Lids off when buying petrol

[AHarvey]

I am not a biker, but my dad and many friends are and they have no issues with this.

Banks for years as well as many shops demand you take your helmet off before entering, I can't really see the issue with you being asked to do the same for petrol.

Most bikers on the whole are chilled enough not to let this get to them.

 

[rypt]

Then why didnt the OP state this case rather than ranting and losing his temper!

I can't speak for the OP, but when I rode my bike few years back I used to always use the petrol stations that did not mind me keeping the lid on as it was an invonvenience to take it off.

Gloves in helmet, leave visor open, put handlebar through visor hole, sorted.

Dirty, potentially oily gloves into a clean helmet... And this still does not solve the whole "SAFE place where it would not fall" issue, the helmet can potentially slip off the handlebar.

 

[cyclops12]

Why do you think that staff request helmets to be removed?. Someone could fill up and be on their merry way with little chance of being identified. Effectively stealing money.

It's mainly morons on stolen bikes with a jerry can on each handle or whatever and the genuine customers have to pay for it. It's preventative measures and there are very good reasons for it.

EDIT : and as shown by an actual employee they do hold a lot of cash on site.

no its not mainly morons on stolen bikes with a jerry can on each handle
that do pump runs tom
most pump runs are done by car drivers
i can understand getting the hump with abusing the staff as its not their rules they just have to enforce them

as for the cash yes there is a lot on site but the staff cant get to it as the safes are 10 feet under the ground
every time they hit an amount in the till they roll the cash up and put it down a tube in the floor
so the only cash thats in the station is in the till unless the theif has great timing

 

[Fireskull]

Have had it once, but never fueled up there again, tend to go to places like ASDA with pay at pump, but do fill up at a small tesco garage and have never been asked before but have seen others being asked there, but I am local and can go there twice a week so maybe the recognise me

I always used to leave my gloves on my bike, but then a few mates have had theirs stolen and dont fancy £150 gloves being stolen!

 

[Fireskull]

At the end of the day its the companys policy, your attitude stinks, do you think they will lose any sleep over bikers not filling up.

I would guess they should, biking is a big community and chances are most motorcyclists know a lot of other bikers on meets or forums etc, and just like on here if somewhere puts you off you tell others, then why are other bikers going to go there if their going to get aggro.

 

[Flukester]

Would you serve someone at OcUK who refused to remove their bike helmet?

I don't think OcUK sell petrol, but if they did...

No-one in their right mind would go 'shopping' in a helmet, it isn't comfortable. Petrol is to keep your vehicle moving, you're not stopping to browse some store or make a social visit.

I often walk into 'convenience stores' (notice the name ) with lid on for a bottle of wine or nip into chippy / takeaways. Generally no-one has a problem, it's not rude, it's just easier that way.

 

[Flukester]

It's also good manners. But hey, that doesn't mean very much these days to some people.

Basically, you're a lazy oik. I hope you get banned from all filling stations in a 10 mile radius.

Good manners ?, I treat others how they treat me, and though technically they are following there own rule, which is there prerogative, it's not exactly what I would call customer service.

When customer service levels fall below how I expect to be treated, like being singled out on busy forecourt by some chimp on a tannoy, I let them know what I think... it's disgusting tbh.

Maybe I'm a grumpy old man

 

[Von Luck]

Totally agree with the OP - seems like yet another sign of the nations descent into fear and terror at anything outside the norm.

I've ridden for years without ever needing to remove my lid to fill up and now suddenly it's jobsworth city. It's extremely inconvenient to remove - although non-bikers wouldn't appreciate that, so I'll ignore their gumflapping.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Same could be said for moslem women wearing veils and chavs with hoodies and scarves.

Quite, although thats more an argument against those than for helmets.

 

[Flukester]

No he didn't he was rude and unnecessarily gave the staff abuse. This is what is getting peoples backs up.

Why is it that a perhaps small minority of bikers think everybody owes them a favour. It really gets on my ****

It was *&^ing with rain, I was soaked and cold. Just coming home from busy day at work... I got angry, I just wanted to ride in as I always do and leave like all the other customers.

But no, I was singled out and was sat there like a lemon with the filler nozzle in tank and no petrol for me.. of course I was frustrated.

Maybe flipping the bird was rude, but made me feel better.. I was after no favour ?, just some petrol. Don't understand what you are saying.


