At the pumps... How do you all handle people asking you for gas money/gas up their car?

[MachNroll]

So recently I was gassing up my Mach 1 at my usual go-to gas station. A guy in a beat up Camry on the other side of my pump approached me and complimented my car. I noted that he was a bit ..... oh, rough.... in appearance. I said thanks and waited a beat and sure enough out came the request; Can I put my pump handle into his car and put in a few gallons because he had no money and needed to travel to so and so place. I replied, "no, " and shook my head and waited to see if the guy was going to push the issue. He didn't and that was that.

How do you all handle this type of situation?

This wasn't the first time this has happened but after dealing with it half a dozen times or so I am at the point that I opine that these guys are targeting the nice car owners specifically. Either because they assume we can afford it or because we would give them gas so that don't mess with the car.

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[ORRadtech]

Pretty much exactly that. Say "Nope, sorry, not today" or something similar.
I will say that I always try to be situationally aware and even more alert if someone does approach me. To the point that I try to unobtrusively move my hand to a more "strategic" location. Carjacking and robbery at gas pumps is a thing and do use distractions like that.

 

[sk47]

Hello; I understand my example will not be the same. A few years ago a neighbor moved and allowed a man to live in his house. The guy became the neighborhood mooch. He sent his young daughter around asking for food such as milk, sugar, eggs and such. I got hit up for school supplies and after a time started saying no. I did find out which school the daughter went to and gave money to the teacher for her school supplies.

The guy shows up with a car one day. Soon enough he spots me unloading a five-gallon gas can for my push mower. He wanders over and asks for some gas. I offer the gas to him for $20 and he was not pleased. He expected me to just give it to him. A thing I had noticed was he was never out of cigarettes or beer. He was young and fit enough to shovel snow most of a day to get out of the driveway but would not have a job. In his case I knew he and the family were on various checks and programs.

Back a few decades ago a man who lived in Smith in Harlan KY had a scheme that eventually backfired. He would park his car in the rural road and stop folks claiming he was out of gas. Trouble was it did not take long for the plan to backfire. Not a big population so we caught on.

But those examples are not to say some folks are in hard times and truly deserve help. Trouble being too many scammers make it hard to know who is taking advantage and who has a real need.

 

[robvas]

What kind of hood gas stations are you going to

 

[PSI]

Same way you did, just tell em no. That said I’ve never had anyone with the nerve to ask me to put gas in their car for them!

Bet he had money for his drug of choice when he wants it.

 

[green97probe]

So recently I was gassing up my Mach 1 at my usual go-to gas station. A guy in a beat up Camry on the other side of my pump approached me and complimented my car. I noted that he was a bit ..... oh, rough.... in appearance. I said thanks and waited a beat and sure enough out came the request; Can I put my pump handle into his car and put in a few gallons because he had no money and needed to travel to so and so place. I replied, "no, " and shook my head and waited to see if the guy was going to push the issue. He didn't and that was that.

How do you all handle this type of situation?

This wasn't the first time this has happened but after dealing with it half a dozen times or so I am at the point that I opine that these guys are targeting the nice car owners specifically. Either because they assume we can afford it or because we would give them gas so that don't mess with the car.

When I'm out in public, I don't want to be bothered. When some random person comes up to me like that, I'm not afraid of loudly saying no or being rude if necessary. Things can happen way too quickly.

I'm not one to trust people that I don't know, and I don't want to become a statistic.

I want to go about my business and get home without incident.

 

[Rollin']

I was approached by a guy with a 2 1/2 gal gas can asking if I could fill it for him. He had a beat up full size van parked off to the side. His girlfriend was walking their dog. He was polite when he told me his sob story and it sounded sincere when he said please.
I thought how far can you get with that can of gas. I said give me a minute but pull your van to the pump. I finished my fill up and parked. I put my credit card in the pump for him to fill his van, which was all but empty. Meanwhile his girlfriend said she was going inside to see if they could give her some water for the dog. I gave her some cash saying I don’t know what they would have in there to feed a dog but get something for it and maybe some sandwiches for you guys.
It took 10 minutes of my day and a little bit of money I could afford to give, but it made me so appreciative of what I have. I chose to believe they didn’t scam me but even if they did I would have some good karma working for me in the future.
Now if the approach was rude or the circumstances a bit sketchy, a simple no thanks would also be ok.
Cheers

 

[MachNroll]

When I'm out in public, I don't want to be bothered. When some random person comes up to me like that, I'm not afraid of loudly saying no or being rude if necessary. Things can happen way too quickly.

