I like this one it’s an Everyman thing. Kinda wondering what the most amount of gas someone purchased would be. Or the most anyone spent that you noticed?

This happened at my day job and it was an RV about 32 ft I think it took all 3 lanes on one side and then some.

He got 300+ in gas and then purchased over 100$ in propane. Finally purchasing 120$ in snacks,drinks and food.

$120 in gas station food what on Earth? Was this guy on the run or something?

That's like 2 bags of Durrito's Doritos and a bottle of coke

"Durrito's" i'm dying

You can't get Durrito's without getting some Herrstess Durrnuts too. It's all about that salt and sweet cerrbinatation.

I'm sure you also drink Durret Cerrk (because it has more cafferrne)

I'm more of a Durrcter Perrper kinda guy tbh

Errmaguurrrd, Durrcter Perrper!

XD. This cracked me up.

pretty much. candy was an arm an leg on top of that. we might as well have been running a theatre.

XD no he had 3 or 4 kids in the back I think,and my day manager at AM/PM was a fucking prick most of the smaller food items that AMPM did not personally sell were ramped up in cost. For example you might expect to get yourself a 6-pack of powdered hostess donuts for a cheap and quick snack.

NOPE

Donuts 3 to 8 dollars depending on size

Most candies about 2 or 3 dollars

All bags of chips just under 3 dollars or even more.

even some of the drinks were too damn expensive and we were and I can not stress this enough a refreshing strolls distance away from walmart.

That's amazing lol. Dude must have been in a hurry or just financially questionable.

Or had too much money to blow.

I'm guessing you didn't see many commercial vehicles.

We have a Speedway next to our office (industrial area) and they have diesel lanes jiag for commercial.

Standard fillup on an F650 or Freightliner M2 is 50 gal per tank, per side. So 100 gallons x $4/gallon we were paying on average was $400

I did this every two days on about 5 buses - my credit card would get blocked after the 2nd or 3rd bus so I would have to go and manually swipe the card inside.

This is yes quite common, We would have alot of 50 gallon trucks and utility vehicles come in we even had a big dump truck that almost touched the awning over the pumps and decided he was gonna backfire this absolute beast of a truck into my ear. I was deaf for about 5 minutes and it hurt alot.

But on to the point I would always make it aware to my customers that the card limit on the pumps was there and that if they wanted to go over that amount that they should go inside and get themselves a free drink with the gas.

I've seen similar, but only once or twice.

This was quite a common occurence at my dayshift given we were right at the end and beginning of our town, the highway,backroads,and interstate out of oregon. Lots of big trucks,cars, and RV's

What color is your toothbrush?

If he doesn't come back and answer this I'm gonna be pissed.

Same

I am already a little pissy over it to be completely honest.

Fuck that guy, I hate him

Well maybe I dont like you either. Guys gotta sleep.

Id be more angry about whats on my moms anus man. might want to get that checked out over getting angry about me needin sleep man.

It was purple now its white and automatic.

FINALLY!! Thank you!!!! I am no longer pissed!

Glad to help, would you like to know the color of my floss or pehaps my toothpaste?

Nah, I'm good

you sure you seemed pretty upset. wanna make sure everyone gets something out of this

Yup, I'm sure

Alrighty then I just wanted to make sure have a nice day now you hear.

Why is OP hardly answering any questions? This AMA sucks!

because this OP is human and needs sleep at 3am when it was posted.

You monster

I know how could I cater to my basic human needs. XD

Jesus OP you made an AMA and then only answered 4 questions. What the hell?

Good lord commenter its only as if you think I dont need basic human needs.

Do you have any observations for us on OR and NJ's insane policy of no-pump your own?

I see that there is a COVID-19 related lifting of that in OR, not in NJ I think.

So this is a simple one company's dont give a shit about me or any of the others sadly enough to say. The way it was explained to me is Companys needed a scape goat incase lawsuits came up, so that they could be closed as easily as they were opened by firing the employee that caused the problem and calling it fixed.

And my personal reasoning is because people are fucking idiots. I pump the gas because I remember to take the nozzle out before they drive off. I dont break the machines trying to input card information and first and foremost I am gentle with the vehicles as alot of the customers that would pull in were not.

So the flip side is that I have had pump attendants leave of the filler cap and put gas in a diesel car despite clear instructions for diesel.

