46 replies to this topic

[hannibal]

So wondering what is the best way to get gas for my car. Currently I drive past a service station that can do it for you but cant always rely on that. Wondering what most people do?

[russ1]

I generally get out of the car and fill it up myself just like any able bodied person unless I have someone in the car with me.

[hannibal]

I unfortunately can't do that.

[Ches]

I'm fortunate enough to have a few friends that work in this Travel Center, that includes gas and a Starbucks..

By law (in the U.S.) IF the gas station has 2(+) attendants working, they are required to help. I suppose in a worst case scenario you could just pull up to a station, call inside.. or roll inside and ask.. Or hit up one of the people pumping gas!

Might I just add, I HATE those pay at the pump machines, I cant reach nor read the screen. I suck at pumping gas too, I always end up spilling it all over myself - I dont have the flow down yet.

[Soryfam]

You might want to contact the gas station you like to use and ask management if they can work something out for you. Another option might be to call United Way and see if they might have a volunteer who couold meet you at the gas station. Here they have volunteers who do grocery shopping, yard work, meals on wheels, etc. Let us know what works.

Sandy

[wheelie182]

russ1, on 08 January 2012 - 04:47 PM, said:

I generally get out of the car and fill it up myself just like any able bodied person unless I have someone in the car with me.

Interesting. I've often thought of doing this as I have horrible trouble relying on the people at the station to do it for me. They either pretend not to see me or give me attitude when they do come. Currently I just always get my passenger to do it whenever I give someone a lift.

I'm quite happy to do it myself, but I know the kind of looks I'll get when the people behind see me begin to assemble a chair.

How long does it take you to get in/out?

[russ1]

wheelie182, on 08 January 2012 - 05:39 PM, said:

russ1, on 08 January 2012 - 04:47 PM, said:

I generally get out of the car and fill it up myself just like any able bodied person unless I have someone in the car with me.

Interesting. I've often thought of doing this as I have horrible trouble relying on the people at the station to do it for me. They either pretend not to see me or give me attitude when they do come. Currently I just always get my passenger to do it whenever I give someone a lift.

I'm quite happy to do it myself, but I know the kind of looks I'll get when the people behind see me begin to assemble a chair.

How long does it take you to get in/out?

Usually about one minute, sometimes less, never more than two. Although I do tend to (if possible) avoid those stations where cars line up behind each other for two or more pumps, Supermarket stations are good for having loads of room usually. If you want to pay by card and have a chip and pin then you have to get out to pay anyway.

I do get some strange looks when after filling the car I proceed to get 4 jerry cans out of the boot to fill with fuel for my Microlight!

I'd recommend just doing it! It does increase your independence and you can choose your sweets when you pay:) and I'm convinced it's quicker getting out rather than waiting for assistance. I did used to ask others filling up to ask at the cash desk for assistance for me sometimes before I got in the habit of doing it myself.

Russ

[wheelie182]

I'll try it

[airart1]

in the united states, there is a handicapped button on the pumps, u just push it and they come out and fill it up, but why can't you get out of your vehicle being a t-7 imcomplete and fill your vehicle up, i know a dozen quads that fill their own tanks.......just curious why an incomplete couldn't fill up their vehicle...........

[hannibal]

airart1, on 08 January 2012 - 06:56 PM, said:

in the united states, there is a handicapped button on the pumps, u just push it and they come out and fill it up, but why can't you get out of your vehicle being a t-7 imcomplete and fill your vehicle up, i know a dozen quads that fill their own tanks.......just curious why an incomplete couldn't fill up their vehicle...........

Well I cant stand right now unless with its a walker and both hands on it. I am having diffculty right now with standing and walking. Its kinda complicated, but the recent surgery I had took a lot out of me.

[A trophy guy]

Ches, on 08 January 2012 - 05:33 PM, said:

I'm fortunate enough to have a few friends that work in this Travel Center, that includes gas and a Starbucks..

By law (in the U.S.) IF the gas station has 2(+) attendants working, they are required to help. I suppose in a worst case scenario you could just pull up to a station, call inside.. or roll inside and ask.. Or hit up one of the people pumping gas!

Might I just add, I HATE those pay at the pump machines, I cant reach nor read the screen.. I suck at pumping gas too, I always end up spilling it all over myself - I dont have the flow down yet.

(bolding mine)

I feel ya there! They put them up so freakin' high! WTF!

