[Miyata]

I think the title is a gross misunderstanding and misrepresentation. The alleged fraud / callousness here is totally on an individual personality.

Many such "small" issues do happen in day-to-day life one needs to just wisen up and move about with presence of mind to task at hand.

> When a vendor gives me wrong change, it could be just a honest mistake. Better to address it a friendly manner than go about slinging mud on his business.

> If a doctor makes a small slip/mistake, it could be a genuine oversight and best to deal it as such and not make a big deal of it.

Innumerable such examples comes to mind from real life experience. All that it reinforces is for me be alert and PRESENT there instead of hanging my brains at some door somewhere! Nothing personal really. Just a fact of life.

[Fordlover88]

Originally Posted by CliffHanger

Looks like, like Maruti, Shell is also here to use its leadership position to fool the gullible Indians.

Don't think Shell has anything to do with it. It's just a casual approach of a pump attendant. You could have informed the same to the manager of that outlet so that similar instance doesn't happen with the next person in line.Whenever i go for refilling, i check the pressure gauge after air/nitrogen is filled on each tyre.

[airbus]

I always get down in petrol pump to supervise either refueling or refilling air. Never faced any issue so far. We also have an air refilling station in our office, which is self service. I have my own digital pressure gauge and nowadays I refill air 1 - 2 psi higher than recommended level and adjust to recommended level next morning using my pressure gauge.

[GTO]

Mod Note: Thread moved to the Tyre section!

[uditsharma01]

I always get off the car and supervise the whole process during the air filling at pumps.

Once upon a time my dad refueled his car and went to refill the air. The attendant intentionally punctured the tyre thrice as he saw that my dad isn't bothered much about what's happening. He came telling my day that the tyre is punctured. And you guessed it right. Next to air compressor they had a tyre puncture shop.

Another incident; I used to fuel up at the same station and check the air pressure as well. I started to notice that the nozzle caps tend to disappear everytime I go for air pressure check. I noticed that the guy used to take the caps off and then sell it to other people. Doesn't make much difference but really, low on ethics. Since then I always get off the car and watch the air filling by myself.

Not generalizing as there are many people who are honest and work their ass off. Just wanted to share the incidents and make you more aware.

[adi.mariner]

I was filling up air at a Petrol Pump in Pune after topping up Diesel. The attendant told me that their boss has said not to fill air in Cars as it is time consuming. 2-wheelers are fine because nobody bothers about the air pressure setting and it is more convenient. I had to remind him that 2-wheelers top up worth Rs.100-200 but cars top up worth much more, and so should be given priority. It didn't matter much to him and he warily did the job

[satishchugh]

This is slightly OT, but I have to tell my story atleast for Pune folks.

Driving in Delhi for many many years, I had only 2-3 punctures all this while. However in last 6 months in Pune, I have had 2 punctures already. At both times there were 10+ punctures in the tyre that costed me quarter of a new tyre's price. This is when all the tyres were replaced about 1.5 years back.
Later I got to know from my friends that they have faced it as well and it appears to be standard operating procedure for the air attendant/puncture shops.

Learning, now I get down from car and supervise the air filling process.

[silverado]

Originally Posted by asingh1977

One more thing they forget: put the nozzle caps back on. I always remind them.

I always collect caps from them and put them on myself and let the guy fill air in other tyres. Its best to go to one particular pump where all the attendants know you by face atleast.

[NiInJa]

I almost got into a scuffle with such a guy when I grabbed the tube from him and showed him how to fill air by holding the nozzle firmly. The dude started saying don't teach me, its my job. I challenged him to close his shop if I succeeded in filling air properly

Since then, better sense has prevailed. I got a Michelin foot pump and haven't seen their faces since last 6-7 months.

[Stribog]

Originally Posted by Shreyas Agarwal

It is best to get out of the car and check on the attendant while filling to be sure that he does it right.

Originally Posted by AMG Power

It's best to get out of the car and look closely at whatever is being done to your car - filling gas, air or oil. If you can't make that effort expect issues.



And what makes you sure that it was indeed 36 by just watching? Even at the best pumps the gauges are in error, have found most gauges wrong by quite a margin in the best pumps in Bangalore (HP COCO on airport road for instance is substantially wrong). So unless you have your own guage which you need to use to confirm that 36 is indeed 36 and not 42, you just can't be sure.

As others have pointed out, this is an absolute must and not because I think all attendants are untrustworthy but it gives you so many cues - there could be a puncture, or a weak tyre leaking more air than the others etc. It takes literally 2 mins, and is worth stepping out of the car for.

I have rarely (if ever) had issues like this with pumps, but wrongly calibrated gauges are a bane. I too have a tyre pressure monitor (for the bikes) and check my TPMS and I usually find these readings widely off. My TPMS and digital meter are calibrated and provide similar readings and through a process of elimination I have identified 2 bunks which also have well calibrated meters and I only fill air in these (both are COCO, one is BPCL and the other is an HP). Guys invest in a digital monitor if your vehicle does not have a calibration device. I recently filled air in a non standard (for me) bunk as I was travelling and while the bunk meter said 34, the TPMS showed 39!

Originally Posted by dksv

At many bunks in Bangalore during rush hour it takes far less time to fill up your fuel tank than getting your turn to check pressure on your tyres. 2-wheelers keep breaking the line and you're still standing where you were 5 minutes ago with the line growing in front of you!

Interesting, pretty much every pump in Chennai I have been too has seperate queues for 2 / 3 wheelers and cars both for fuel and air.

