One of life's great mysteries (open thread)

Cobra

Cobra

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Putting petrol in my car earlier £30 was the target..
£29:95 gentle squeeze £29:96 gentle squeeze £29:97 gentle squeeze £29:98 gentle squeeze £29:99 gentle squeeze £30:01 b****r!
Why just why?
 
Back when we could use cash, a few fuel stations around here had a saucer for pennies and tuppences for just this scenario - if you stopped at ?.99, you could (and many did) leave the penny or tuppence for those who hit ?.01. I expect there were a few who abused the "system" but if a penny means that much to them...
 
Cobra said:
Putting petrol in my car earlier £30 was the target..
£29:95 gentle squeeze £29:96 gentle squeeze £29:97 gentle squeeze £29:98 gentle squeeze £29:99 gentle squeeze £30:01 b****r!
Why just why?
Click to expand...


Can't remember who (Harry Enfield? Hale and Pace?) did a sketch where the petrol station cashier could push a button to add the extra penny!
 
That's just not a problem I've ever come across. Ever. I can do it every time and I'm frankly amazed that people have a problem with this.



:D
 
Tigger.ufo said:
Can't remember who (Harry Enfield? Hale and Pace?) did a sketch where the petrol station cashier could push a button to add the extra penny!
Click to expand...

NTNOCN?
 
woof woof said:
That's just not a problem I've ever come across. Ever. I can do it every time and I'm frankly amazed that people have a problem with this.



:D
Click to expand...
No matter how gently you squeeze the nozzle it still goes up 2p from 99p The best one is if I get it dead on, and it jumps a penny as the nozzle goes back in the holster.

Tigger.ufo said:
Can't remember who (Harry Enfield? Hale and Pace?) did a sketch where the petrol station cashier could push a button to add the extra penny!
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be surprised if that was true.
Not so long ago well 2 or 3 years maybe, Tesco had a pot of 1p coins at the fuel checkout desk,
telling you to take one if it happened.
I doubt may people did though I'd put mine in the charity box next to it.
After all every little helps :D

edit, just seen @Nod 's post.
 
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I slow right down as it approaches my target, and yes I can usually do it, certainly more often than not anyway :D The last time I filled up was last week at ASDA so I'll see if things have changed next time.
 
At least these days the contactless limit is high enough for a tankful (in most cars!) TBH, I tend to fill up whenever I get down to under 1/4 tankful now I can afford to do that rather than try to hit the £5 limit!
 
Things like fuel, I just pay up - it costs what it costs!

I'm a counter but not bothered what the final count is - lucky really since it's 13 steps up/down the stairs!
 
Nod said:
Things like fuel, I just pay up - it costs what it costs!
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Its a game with me, trying to end up on an even pound.
Technology hates me, I've only just got to look like I'm approaching a self service check out and it shuts down :D
 
I reckon it's because they always proice the fuel at £1.4n.9, ie the .9p rounds up every so many pence
 
lindsay said:
I reckon it's because they always proice the fuel at £1.4n.9, ie the .9p rounds up every so many pence
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I never got that either, how can they sell something with a value, that has no equivalent coinage ?
 
Cobra said:
Its a game with me, trying to end up on an even pound.
Technology hates me, I've only just got to look like I'm approaching a self service check out and it shuts down :D
Click to expand...


The ones in Smiths do that to me so I don't bother and just go straight to the (only) till. Sainsbury's ones usually work for me but I haven't used either in about 2 years!
 
Life's great mystery (for me) is traffic lights. Well over 50% of the time, they change to red as I approach. At least when I'm on a pushbike I can ignore them...
 
Since fuel always goes on credit card -for 3% rebate- I just fill the tank as required, that way I don’t bother about filling to an amount, just to the ‘click’
 
I always try to round fuel up to the nearest pound, with varying success. With the stuff so expensive these days, it's on a hair trigger. I wonder how much fuel you actually get for a penny? It must be like a fume or something.
 
Cobra said:
Putting petrol in my car earlier £30 was the target..
£29:95 gentle squeeze £29:96 gentle squeeze £29:97 gentle squeeze £29:98 gentle squeeze £29:99 gentle squeeze £30:01 b****r!
Why just why?
Click to expand...
With respect Mr Cobra, it's only a penny more, even I'm not that tight and I'm a Yorkshireman :lol:
 
Cobra said:
Its a game with me, trying to end up on an even pound.
Technology hates me, I've only just got to look like I'm approaching a self service check out and it shuts down :D
Click to expand...

It's odd. Lidl self service check out always seems to give me grief - with an assurance that 'assistance' is coming - but I've never had a problem with Sainsbury or Waitrose. Can't speak for petrol stations, we haven't had a car for years.
 
Nod said:
Life's great mystery (for me) is traffic lights. Well over 50% of the time, they change to red as I approach. At least when I'm on a pushbike I can ignore them...
Click to expand...

Or move to South Africa. Red 'robots' are more of a caution to slow down, but it's only a suggestion of course ... ;)
 
MartynK said:
It's odd. Lidl self service check out always seems to give me grief - with an assurance that 'assistance' is coming - but I've never had a problem with Sainsbury or Waitrose. Can't speak for petrol stations, we haven't had a car for years.
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I hate self service machines in general, what annoys me is that if you're buying anything even remotely age rated, even certain magazines, you have to flag down a human to verify your age, I wouldn't mind but I'm well over 25 and look it, surely the self service machines have a camera of some sort?
 
MartynK said:
It's odd. Lidl self service check out always seems to give me grief - with an assurance that 'assistance' is coming -
Click to expand...
The only place I shop with them is Tesco.
And yes I agree it takes an age for someone to reset the damned thing..
Its often quicker to go to a person, even if there is a couple of people in front of me..

MartynK said:
Or move to South Africa. Red 'robots' are more of a caution to slow down, but it's only a suggestion of course ... ;)
Click to expand...
I've seen "Chappie" great film ;)
 
Cobra said:
Putting petrol in my car earlier £30 was the target..
£29:95 gentle squeeze £29:96 gentle squeeze £29:97 gentle squeeze £29:98 gentle squeeze £29:99 gentle squeeze £30:01 b****r!
Why just why?
Click to expand...

I gave up doing that and stop at..eg..£29.98 but,as with most people I prefer to round up to the pound.

Maybe that extra 1p is ,infact, air.There was an inquiry once by a consumer body or a watchdog who suspected that drivers were not getting as much as they paid for because when you initially pull the hose trigger the up-flowing petrol/diesel pushes air infront of it which activates what I assume is a counter wheel.
 
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JohnC6 said:
Maybe that extra 1p is ,infact, air.
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I hadn't thought of that, but you maybe right, as the hose is full not the "trigger"
 
I shake the nozzle after filling. Not so much to get the last wee drops out as to stop it dribbling down the side of the car!
 
Double entendre? Moi? :P
 
The car wouldn't fit.
 
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