I am sure you are super diligent and would not do that. But in my experience pump attendants, being people after all, can be fucking idiots. So I want tp pump my own.

I absolutely understand were your coming from and honestly if that person has as much common sense as I do then I normally would let them get themselves as It wasnt a problem to me, but under managers eyes. never not in a million years because its the law you know.

What was the most weirdest or scariest thing you encountered on the graveyard shift?

Well the thing about our store is me and my clerk often thought it to be mild haunted for comedy's sake to entertain our minds through the night.

But I think the weirdest encounter I had was a pair of young women who were clearly under the influence of something but the smaller and quieter one seemed to be twitching like a jack rabbit and stuttered her speech alot not to mention she looked like hell, she then proceeded to melt down and lose her stamps card.

Somehow it was in the trash and after she bought what she needed she shot up in our bathroom and 20 minutes later and this is what chilled me she sounded and acted like a normal person.

And this is a hard part of my job seeing things I cant do alot about.

Maybe she was going through withdrawals? Or had some medical condition that required her to inject medicine

Going through withdrawals would be the correct answer. Otherwise, dude, no it’s safe to assume she was just a standard heroin addict.

It does make perfect sense for the most part, but I don't get the stuttered speech part.

It was 30 degrees outside and she was wearing yogapants and a thin jacket that may have been apart of it.

Has anyone ever died jerking it in the bathroom?

No not while I working at any of my stores but there was this one couple in a small RV the curtains were closed behind the drivers cabin. I walk up to woman in the window and notice she has some long curly hairs around her face, Didnt think much of it until I went to the other side of the and the guy jumped out of the RV with his cock and massive forest of long curly hair just hanging out for about 2.5 seconds until he realized and zipped up promptly. Three kids jumped out of the back of the RV quickly after.

Not since they stopped letting them take adult magazines into the can.

So someone has, just not recently?

safe to say yes.

Differnt question to everyone else but what kind of music did you vibe to during that shift if any?

Dear God, we were not suppose to have out music out load around customers and we were not allowed to have our own music over the intercom because someone thought "christmas time for my penis" was an appropriate workplace choice.

So we got to listen to the 24/7 circle K radio with circle K ads every other song or so with top re occuring hits like "to late to apologize" and "some other 20 songs I refuse to remember the names of out of pure hatred"

Other than that on our own times it was metal, hard rock, and 80s,90s,amd 2000's hits.

But... were customers not already in a circle K store? what does ads try to get across then?

See my hours went from 10pm to 6am so around the hours of 5 is when ads hit the most amount of people. but most of the ads were about the stupid powdered mocha machine and how they could make you feel like a barrista when in reality you pressed a button. Some of the ads would be about the donuts we didnt even have in store.

I work in a resturant and our staff largely gets control of what music plays and anytime I'm asked what music I want I usually tell them I'm open to almost anything as long as it isn't too repetitive.

When I worked retail I was always glad when the Christmas music started because it meant I didn't have to listen to all the same songs they play the rest of the year.

Well the circle K radio as it was explained to me is less of a radio and more of an automated playlist so that sometimes gets shuffled and sometimes get a new song. Like one night "Jumper" by third eye blind came on and It was like a breath of fresh air.

But I honestly wanted to cut my ears off during christmas season because it was even smaller playlist with even more ads and even less shuffling with multiple versions of the same song.

It wasnt fun but for the most part we did have our own music and it helped the night go by way faster.

Have you been robbed?

Thankfully no, and hopefully not ever.

How effectively were you able to profile people and predict their purchases? Like if you saw someone walk in with a flat-brimmed hat, you'd figure they're probably going for the Monster, or if you saw a lady with pajama pants, they'd be going for a fountain soda refill, etc.

As a former gas station worker, predicting cigarettes was so easy.

Damn right it was because most if not all my customers got a pack so no profiling needed. but yes it was fun to try and guess what that person was gonna get and sometimes we would be right and sometimes we would be so far off the ball park it was insane.

Like we had this guy come in and he looks and talks like a Tyler or a Chad or something to that nature. I am 100% all chips on the table down for this guy buying a monster.

I was so wrong it astonished me because he got a healthy snack and some trail mix but talked like a total Bro saying stuff like "My body is a temple bro, gotta keep it clean man" he was really chill but just had a interesting way of dressing up and holding himself.