Sometimes when you are on a 2 wheeler, it can be annoying seeing the car lanes empty while you have 5 bikes ahead of you but it is what it is.

The overall process for me takes around 15 mins total (to fuel up and air) and around 5 mins for fuelling. I always fuel up and air only on a Sunday evening or if am going home late at night, I drop in as it is much faster. I see people lining up on a work day morning and I wonder why they waste their time.

Originally Posted by CliffHanger

In case you are not aware. Common across all Shell pumps every time you drive into their pump:

Like the other PSUs, Shell should just focus on selling their fuels alone in their pumps and stop their overselling Bullshit and the resulting fooling tactics.

I used to extensively use the SHELL in the Madipakkam area and the one in Porur and I must say that yes, they ask you very politely if you want to use V Power but that is it. That being said, your mileage may vary and I don't want to gainsay you, but I personally don't see anything wrong in being x-sold. As a customer you (a generic you, not you in particular) have the right to say no. In today's market, trying to squeeze every last rupee is nothing to be scoffed at.

Broadly though, I have never experienced these issues in my regular bunks, but then again I make small talk, ask about their day (because I am genuinely interested) and I get top notch service. In my bunk the fuel attendants get Rs 5-8k / month, are all mostly from rural / semi urban areas and aren't very educated. If this is a thankless job, the air pump folks get even lesser salaries. Working in the open for 12-14 hours a day, doing this backbreaking task (air pump attendant) is challenging, and while yes, as customers we have to have good service, I don't think this is scamming in any way.

[clevermax]

I always get out of the car and supervise the process - be it refueling or topping up air. I even do a double check on each tire, whether the guy has closed the valve cap properly all the way up. This is because I had noticed few times that they deliberately cross-thread the valve cap by turning it on the valve at an angle, so that they can finish up the mundane process earlier than turning the caps all the way up until the end of thread on the cap.

For people who prefer to sit inside the cabin, these types of problems - described by the OP - can happen.

[ash22]

Originally Posted by CliffHanger

So, I was waiting behind this car today where the attendant filled up air to the set pressure 36, normally, on the first two tyres, but for the 3rd and 4th tyres, he just pressed the air valve against the nozzle and, done, the pressure indicator barely moved. Owner did not bother, drove off.

Now to my car, first tyre, to 36, normal. Second tyre, from 26 to 28 and, done, he moved on to the 3rd. Stopped him and asked him to go back and refill, he kept repeating, it's done, it's done, in several different ways. Checked again and it was at 28 and took some time to reach 36. He had the audacity to stand for the tip.

Watch when you're filling up air, especially when your tyres are at the second half of their lives. These guys will leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Looks like, like Maruti, Shell is also here to use its leadership position to fool the gullible Indians.

CliffHanger, Can you let me know which Shell in Chennai? I recently had a bad experience with Shell Pump @Chrompet on Engine Oil Change

I never fill AIR in Petrol pumps until its an emergency. Those attendants will be in a hurry to fill the air to clear the log queue. I stay in Nanganallur and i have a tyre shop nearby. Every 15 days, on a weekend, I will visit that shop by morning and get the air checked.

[MMinor]

Originally Posted by CliffHanger

In case you are not aware. Common across all Shell pumps every time you drive into their pump:

But when it is collective and happens in nexus with Shell as an organisation, I'm sorry, reporting to the management will be a futile exercise for me.

I'm writing a thread here, because it is not an individual pump problem, but an organisation problem.

Sir why so caustic? Yes it is common across all Shell pumps every time you drive in. Its not a nexus or a organization-wide problem, its called market adjacency. Its the same as car showrooms selling accessories. Its the same as Reliance Digital selling "resq". Its the same as LIC selling home loans. Its the same as MK Gandhi leading Salt March. Its not the core issue/product but it brings in either disenchanted franchise or customers.

Even without going in to the possibly better quality of fuel in Shell, this actually happens in a lot of countries one way or the other. Unlike us in places like US there is no shortage of space and even the smallest of pumps have enough space to park, get out of the car and grab some grub to munch. After spending 30 mins to drive 2kms from Madivala to Bommanahalli, I look forward to sipping something while waiting for my turn to get the fuel filled. While my personal experience of never having ordered to open the boot / bonnet outweigh the collective experience I still believe this outburst is a little out of proportion.

Having said that you were absolutely right to call the act of the tyre attendant out to caution us all. Its the act of a lazy person not doing his job in good faith. But to paint an entire organization with that brush and see them through that lens...

Disclosure: I do not in any way benefit from Shell (either from core or ancillary product sales) revenue or business and not associated with them or even the whole petroleum industry other than being a customer.

[T-Bone]

Few years back there was news/rumors that some air filling attendants sabotage the tyre so that near by puncture shop guys can make some money and of course this guy also gets paid for helping his business. Since then, I always get out of my car and go around with the attendant as he fills up the air in each tyre and also make sure the reading is correct in the pressure gauge. I do the same while filling fuel. I get out of my car to watch them fill it and lid it.

[nevinfrancis]

I was once told that the carelessness at the pumps while handling the pressure nozzles eventually damages the tyre valves. Added to that - the pressure readings most pumps are often way off the mark and you wont get the right pressure in their hurry.

So, the better option is to take a bit time, drive to a tyre shop or nitrogen filling shop, get down from the car, spend some 40 -50 bucks, get friendly with the guy there and be at peace