Author Topic: "Grant's Law" Takes Effect at Midnight Tonight (Read 2495 times)

Trainman · « **on:** January 31, 2008, 11:14:16 am »

This is the requirement that fuel purchases (in BC) be pre-paid, at all times.

From the WorkSafeBC information sheet:

Quote

Prepayment for fuel

The ... requirement provides that employers must ensure customers prepay for all motor vehicle fuel sold in gas stations and other refueling outlets. Employers will have up to one month, or until March 1, 2008, to come into compliance. This allows employers the opportunity to educate their customers about the new requirements and implement any manual prepayment measures while working towards other prepayment solutions that involve software, hardware, or equipment upgrades or purchases.

I do not necessarily agree with this, as I feel people should take responsibility for their own actions. Go after the employer who penalizes the employee when there is a gas n' go. Why hit all drivers? Maybe make this pre-pay requirement for certain hours only.

And already, some stations are trying to find loopholes around this, like saying that all that has to be done is to pre-select how much you want but that does not address the payment issue that started this all.

gottarondo · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2008, 12:18:13 pm »

Glad you brought this up. I sympathize deeply with the young man in whose name this law was made, and with his parents, but that does not mean the law is good. It is flat-out bad. The problem is, no law can change the reality of stoned car thieves looking for free gas. Those people are still going to get their free gas. If they can't just steal from the pump - which in the absence of a heroic but foolish gas station attendant is a petty crime - they will either victimize the nice ordinary citizen who has just prepaid his/her gas, or will carjack a car that has just been filled up. Or they can break into the attendant's fortress and force him/her to approve a gas purchase. The law just escalates the violence required.

Quote from: Trainman on January 31, 2008, 11:14:16 am

Go after the employer who penalizes the employee when there is a gas n' go. Why hit all drivers?

Bingo. Just address the problem.

si · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2008, 12:34:20 pm »

It's a pain in the arse to fill up your tank full when pre-paying with cash.

tpl · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2008, 03:47:50 pm »

They still take cash? apart from Taxi drivers that is? I seriously cannot remember the last time I paid for gas with cash ... back in the early 70's maybe when some gas stations didn't take Chargex as it was then.

Squishy · « **Reply #4 on:** January 31, 2008, 06:34:30 pm »

I don't think I've ever gotten gas without pre-paying before.

Titanium48 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 31, 2008, 08:14:43 pm »

Quote from: Trainman on January 31, 2008, 11:14:16 am

Go after the employer who penalizes the employee when there is a gas n' go.

Agreed. Let the surveillance cameras catch the thieves rather than Americanizing our gas stations.

If they insist on doing this they need to make the pay-at-the-pump procedure faster and more convenient. It shouldn't matter if I pick up the hose before or after swiping my card, and I should only have to swipe my card once!

Leviathan · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2008, 08:27:18 pm »

Pretty much has zero effect on me as I always use a card at the pump. The real problem for the gas stations is less foot traffic in their snack store where the profits are

barrie1 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2008, 08:31:16 pm »

I happens here as well as we had a special on TV just the other night about Gas-jumpers who flee without paying. The cameras were turned on at this station shown in the interview and most of the cars guilty of this offence were captured from their licence plates no.s which is good I think. The station shown was a embareassment to me as its just down the street from myhome and where I deal when I need fuel. I couldn't and wouldn't think of ever doing this as I beleive in being a good person in my area or anywhere else for that matter. The cretins who do this should be made to pay really heavy for ruining it for everyone else who is honest and put out by their behavior. If they are too stupid to learn the easy way then make them pay the really hard way.

rrocket · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2008, 08:36:11 pm »

^^^^Sounds like you have lots of riff raff in your area, Barrie...

Titanium48 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2008, 08:46:22 pm »

Quote from: tpl on January 31, 2008, 03:47:50 pm

They still take cash? apart from Taxi drivers that is? I seriously cannot remember the last time I paid for gas with cash ... back in the early 70's maybe when some gas stations didn't take Chargex as it was then.

