Beware ANY petrol bunk in Bangalore!

[turbo_freak]

Hi, everyone
I'm sure I don't know most of you who are getting this mail from me, and vice-versa. But since Neeti has pressed the trigger, let me tell you all that I have also faced similar problems. I am a devoted BP customer, and have been to several BP stations in the city. Believe it or not, they all try to fool you, especially if you are a woman driver! Not like they leave the men alone, but women are preferred targets. I completely agree with Neeti, never take your eyes off from the meter, right from when the attendant says ' Zero!']

Let me tell you what I went through, on 3 occasions, at different BP stations. I asked the attendant to fill petrol worth Rs.1000. He showed me the zero on the meter, and stopped at 200, saying he did not hear me say 1000. The next thing I know, in all the confusion, he has already started again, and promptly stops at 800, but surely without having reset it to 0. I am sure he has filled only worth 800, from the level in the fuel gauge, and will pocket the remaining 200. But then I did not just keep silent and drive away. I made my point, and seeing that I had caught on, the supervisor came and made excuses for the attendant, saying things like he is new, he does not know, etc. I got my 1000 bucks worth of petrol each time after a bit of a struggle, but was left with a bitter taste. The same thing, at 3 different stations, it was like a planned strategy!
Anyway, the bottom line is, please do be careful, at any petrol bunk.

Cheers,

xxxxxxx

Hi guys,

If any of you frequent the HP Petrol Bunk (before Golden Enclave) on Airport Road , read on. Even if you don't, it might be useful for you to read this.
Last evening, I drove into this particular bunk and asked them to fill up Rs 1000/- worth of petrol in my car. Even before yesterday, I had suspected that the attendants in this pump try and make a quick buck but it was just a suspicion. Just so, I try and be careful.

Yesterday, just when the meter had crossed the half way mark, another attendant came to ask me whether I would be paying in cash or by card. I took my eyes off the meter to answer him and when I looked back, the fuel attendant was standing to attention, the meter had been reset, and they were waving me off. I was quite sure that the meter had been reset without the required amount of petrol having been filled. I asked the attendant, but he said he had filled the entire amount. I then called the supervisor. He gave me some half-baked excuses as to why the meter got reset - they were running on generator, the battery was weak. None of his explanations were making any sense but I wasn’t quite sure of what to do.
I started the car and and looked at the car's fuel gauge. It hadn't moved up the range it normally does. I was sure I'd been had. I decided I would just stop frequenting this petrol bunk and started to drive out. Suddenly, on a whim, I got out of the car and accosted the supervisor again. He told me he would give me a print out from their 'master computer' that records the amount of fuel dispensed for each transaction. But guess what, the computer wasnt working! Conveniently. I had half a mind to just forget it all and get out.

I told them my fuel gauge wasn’t reflecting 20 litres of petrol and they had to prove to me that they had dispensed that amount before I was driving out of there. The next thing, the supervisor tells me, 'Madam, please drive back in towards the fuel stations. I do so and he tells one of the guys to give me an extra 500 bucks worth of petrol - free, gratis, just like that. It was over before I could say 'Club HP Acchha Lagta Hai!' They fill the petrol, I say thank you and drive out of there, my car sated and me satisfied.

Moral of the story: 1. Please be careful at this bunk because this is not the first time I have had a problem here. (When I told my husband about this, he said the same thing had happened with him a few weeks back)

When you are filling petrol at any bunk, don’t take your eyes off the meter at all. If anyone tries to distract you, ignore him/her.

When I was ruminating over this incident later, I realised there was another more important lesson in this story. Most times we are hesitant to speak out against injustice or fight for our rights because we fear that a) we will not be heard and b) we will make fools of ourselves. We need to fight in spite of that fear. I tried to and look what happened. I won and I am making a difference.

[ajitkommini]

I've had bad experiences at the HP pump more than once myself. Either they try to cheat you or the quality of fuel itself is bad. Even if everythin gis ok the attitude of the people operating that pump is atrocious. I've stopped using that pump although it's the closest one to my house.