I'm not one to trust people that I don't know, and I don't want to become a statistic.

I want to go about my business and get home without incident.

Thank you for your (and thank you everyone else too) response. I feel the same in that I do not want to be bothered when I am out in public. So if some rando comes up to me and it is clearly not the usual car enthusiast, I want no part of it. While I do not live in a bad area, I will note that the community where I live has changed and not necessarily for the better. So, I have been adjusting to the new normal.

 

[LCK22GT]

Same way you did, just tell em no. That said I’ve never had anyone with the nerve to ask me to put gas in their car for them!

Bet he had money for his drug of choice when he wants it.

I've had them approach me at highway rest areas with a story how they're almost out of gas and lost their wallet or whatever. Could I give them some money to buy gas to make it the rest of the way home. When I declined at least one time I remember one became agitated.

I'm a big enough guy, carrying, and wasn't too concerned about my own safety. But I thought man what if that was my wife alone they were hassling. I called 911 and reported them as I was driving off. They're obviously just raising cash for the next high.

 

[wingnutt]

What kind of hood gas stations are you going to

lol…you gotta come down from that big White Castle on the hill to see it


I just tell em, no cash, just card sorry…

that usually stops them in their tracks

 

[sk47]

It took 10 minutes of my day and a little bit of money I could afford to give, but it made me so appreciative of what I have. I chose to believe they didn’t scam me but even if they did I would have some good karma working for me in the future.

I've had them approach me at highway rest areas with a story how they're almost out of gas and lost their wallet or whatever. Could I give them some money to buy gas to make it the rest of the way home. When I declined at least one time I remember one became agitated.

I'm a big enough guy, carrying, and wasn't too concerned about my own safety. But I thought man what if that was my wife alone they were hassling. I called 911 and reported them as I was driving off. They're obviosly just raising cash for the next high.

Hello; The impulse is to help others in need. A problem is too many are out to run a scam on us. happens to us by strangers and even in families.
Some folks get great pleasure from times they are able to take advantage of others. A guy i went to HS with often bragged about how he managed to steal from resturants & bars he worked at in Ohio. He was proud to be able to get over on someone.
Same when had a vehicle to sell. He did sell cars on dealership lots.

Had a family member get the word out she was struggling to pay bills and buy groceries for her son. She wanted money. I showed up at her door with bags of groceries instead of cash which made her mad.
Her father gave her a paid for car for free. I knew about that because i drove the car back to KY and took it to her for him. A plain but decent car in good shape. Less than a year later she shows up at my place with a nice new car. Wanted me to buy it from her as she could not make the payments. She had traded in the free car for the new one. Traded it in for much less than it was worth. Financed the sales tax & insurance and was upside down on the new car. Point being it was a dirty trick on her father to begin with, and she wound up in trouble by her own stupid actions.

A thing also is the true scammers get to feel they deserve the handouts. A boy use to come beg a a fast food drive in in Cumberland KY back in 1965. I called him give me a nickel Willie. One day i did not have any spare money. He cussed me out like a sailor. I agree that you need to be concerned for your own safety.

 

[Pistol_91]

I tell them to get a job and leave.

 

[Hack]

It's been a long time ago, but once I was approached by a guy like this. First it was in the Home Depot parking lot at lunch on a work day. Then later the same day I stopped for gas 3 or 4 miles away and he approached me again with a completely different story. I told him he already asked me previously at Home Depot and he was actually embarrassed and walked away.

I work in not the best neighborhood, but now when I'm getting gas I always do it early in the morning before work rather than later in the day. There are a lot fewer scammers in the am. I also shop closer to home to avoid the hassle/dangerous situations that can occur in a city with an underbudget police department.

 

[Bob Lob Law]

I guess that I don't look approachable enough to ask for gas. LOL I get the "nice car" stuff a lot and car guys talk to me. But, the beggars almost never try me and I'm rather blunt when they do. The junkie zombies have gotten pretty bad around here and they aren't getting anything but an attitude from me.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

Unfortunately in todays world kindness can and in many cases be a health hazard. If my boys or wife are with me there‘s a very definite boundary there. By myself, not quite as extreme but still present. Like many on here I’m sure, cc is like putting pants on. I’ve never been approached in one of my Shelbys, but occassionally do in my work truck. I do most of the time keep my wife’s Bronco filled so she’s not dealing with this at the gas station and especially with my boys in the car. I’m always respectful, regardless of someones situation, but I know I don’t give off the warm fuzzy vibe in certain situations.

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