I replied to the wrong person but I answered it down there. Sorry Im still fairly new to this reddit stuff

Who were your best and worst regular customers?

MY all time best regular was a cop who drove a lime green prius and was very proud about taking his kids to disney land. He would always be in a good mood and arrive at 5:30 on the dot most days he worked. but the reason he was my most favorite regular out of all of the awesome regulars that I had is because he saw my soaked shoes after having to shovel snow all night and asked what size I wore and then the next week he came back with waterproof Danner's brand boots black polished and everything so that I would stay in uniform. That was the single greatest act of kindness I have ever experienced working there and if he see this all I can say is thankyou.

However on the opposite side things I had this woman come in regulary for a few months and its a real narrative story hidden in the details.

First time she comes in she is a very nice SUV style Cadillac and is breaking up in tears about how her husband is having a heart attack. I get her her gas no problems all is fine and dandy or so I thought.

Second time she comes in she has a her daughter with her and they are not in that fancy cadillac that she was before. I get her gas and while Im doing so she went off on me about how I was being to sassy with her asking for information when I asked in the normal ways I do with any other customer and that I was too rough with her vehicle and my own pumps because they made the sound they always do only under an echoing awning and at 2am where all sounds are heard. She marches her ass right inside and complains to my cashier for the night very loudly almost yelling at him ( He gave no shits what so-ever, but did use the opportunity to mess with me).

After that anytime she came in it was dirty looks and mean comments, that I just tended to ingore half the time sending her on her way when she was done.

Did you ever get any hitchhiker's come through?

More than plenty hitchhikers per say, it was more of a local homeless population trading ciggarettes and a few dollars at a time to get around town. Not very often where there anyone holding a sign up or holding a thumb out.

Did they have much luck? I hitchhike in Europe and it's easy. Would look to do the state's one day. Thinking you're a good person to ask :-)

Wouldnt recommend the states. Not a good way to get around in europe most people have the common courtesy in america. If you have heard about the Hitchhiking robot that was on a mission to capture photos of and hitchhike around the world and successfully did so in europe and the surrounding area but the second it reached america it was scrapped,broken, and tossed onto the side of the road to be found later. So if thats anything to go by I personally wouldnt.

PER SE, just sayin'

Means 'by itself'

I learn something new each day. Thank you.

You are very welcome, and thanks for taking it the right way.

I mean its kinda off putting that you would need to make my grammatical error in such big and bold text but I get where you are coming from, so thankyou for the extra bit of info.

You learn to talk nice in customer service even if you want to bitch slap the mustache right off someones face so I take to having a positive approach towards people these days as It makes things go by smoother.

I got one actual hitch hiker come through and it was a college student ditched by her friends in ashland and she had no way to get back with a final happening the next day. (sounds like some crazy movie plot) She had the sign up and everything but other than that no not really. more just people looking for rides across town.

I was thinking it couldn't have been that crazy... Then I saw Grant's Pass. So, if you could leave Grant's Pass to live elsewhere with no repercussions, where would you head off to?

No reprocussions you say?

Well. I already did move but for different reasons and ended up in new mexico but If I had to choose a place to live again it would be a small or medium house somewhere in small neighboorhood in florida where I could be at peace and enjoy the weather.

1)Live in Florida 2)Enjoy the weather Choose one

Yeah I guess I cant live in florida and enjoy its Bi-polar Tsundere bitch of a weather pattern. So I think I would say enjoy the weather because a nice day really can bring you up and some good scenery and some properly warmed winds can blow away all your stress.

What happens when someone pump their own gas? Does the station get fined or the customer? Is it really that big of a deal if people pump their own gas like the other 48 states ?

So the problem with it stems down to corporate not wanting problems but as for the deisel side of things, Most people who drove one were pricks and insisted on getting their own because they were a Man's Man (not joking legit got told that) But the my station would get a notice if one of the managers saw someone pumping their own gas, although I dont think anyone every got a ticket for it. but as these kind people said it is dependant on the state or station

I've only been to and bought alcohol one time in my life in a US gas station, but they asked for ID. I'm well over 30, and definitely do not look underage. I understand they can get in big trouble, but there are clearly people who are over 21, why ask for ID from these people?