Anyway, yeah I pump my own gas. Other than the "pay at the pump" machine idiocy, I really have no trouble. I've never noticed anyone giving me looks or anything. I've seen those handicap signs telling me I could just honk my horn and the attendant would come and pump my gas but I always thought that was silly. For me, at least.

[airart1]

if you need it, you need it, your strength should come back to yea, hopefully hannibal, do you not use a wheelchair at all?

[hannibal]

airart1, on 08 January 2012 - 08:52 PM, said:

if you need it, you need it, your strength should come back to yea, hopefully hannibal, do you not use a wheelchair at all?

yea I have a chair, just learning how to get that in and out of the car.

[Heretic]

I have the numbers of one or two local stations and call them when I am on my way. But if I can, I get a family member to help out. Never done it all on my own but I'm sure I could if I needed to (unless there's a step in the way). One guy I know hands his card over and tells them his PIN! Safe if you have a debit card for the sole purpose, perhaps.

[pistol_pete]

You'll eventually be able to get out of the car in your chair, just takes practice.
I just do it myself. I don't give a shit if people behind me get annoyed at the extra time it takes me to get in and out. I need fuel so they will have to wait a whole extra two minutes.
I've had people offer to do it for me, but I still need to get out and pay at the counter so decline their offer. I'm hardly going to give a complete stranger my bankcard and PIN number.

[jenny407]

'People get annoyed' if they have to wait for a few minutes (or longer)? Excuse me??? They have no right to get annoyed - and perhaps most of them don't. Pity those who do - they still have a lot to learn.

I'd be careful with trusting complete strangers, too.

[Ches]

airart1, on 08 January 2012 - 06:56 PM, said:

in the united states, there is a handicapped button on the pumps, u just push it and they come out and fill it up, but why can't you get out of your vehicle being a t-7 imcomplete and fill your vehicle up, i know a dozen quads that fill their own tanks.......just curious why an incomplete couldn't fill up their vehicle...........

Don't get them excited.. truth is; That button can only be reached if you get OUT of the car or have a stick with you!

[Grinch83]

Move to Jersey...all stations are full service!

[Speed]

I drive a Ford Expedition with a 2" body lift....I just get the wheelchair out and pump the gas myself. And yeah, its a pain in the butt and if somebody is with me I will let them pump the gas, but most of the time I am by myself.

Honestly I would say that if you cant get out and pump your gas yourself then you probably shouldnt be driving. What happens if your car catches fire? what happens if you get in a wreck and need to get out of the car? I think there is a safety concern here. You need to be able to be a bit more independent before being behind the wheel of a vehicle. Just my opinion though.

[edlee]

While I am fully capable of pumping my own gas,, and do when my wife isn't with me,, I doubt I could transfer from my seat to my chair, deploy my ramp, and roll to safety in the event of a fire,,,and I certainly couldn't get out,, tho I'd sure try,, in the case of an accident that disabled the doors where my ramp goes out ,, but I'm gonna drive anyway. Pumping gas is a minuscule part of the Independence one gets when able to drive on their own. Not being able to get out in an emergency is just another risk we have to endure.

You ought to consider trying on your own occasionally, Hannibal,, it doesn't matter how long it takes or how messy you are. You'll love the knowledge that you can.
ed

Edited by edlee, 09 January 2012 - 05:46 PM.

[mcferguson]

I used to call the gas station when I got to a pump, but now I just do it on my own. I actually like the pay at the pump, I haven't had any trouble reaching things.

A couple weeks ago, I noticed a truck waiting for me to get out before he pulled up to the pump. He couldn't pull up because my door was open too wide. After I went around to the passenger side to fill up, he pulled next to me and went inside to prepay. I finished pumping and came back around to find I couldn't open my door to get in because he was too close. So I knocked on the passenger door and asked that he pull forward so I could get in my car. He pulled forward and waited while I got back in my car, then he backed up to pump his own gas. It didn't bother me in the least that he had to wait to pull up or back.

[airart1]

Ches, you got me there, some are very hard to reach, some are not though...........

[Ches]

airart1, on 09 January 2012 - 07:22 PM, said:

Ches, you got me there, some are very hard to reach, some are not though...........

Can't say I look at every station, but the few I've taken the time to notice are usually centered between two pumps, on a pole..

[airart1]

i've always just seen them on the pumps....but i'm sure they have them wherever, i don't use them so it's not something i look for everytime i fill up.......

