Petrol Pumps - Are we getting what we are paying for?

[StandUp]

Those who are old timers may remember how many of Petrol Pumps use to cheat motorists by adultaring petrol or short changing.

With the advent of electronic filling machines and new monitoring methods by Oil companies, one would think everything is fine now. However a recent news coverage on TV channel made me rethink this. TV channel claimed that Petrol Pumps are cheating customers by not filling for what customer is paying for. However, they were not thorough in their investigation and it did not become a big news.

This effects all of us.

I thought about this issue. What if someone in the company which is manufacturing electronic filling station, reprogram the chip and made it skip numbers. He makes this chip available to outside vendors or sell himself. I feel chip can be easily programmed to skip digits and thereby showing incorrect amount of petrol filled.

This technique can be almost fool proof. How, let us say, we watch the meter showing liters filled, we see the digits being skipped, we call the petrol pump sales person, ask him for an explaination, he press a button of remote hidden in his pocket to reset the programming and then ask you to re-check. Now you will not see meter skipping. In fact no one could detect this stealing.

Then I thought it further, what if, when we see such pilferage, we immedaitely cover the elctronic filling machine with some material which makes remote useless and stop it from resetting electronic filling machine?

What thought you have one this. When you go to petrol pump, please check if digits skips. Please provide your input here.

[khaadu75]

Hey, I know for sure that petrol pumps still do cheat their customers though maybe not all of them !! For example I usually top up my tank everytime I go to a pump and its noted in the log book and I have noticed that when u fill from a certain pump it gives me an average of about 14 kms but some pumps give me 11 and all under the same driving conditions .

Infact I too was gonna post a thread regarding this and wanted to know if there is any way that we can put in a cdomplaint regarding such issues . I now make it a point to fill up at the pump that gives me a better average and avoid the ones I have noted that give me a low average . A difference of about 3km/ltr is hell of a lot ....

Cheers

[mail4ajo]

I have run a petrol bunk as a family business and no matter what you do, you are still going to get cheated. As long these machines are made by man, it can be fiddled with.

[GTO]

Adulteration and meter tampering are a frustrating reality, especially keeping in mind the exhorbitant fuel prices. I have had a terrible experience with adulteration from several Bharat Petroleum certified "pure for sure" outlets.

I would suggest sticking to a petrol pump where you have consistently had a good experience. That, honestly, is your best bet.

GTO

[autozealot]

Originally Posted by GTO

I would suggest sticking to a petrol pump where you have consistently had a good experience. That, honestly, is your best bet.

GTO

Yes GTO, I agree with you on this note.

az