So this was a big problem at our station about lots of people getting but hurt or even refusing to show ID sometimes and it was most often than not becuase alot of people in our immediate area purchase for minors. So to make things less abrasive and more smooth we would start a conversation about the beer or smokes they would be getting and casually throw in "can I get a look at that fancy picture card" or something along those lines. almost everytime without even question the ID would come out and would get approved.

Its really just process that we have to go through or else as you said we can get into lots of trouble.

I was in a gas station and this tough lady had a huge RV. She was screaming that the pumps were off and they cheated her. Big argument goes down and the cops show up. So I suggest we get a gallon container and pump a gallon to see if see was right. The cops told me to leave. What do you think?

Well man working with those pumps as long as I did.

THEY ARE NEVER WRONG.

unless either I or the customer or the fancy PC inside controlling the pumps did something wrong. the only amount of gas that I think those pumps could be able to purposely cheat you out of would be a few cents. But boy let tell you does that 3.25 add up real quick when filling up.

When was the time you felt most in danger, if any?

The time I felt most on edge working the nights was without a doubt the witching hours ( 12 to 1) or as we ended up calling them as the lights would flicker most during these times and the cooler doors would pop open the most.

And sadly during this time was when I had to be outside cleaning the carwash ( yes I know it sounds crazy washing the wash but they went cheap and opted for a manually cleaned drain).

It was about this time that the bar nextdoor was closing and the creeper, the jeepers and the too drunk to walk types were walking about and I honestly couldnt predict if they would behave in or out of my store so It made me feel unsafe at times but I or my cashier were never hurt thankfully.

What do you feel is an appropriate amount to tip in these given examples?

Standard fill up

Fill up with window wash

Just a couple gallons of gas

Fill up and oil check

Friendly conversation with fill up

Super busy today, guys running all around to keep pumps timely

4am not a soul in site, standard fill up

Thanks for what you do, I'm in OR myself and want to be able to properly express my gratitude for the workers in your field.

Well that really makes me happy to hear as I did not often get thanks for doing my job and more yelled at more the stupidest things. but as for the tips it was all on the person but If I was governing this then.

Standard fill up : 2-3$

Fill up with window wash : 5-7$

Just a couple gallons of gas : If your feeling nice

Fill up and oil check : 10$ or more

Friendly conversation with fill up : 5$ more often than not

Super busy today, guys running all around to keep pumps timely : 1-20$

4am not a soul in site, standard fill up : Really if you feel like it

Do people tip gas station attendants?

Yes, Yes they do. I have made almost 80$ in a single day working the day shift at AMPM with the record being 300$ on a christmas day.

On the holidays and on most large propane customers a tip is normally included and its seen as appropiate for the season and doesnt happen on a regular basis much after that but their are days that I would make a lot of tips despite the lack of a holiday.

Grants Pass? Say no more

Didnt think id have too.

Did you ever forget about Dre?

This probably has something to do with my statement on Mozzy or his pre-performers, but I was never introduced to rap culture and thus dont know alot names people and songs outside of me knowing the names of famous rappers.

What’s the strangest thing that happened in the restroom while you were working?

Well as for strange, how does using the sink to fill up a condom and then etching your gang tags into the mirror sound.

How do you do a job 24/7?

Well long story short you dont. the store runs in shifts and mine was just the nightly hours. But it a hassle because we would have to pick up slack from the lazy 2-10pm shift.

Do all the gas stations get their gas from the same source? Or I guess more accurately - is there difference in going to one brand station over the other other than price?

Im not sure but I would assume we did as the same truck and driver came in each time and each time we would chat about lifes troubles and have a cigarette.

Could you give a list of the top 10 weirdest tips you've been given?

well I dont know if I can rank them but I have gotten some weird shit as a tip. But I will compile a list of some of the weird shit I got as tips

1) Methodist Mini Bible, because the lord is greatest tip of all

2) A pair of workers gloves, because I looked like I needed them and quite frankly I did

3)A broken down XBOX 360 and misc parts that went with it, It sadly did not turn on after dropping it off my bike on the way home.

4)A Bike, yes a full blown working speed bike with the thin tires and everything all because I complimented him on the gears.

5)An 80gb Ipod with all the family music on it, Im pretty sure it isnt his because I found the email associated with and made sure to reach out, I even backed up all the songs before formatting and using it.

Other than that it was all weed and money besides the occosional drink or snack thrown in.