I frequently pay cash for gas. I try to minimize debit card use (#$$%^ transaction fees) and the only thing I use a credit card for is internet purchases.

CyberNick · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2008, 09:01:29 pm »

I use Citi bank's Petro Canada Master Card with RFID chip. OK, it only works at Petro, but it gives me 2 cents off and is very convenient - I don't even have to take it out of my wallet, I just waive the wallet in front of the pump.

Some of you may be paranoid about using a thing like that, but the convenience of it outweighs the risks, IMO.

tpl · « **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2008, 09:26:38 pm »

I have Esso and Shell RFIDS and use CC at the pump at Sunoco. Generally never buy gas of any other brand
I am not paranoid about using RFIDs
And I don't pay transaction fees on debit or credit transactions. Needless to say I haven't paid CC interest since I was about 20.

CyberNick · « **Reply #12 on:** January 31, 2008, 09:42:09 pm »

Quote from: tpl on January 31, 2008, 09:26:38 pm

Generally never buy gas of any other brand
I am not paranoid about using RFIDs
And I don't pay transaction fees on debit or credit transactions.
Needless to say I haven't paid CC interest since I was about 20.

ditto

barrie1 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2008, 02:42:01 am »

No riff Raff at all Rrocket unlike your city which is a border town. This just happens to be a station who sells their gas cheaply and has around 12 pumps as well as a large lot. As they are a 24 hour station as well the TV article used their station for the subject Station in the News story is all. The Police Station is just about 4 blocks down the same street actually so to me they are taking a rather riskey chance of doing it there to begin with. Some folks are just not all that bright tho. I remember a Gulf Station on Riverside in Windsor which used to get robbed about 4 times a week at Gunpoint years ago in 1981. This dosen't happen here in London 4 times a year let alone a week. Back then it was common to see 4 Cops in every cruiser there as well. Only on occasion do we even see 2 here in our city. When it comes to crime levels between the 2 Cities yours wins quite clearly.

EV Dan · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2008, 08:51:30 am »

Quote from: tpl on January 31, 2008, 09:26:38 pm

I have Esso and Shell RFIDS and use CC at the pump at Sunoco. Generally never buy gas of any other brand
I am not paranoid about using RFIDs
And I don't pay transaction fees on debit or credit transactions. Needless to say I haven't paid CC interest since I was about 20.

What kind of gas do Canadian Tire stations offer? Is it worth their extra fakey change?

barrie1 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 02, 2008, 10:07:07 pm »

I fueled up to-day and just grabbed the hose and bought $38.00 worth of fuel, walked into the station paid the man and left but thats here in Ontario so I guess the law is not here as yet at all. I never use my credit cards to buy fuel at all which is my right as I prefer to pay cash.

davidy · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2008, 07:21:07 pm »

For the past while, I have preferred paying with a gas credit card at the pump. I have drove thru gas stations if they don't have this feature.

Dave

prufrock · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2008, 09:28:50 pm »

I always pay using a CC at the pump so it doesn't affect me.

Do I agree with it? Well, this has been common practice in lots of other places for a long time. I remember stopping for gas in California in '91 and having to try and figure out what the hell to do.

If it keeps (typically) lower paid workers from being put in dangerous situations, I am all for it.

rrocket · « **Reply #18 on:** February 04, 2008, 09:42:51 pm »

Quote from: barrie1 on February 01, 2008, 02:42:01 am

When it comes to crime levels between the 2 Cities yours wins quite clearly.

Actually, wrong again Barrie. Here's the latest stats from StatsCan (2007 figures not avail yet). Rates per 100,000

LONDON WINDSOR

Total violent crime 755 658
Homicide 1.1 1.5
Robbery 88 70
Total property crime 4347 3609
Break-ins 797 743
Motor vehicle theft 641 291

Total Criminal Code 8137 6754

Most numbers are close, but I was surprised at how much extra car theft there is in London. Wonder why that is?

Source:(http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/070718/d070718b.htm)

Squishy · « **Reply #19 on:** February 04, 2008, 09:47:12 pm »

Well, you do have 0.4 more dead people