Jeremy's trouble at the pump in America at a British company

martineb72

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2006
Messages
75
Location
Dallas, TX
Car(s)
Mazda Miata
I read about Jeremy's article about his time in America, and he mentions needing an american 5 digit Postal code. Well I found a gas station that needed it. It was at a Shell, ie British Petroleum Shell. It says for customers from outside of the US see attendant, which would be fine when there is an attendant. But many gas stations run 24hours, but is only manned half of that time. I thought that must be a pain.

Then I thought hey isn't this a British owned company? Yep, and it wasn't even a franchise station, that land and station is owned by a British company. Which I thought is hillarious when thinking of Jeremy stuck at a gas station that is owned by the Brits but won't give a Brit his petro.

Martin
 
Strange enough he has never experienced it in England. Weird.
 
Re: Jeremy's trouble at the pump in America at a British com

Re: Jeremy's trouble at the pump in America at a British com

martineb72 said:
I. Well I found a gas station that needed it. It was at a Shell, ie British Petroleum Shell.

Then I thought hey isn't this a British owned company? Yep, and it wasn't even a franchise station, that land and station is owned by a British company. Which I thought is hillarious when thinking of Jeremy stuck at a gas station that is owned by the Brits but won't give a Brit his petro.

You got something wrong there. It's BP British Petroleum or Royal Dutch Shell. So what is it? :roll:
 
It's become an unfortunate thing in many areas to prevent fraud. One of the easiest and quickest uses of a credit card that's stolen -- before it gets reported and cut off -- is to fill up at gas stations.

But consider this -- in most places in the UK I've been to, you can't pay at the pump anyways! (of course, Clarkson is just razing rabble, so why should we inject logic? :) )

Steve
 
who gives a shit, stop trying to start USA Vs The World arguments
 
My mistake. I thought Shell and BP merged. I am suprised that they haven't. Since everybody else has. So it is the Dutch's fault. Would have been funnier if they were British though. That would make a great skit of Jeremy late at night trying to fill his car up, but finding that he can't then having the camera panning up to the BP sign just after he curses 'damn americans'.

Martin
 
I don't understand this. Why the heck does a gas station need your zip code to sell you their product?
 
epp_b said:
I don't understand this. Why the heck does a gas station need your zip code to sell you their product?

security purposes, you enter the worng one you dont get gas using that method of payment PERIOD

prevents anyone from stealing your card and pumping gas
 
niteriyder said:
epp_b said:
I don't understand this. Why the heck does a gas station need your zip code to sell you their product?

security purposes, you enter the worng one you dont get gas using that method of payment PERIOD

prevents anyone from stealing your card and pumping gas
Unless they know your Zip (Post Code). Then you have the problem of trying to persuade the authorities that you were not involved, not likely but possible.
 
security purposes, you enter the worng one you dont get gas using that method of payment PERIOD

prevents anyone from stealing your card and pumping gas

So, uh...use cash?
 
zenkidori said:
no idea. I have never seen this. Probably to verify the billing address of the card.

Exactly the purpose, the Zip you enter must match the Zip of the billing address for the card.

Unfortunately this can backfire on the customer.

Last time I moved I gave my CC (Chase) my new address a week before moving, plenty of time for the change to take affect. After unloading the truck around 10PM I went to fill it up with fuel and to my horror it wouldn't take my new OR old Zip codes. Being my only credit card I was unable to return the truck with a full tank. U-haul charged my CC $80 to fill the tank because I returned the truck empty!! :censored:

Great idea in theory but.....
 
I have never had to give my zip code using credit or cash.
 
DOnt do that zip code post code thing here.. but..

Sometimes as certain stores they ask you for you post code, but i think its more about working out what area people who buy are the shop come from. Than security
 
Top