Workers gloves seemed pretty nice then.

They did just not covered in....well whatever crap they were covered in.

How are things in Oregon?

Crap my dude.

Can you elaborate on what worried or disturbed you?

well there was alot of things that got to doing that job.

Alot of it was seeing what was going on and not being to do anything about it. For instance I had this woman of a larger frame drive in and she had 3 small kids in the mini van with her.

This is what got me. The van was filled with trash and I could even see a used condom amognst the trash and when the woman went to hand me her card I could see nothing but the fresh needle marks all over her arm. up down and even under they were scratched scabbed and some even infected.

But see I cant just call the cops or DHS because they have a dirty car and some needle marks or I could lose my job. It was explicitly stated to me when starting that if I see anything that I think is without a doubt illegal and that situation needs solving now but If i called the cops and a problem wasnt taken care of and business suffered because of it, that it would be my ass.

So I could go on and on about all the things that disturbed me but what disturbed me the most is I couldnt help when I knew I needed to

What is the craziest thing you've seen?

A woman with a buzz cut walks in with a walmart bag and a can of axe. Asks to use our bathroom then this is where it takes off. She doused our bathroom in axe (no shocker there) Pissed in a cup and left in on the toilet. Sprayed blood on the wall. Shaved her head. Then left.

That is the one of the craziest things I had happen to me during the time I worked there and I was the lucky one tasked with cleaning it as my cashier at the time was deathly allergic to axe.

Blood! Great a hazmat issue. What a bitch.

OH man what a fucking bitch indeed I had to wear a face mask under my bandanna to barely breath in that bathroom and not mention the gloves I had to wear. I even put the contaminated materials in its own baggy, then it was thrown away out back. not a fun night.

Yeah not fun. Used to work on a range had a guy kill himself on it. Hazmat had to be called 20k to clean all the blood off the walls and floor. Fucking sucked.

20k for cleanup thats just not OK, im sorry to hear that someone would take his life like that. Hope things are going better now atleast.

Having grown up in Oregon, I’m not familiar with people tipping the attendants. Makes sense but idk if I’ve ever seen that. In your experience, is it at all common to get tipped?

Well its all on the person and in this case the time of day. On graveyard it was all but not common enough to get tips and be able to buy myself a meal and I eventually found 5$ worth of food that would keep me fed for 8 hours.

However during the day time I would get tipped very often and most days I would walk out with anywhere in the realms of 10 dollars and 60 dollars a day.

Twenty years ago I drove a tow truck and befriended a bunch of graveyard gas attendants. My favorite was a dedicated weed enthusiast who was only 1 semester away from his forestry degree. (I said he was dedicated)

One night I asked him if he was scared working graveyard as down the street an AM/PM station was recently robbed and the attendant beaten with a baseball bat. He replied with something so deep that I was stunned he said it while not high:

Nah, man, ya know what really scares me? Five years could pass and I might be right here having this same conversation with you.

Which I interpreted as his fear of stagnating, or worse, not challenging himself to improve his life by following the path of least resistance. He was equally concerned that I would still be there in 5 years.

Happy to say he is now a forester with the US Forest Service. In Humboldt county, coincidentally.

Hey, u/zionalliance, thanks for reminding me of a cool dude, and stay safe. There are maniacs with bats out there!

Thank you for that wonderfully chilling line. That too was a big a fear of mine and as such I am putting myself through college but it is proving to be hard given the current situations of the quarantine and all.

But we never had a robbery.

Keep going, friend. You never go wrong investing yourself. I hope that record remains unbroken at your gas station.

Me too I would hate to hear about any of the people I knew getting hurt or even killed because of a robbery.

How often were people smoking right next to a pump, and how did you deal with it?

TOO FUCKING MUCH MAN.

at my day job it was nothing but idiots pulling in with lit cigs and even a guy who not only tried to pump it himself but was also smoking a cig while doing it. I would often deal with it like I deal with many problems around the workplace. Make it sound like it wasnt my choice and try to be reasoning.

I would often tell them " Hey man... cant really have a lit cigarette around the gas pumps. as it is one of the rules" then I would slap the big metal sign right next to them about no smoking. but if I was in a bad mood and I would loudly and firmly tell them that no smoking was allowed to make sure that most of the people around me heard me.

