A Lesson for the New Year

Normally on New Year's day, one might want to reflect back on the year before. Or perhaps, share some resolutions. Or even, reflect on their hopes and dreams for the year to come. My dear readers, you are in luck. I will not be sharing any of that with you today, but instead will be talking about something close to my heart.

Gas Station Etiquette

Yes. You read that correctly. There is an unspoken etiquette for gas stations and when people don't follow it, it causes disarray...well, and for people to get pissed off.

I drove into a busy gas station the other day and picked a vehicle to wait behind. A mini van. Sure it doesn't matter what kind of car, but it just gives me another reason to dislike mini vans (sorry all you mini van lovers out there). This particular mini van wasn't pumping gas and everyone was in the car...all three of them, that is. So I sit and wait. About 90 seconds into the waiting, the driver side door opens and out pops dad. Dad opens the back door and gets out son. Then mom gets out and dad proceeds to walk son to mom and get them clear of the dangers of the gas station. Mind you, son looks about ten years old. Does dad really need to be protecting son and mom at the gas station? Then dad starts thinking about pumping the gas. At this point, I am totally committed to waiting for this pump and I am getting annoyed.

Now we will move on a little further in the story as you really don't need a full blow by blow of my gas station experience. Since dad was taking so long, I turned off my car. When dad finished pumping gas, much to my surprise, he turned on the mini van and drove off. I thought for sure he would wait at the pump for his wife and son. Three points for dad mini van for doing something good!

While turning on my car and beginning to drive forward an old lady tried swooping in from the other direction to steal my pump. Mind you, every single pump had a line behind it and every single line went the same direction as I was waiting. Old lady apparently didn't want to wait. Hands were thrown in the air, cars were not rammed (though I considered it) and I ended up pumping gas in my car a few feet away from the gas pump as old lady refused to back up her car and I refused to allow her to pump before me.

I say all this to teach a valuable lesson in gas station etiquette. Always think of others. Be quick at the pump when it is busy. It isn't a parking spot, but rather a place to get gas. Wait in line and don't try to steal pumps from other drivers. You don't want to piss off the wrong person around all that flammable liquid!

Oh, and Happy New Year!!!
2011 is bound to be a great one.