For the record I'm probably the most polite, mild tempered person in the world, but everyone has a point sometimes where they see red. Plus I hardly over reacted. (im sure the dude behind counter won't be needing therapy)

 

[Nebzor]

I've never actually been asked to remove my helmet when not paying at the pump (the ASDA ~1mi from my house is pay at pump, which is handy.)

It seems rather pointless but if I was asked to remove it I would. After all, it is their shop and so you should follow their rules.

As an aside I do take my helmet off going into actual shops, takeaways etc.

 

[Lopéz]

Maybe I'm a grumpy old man

Definitely Maybe this whole refusal to comply thing is part of the maverick biker image?

Standards have slipped, someone rustle me up a ZXR-750 and a Simpson Bandit, I'm off to do some rolling burnouts whilst flipping the bird at old women down the high street

 

[Snax]

quite a few high horses here.

i am a biker and it is a silly, anal rule.

helmets are desperately fragile. They are made to take a hit once and then to be discarded.

so there are several points with helmets:

a) when do you take them off, at the till? or at the pump? i have had both
b) at the pump, where am i to put my helmet, so that it wont get bashed or covered in corrosive oils?
c) at the tills, do you wan the inconvenience of me spending about 90 seconds fumbling and juggling with wallets, keys, glvoes etc whilst trying to remove my helmet. the queue behind gets very annoyed about this.

wht is it actually protecting? fuel theft? The Irony is that most helmets, when combined with bike and other gear provide a pretty unique combination of items to identify someone with. helmets are also too expensive to throw away an chnge everytime you want to steal petrol

the rule smacks of the old "no mobile phones (because they can cause fires)". load of ol tosh. It doesn do anything apart from annoy bikers.

 

[oap]

This was brought in a few years ago when lots of dodgy motorists/bikers used to routinely bugger off without paying. Since then most garages have cctv to capture your reg plate. I automatically remove full face helmet as a habit from those days, dont really find it a problem tbh.

 

[fini]

A helmet is a type of hat really. Not removing your hat when going inside anywhere is not only rude, but makes you look silly.

 

[Shoei]

Amazed at some of the replies to this.
Never had any problems with taking lid off to fill up, then again only used to take lid off when i went in to pay.
Used to park up, remove gloves, open tank and fill all while sat on bike. So i could keep it up right and get the most fuel in.
Get off bike, remove lid and pay. put on lid and ride off. Simple. Even in winter. Guess knowing i was on the bike the extra couple of minutes lost taking lid off and putting on would be made up on the commute to work.


Supose living in an area that has a very high number of bikes, the garages seem to trust the bikers.

 

[Dolph]

Simple solution, if you don't want to take the helmet off, and they insist, go to another petrol station (no need to be rude or argumentative about it). If enough people feel this way and take action, the market will change to accomadate, assuming a significant enough group taking action.

It's in the power of bikers to create the enviroment they want, the question is, will they be like the moaning non-smokers and not bother to take responsibility?

 

[fini]

a) when do you take them off, at the till? or at the pump? i have had both

When at the pumps seems to be the rights answer - to signal your intent - that you're not a fuel-stealing-chav

b) at the pump, where am i to put my helmet, so that it wont get bashed or covered in corrosive oils?

I assume you have two hands?

c) at the tills, do you wan the inconvenience of me spending about 90 seconds fumbling and juggling with wallets, keys, glvoes etc whilst trying to remove my helmet. the queue behind gets very annoyed about this.

How abouts not standing in the queue until you've taken it off then? It would be completely unreasonable for you to stand there holding the queue up, but I don't think anyone's suggested literally when you get to the till, but rather when you go inside. Ideally you would thus remove it just before walking through the door.

wht is it actually protecting? fuel theft?

Yep

The Irony is that most helmets, when combined with bike and other gear provide a pretty unique combination of items to identify someone with. helmets are also too expensive to throw away an chnge everytime you want to steal petrol

A helmet is still a lot more difficult to recognise than a face, especially on poor CCTV systems. If you are a 'known' offender then your face may give you away to the police immediately whereas your helmet would not.

 

[DreXeL]

A helmet is a type of hat really. Not removing your hat when going inside anywhere is not only rude, but makes you look silly.

LOL @ This. In this weather I often wear a beanie because the heater in the Golf is frankly useless. Do I take it off when I pay for petrol? Do I ****. Infact, it wouldn't even cross my mind to take it off

 

[fini]

You wear hats inside??