Have you been solicited sexual favors?

Wonderful question and no, but I have seen my fair share of tweaker titties and pray to the lord I don't ever have too again.

Used to work nights as a gas station too, almost got sexuality assaulted by a methhead. Ever happen to you?

Thank god no and Im sorry something like that almost happened. The walk there was 0.5 miles and it was quite dark in part of the area that didnt have lighting and more often than not me and my co worker for the night walked to the store together along the highway that lead to the store for safety in groups and good conversation.

But when I left graveyards for a different job the cashier I worked with was still there and was asked when she worked in a more than unappropriated manor. So me and my friends along with her husband all put on bandannas and stood outside the gas station to make sure she was safe that night. We also made sure to not scare customers as that was the last goal and we ended up chillin by the side of the station.

hows it goin stevo?

Stevo! where?

Yeah but sadly no. We didnt even get any famous people in but we did get alot of dead ringer look alikes come into the store.

But I did have Mozzy come into my dayshift store one time or at least the openers for Mozzy. Thats a story on its own.

Where in Oregon?

Grants pass, next to crack junction

How much, do you feel, is an appropriate tip for a gas attendant?

Depending on the situation and what all I do for the customer is really dependant on the tip that I make.

Like i got a 20$ for changing a nice older womans tire. and I got a 20$ for simply telling a good joke.

But I think the appropriated amount to give your local gas attendant would be in the realms of 5 bucks or so as its enough to show thanks and enough to get food or an energy drink which I chugged frequently having it on tap at the AMPM

Thank you, I always worry that I don't give enough. This makes me feel better

Giving anything is enough really because what tips for the workers in oregon at least help pay for minor luxuries like a phone bill or a streaming service but they also help us get food from day to day, so If you have tipped anyone ever just know that you did indeed help.

Do the gas fumes make you feel loopy or high? I joke that people who’ve worked the gas station for decades go crazy from the fumes. You think there’s any reality to that?

Yeah. I do. As I would often state the the fumes were a big part of handling the job. Getting short of breath and light headed often and it was awful because it was never enough to get loopy only create a mild headache and discomfort. But I dont think they would drive you made because after a few months or so you dont really smell the gasoline unless your nose is in it and it doesnt bother you very much.

Aliens? Go on, do tell

Oh those. Yeah we keep those in the back with the monsters and pepsi's behind a bio-metric false door. Yeah area 51 all a cover up. The real shits at your local gas station man.

But on a serious not I do believe in all the vast expanse of space there has to be something right? well one night and particularly the night of the annual daylight savings change. time stopped at least on all of the clocks in the store for an hour and then started counting again which led to our manager asking who over set the clocks and how even we were able to change the time on the POS system.

And during this time we had a single customer who looked like he wasnt from around anywhere local and talk with a strange accent that was something like it might be found locally and like it was from somewhere else all together. This kind gentlemen purchased menthol cigarettes and a sprite then left the store never to be seen again.

Maybe some massive coincidences maybe Aliens. who knows all I know is that shit put me off.

Look I get why the monsters are behind the false door but why the Pepsi?

Annual?

Since you only change your clocks once a year, was it forward or backward on this particular year? ;)

When the clocks got advanced, was it before or after they would have needed changing? Like did he advance them for you, or fuck up all the work you did changing the clocks already?

Maybe changing the clocks and buying a pack was what he needed to do to set right what once when wrong and leap again, hopefully this time he got to leap home. Alien or otherwise.

Behind the pepsi because , come on its the pepsi.

An error

And the clocks stopped for a whole hour before they started ticking again.

It was before they needed changing as most of the clocks in store could change themselves.

Perhaps, let us just hope our strange traveler is safe and at peace.

When I lived in Beaverton a decade ago, I stopped at a station around 4-5am on the way to the airport. The attendant was inside talking to the cashier, so I pumped my own fuel then went in and paid. Shouldn't the cashier been aware someone was pumping fuel and notified the attendant?

If the cashier is talking to the attendant its generally because of something important, and at least the way my stations windows were setup I would be able to see any cars pulling up. So yes the cashier should have notified the attendant about you.

Do you poop standing up or sitting down, or other?

I prefer the sitting down method but the way those toilets look some days I think some people preferred standing up.

Also strangely enough the womens bathroom was always the worst to clean and always smelt like ass or fish.