someone for stealing fuel. I will shoot someone for yelling at me though.

What a jerk. (him not you...)

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