[mellowgator]

well today i needed gas and i had just read this topic. i drove through 2 stations looking for someone who could help then decided "why not just give it a try".so i swiped my card and read the directions and low and behold i filled my tank myself and it was the first time i've done it in 25 years.

it felt good that i was able to do this and i didn't get wet or have an issues.

that's another 1st for me.


mellowgator

[A trophy guy]

mellowgator, on 11 January 2012 - 01:19 AM, said:

well today i needed gas and i had just read this topic. i drove through 2 stations looking for someone who could help then decided "why not just give it a try".so i swiped my card and read the directions and low and behold i filled my tank myself and it was the first time i've done it in 25 years.

it felt good that i was able to do this and i didn't get wet or have an issues.

that's another 1st for me.


mellowgator

Well I glad you finally bit the bullet and did it! Good for you! I have to say, though, I am a bit amazed that you have lived twenty five years of your life without even attempting, or thinking you could, get your own gas for your car. What good is life if you are too scared to live it?

[airart1]

yeah, there ya go, mellow !!!!!! see there's always a first for us all !!

[quadinva]

Speed, on 09 January 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

I drive a Ford Expedition with a 2" body lift....I just get the wheelchair out and pump the gas myself. And yeah, its a pain in the butt and if somebody is with me I will let them pump the gas, but most of the time I am by myself.

Honestly I would say that if you cant get out and pump your gas yourself then you probably shouldnt be driving. What happens if your car catches fire? what happens if you get in a wreck and need to get out of the car? I think there is a safety concern here. You need to be able to be a bit more independent before being behind the wheel of a vehicle. Just my opinion though.

I could throw myself out of a burning car just as well as you could, whether I have the dexterity to swipe a card/work the nozzle or not. Im glad your opinion doesn't count during driving exams, as I am one hell of a quad-driverif i do say so myself.


-Bags

[mellowgator]

A trophy guy, on 11 January 2012 - 01:39 AM, said:

mellowgator, on 11 January 2012 - 01:19 AM, said:

well today i needed gas and i had just read this topic. i drove through 2 stations looking for someone who could help then decided "why not just give it a try".so i swiped my card and read the directions and low and behold i filled my tank myself and it was the first time i've done it in 25 years.

it felt good that i was able to do this and i didn't get wet or have an issues.

that's another 1st for me.


mellowgator

Well I glad you finally bit the bullet and did it! Good for you! I have to say, though, I am a bit amazed that you have lived twenty five years of your life without even attempting, or thinking you could, get your own gas for your car. What good is life if you are too scared to live it?

honestly, i've never known of a para or quad pumping their own gas. i also usually have one of my daughters or my husband pump my gas. i also have lived all these years in town with a full service gas station and they always run up and start pumping when they see me. what has changed is that the station underwent renovations and now you pay inside. also i'm a girl and a quad and i've never been expected to do it plus i always thought i'd get gas all over me.

i probably won't start making a habit of getting my own gas but if i don't have a pumper in the future i'll just handle it.

mellowgator

[A trophy guy]

mellowgator, on 11 January 2012 - 01:58 AM, said:

A trophy guy, on 11 January 2012 - 01:39 AM, said:

mellowgator, on 11 January 2012 - 01:19 AM, said:

well today i needed gas and i had just read this topic. i drove through 2 stations looking for someone who could help then decided "why not just give it a try".so i swiped my card and read the directions and low and behold i filled my tank myself and it was the first time i've done it in 25 years.

it felt good that i was able to do this and i didn't get wet or have an issues.

that's another 1st for me.


mellowgator

Well I glad you finally bit the bullet and did it! Good for you! I have to say, though, I am a bit amazed that you have lived twenty five years of your life without even attempting, or thinking you could, get your own gas for your car. What good is life if you are too scared to live it?

honestly, i've never known of a para or quad pumping their own gas. i also usually have one of my daughters or my husband pump my gas. i also have lived all these years in town with a full service gas station and they always run up and start pumping when they see me. what has changed is that the station underwent renovations and now you pay inside. also i'm a girl and a quad and i've never been expected to do it plus i always thought i'd get gas all over me.

i probably won't start making a habit of getting my own gas but if i don't have a pumper in the future i'll just handle it.

mellowgator

I've never done anything but pump my own gas, I've never even thought about having someone else do it for me, it never even occurred to me. For one, I think it is smart to be able to at least know how to pump your own gas, because you never know when you are going to have no one else but yourself to depend on. So it's good that you have that "under your belt" now. ;)