[theMAG]

Not a soothsayer, but, there's a reason why Shell has become popular

[finneyp]

Another crook is BP bunk at Wheeler Road (near Thoms Bakery).
He tried to fool me with the same stunt (Rs1000 vs Rs.800), I got furious & blasted that moron to fill the remaining fuel without uttering a word.

Now I refill only at Shell bunks even if I have to travel 10kms extra!

[Sankar]

I've had similar experiences while filling fuel the latest is while filling at IOC bunk at Bilekahalli on Bannerghatta Road. As i opened the fuel lid of my bike and asked the attender to put petrol for 100 bucks the cash collector comes along and starts a conversation, i got distracted for a second and then i suddenly looked at the meter and it read 28 rupees but fortunately he dint start the dispenser yet. I told the attender to reset but the cash collector pal seemed very persistent on starting a conversation with me i never looked at him and told him sternly that we'll talk later. He was also saying that the attender was a new guy and dint remember to forget the meter etc.

I've experienced the similar strike up a conversation tactic at the BP petrol pump on Bannerghatta opp to IBM and also at the IOC pump opp to Sagar Automobiles on BG Rd. But only once did they fool me and that was when i was new to Banglore.

[rahul_intlad]

I asked the attendant to fill petrol worth Rs.1000. He showed me the zero on the meter, and stopped at 200, saying he did not hear me say 1000. The next thing I know, in all the confusion, he has already started again, and promptly stops at 800, but surely without having reset it to 0. I am sure he has filled only worth 800,

Hey that seems to be quite common when I am filling petrol too ,mother went to fill once and she got cheated with the amount of petrol filled totally.

[blrboy]

I make it a point to fill it only from Sheel (usually at Vittal Mallya Road)

[binz]

Oh geez,now i can be sure that i was made bakra at the indian oil pump on old madras rd.

Dad asked me to fill fuel in the baleno,for thousand bucks.So go there,..andthe guys is like,"Saar,..Zero Zero".I was busy looking at my exhaust when the other guy gives me the card bill to sign.Sign the card on the boot..and look up and see meter is zero.Got in reset the trip meter and drove off..

After about a KM of driving realise that the needle is not where its supposed to be..called up my dad who tells me theres nothing that can be done since i had already left the bunk.

Needless to say the car only ran 89km till the tank was empty.

[blrboy]

My wife had a smilar experience.She was watching and she blasted the pump fellows who filled it full then.

[benbsb29]

Binz, please proceed to the Shell bunk (beside Big Bazaar) on OMR. You would have a much more pleasant experience there.

[binz]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Binz, please proceed to the Shell bunk (beside Big Bazaar) on OMR. You would have a much more pleasant experience there.

Generally tank up the bike there..gives .5 % improvement in mileage:-)

I rarely tank up the cars though.

[low_bass_makker]

while filling the pertol stand beside the person who is filling the pertol....easy....but i know people avoid it...by remaining sitting in there car....

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by low_bass_makker

while filling the pertol stand beside the person who is filling the pertol....easy....but i know people avoid it...by remaining sitting in there car....

Absolutely agree. If you dont want to come out of the car, you are asking to be cheated (since we already know they are cheats), why not step out & stretch your limbs a little at the same time.

[benbsb29]

Remaining sitting inside your car while tanking up is quite foolish in my opinion. It always better to be alert, rather than repent later.

[humyum]

lols u guys are talkin about cheatin in fuels worth 1000 bucks..they have tried to cheat my lady friend and me on 3 occasions and that too on fuel worth 50 bucks in a bike in bangalore.One was a little ahead of shanti sagar in bank colony,2nd was on sumaiya college junction and 3rd was on j.c road
He filled it 0.50 liters worth of fuel and convinitly goes like 'aaita sir'i was like ***..that is 0.5 liters and not 50 bucks and he resets it even before i could complain.
On all the occasions i have complained to the manager and in return he ll come out slap the fellow and act as if he is really really concerned about the customer
After all this they fill up the remaining amount which was left