Double standards p*ss me off!

?I go to the same garage once a week to refuel. I have never had a problem with this establishment. They know me and they know my bike. They have registration recognition software and cameras all over the place. I was at the pump and the guy would not let the fuel come to my pump. He indicated that I needed to remove my helmet. I removed the helmet and he let me gas up. First time this has happened to me. There are no signs up to remove headgear and it was p*ssing with rain. I asked the guy if it was now company policy to remove head gear and he said it wasn't. I left It there. The next week I went back again to re-fuel and the same thing happened. I was really p*ssed off. I closed the cap and went into the garage without putting fuel in. In front of me was a guy wearing a baseball cap and a hoddie (hooded top favoured by gangster types) there was no way they could have clearly seen that guys face.
Q) I asked the manager why he would not let me fuel.
A) In case you drive off.
Q) How manay bikes have driven off without paying?
A)None.
Q) How many cars have driven off with out paying?
A) Numerous.
Q) Did you ask that guy to take his hat and hood off prior to fuelling?
A) No.
I told him it was double standards and I would be purchasing fuel else where. How do any off you feel about this issue? Have you come across it? ps this also happened to me in our local DIY store. I asked the manager there if I as wearing a veil or a hoodie would the ask me to remove it. No.

Here in the states, almost all of the petro stations require you to prepay. No pay, no fuel. For those who are fortunate to have enough credit on our credit or debit cards, we must swipe our card at the pump in order for the pump to turn on. All this with our helmets on. Cheers!

VEGASRIDER

VEGASRIDER said:

Here in the states, almost all of the petro stations require you to prepay. No pay, no fuel. For those who are fortunate to have enough credit on our credit or debit cards, we must swipe our card at the pump in order for the pump to turn on. All this with our helmets on. Cheers!

VEGASRIDER

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What about stores? its funny over hear you can usually only pre-pay in daylight hours. I can understand removing helmets in banks. But come on other places? Its like saying every one who owns a firearm will kill someone.

On occasions, If I know that I'm only going to be in the store for a short amount of time, I will leave it on. I have never been asked to remove my helmet, even inside a bank. I did that once just to see if they would say anything, and they didn't. I have even worn my helmet walking inside a casino, and surprisingly, they haven't said anything yet, so far. I guess you have had some bad luck running into the wrong people. Damn Wankers!

VEGASRIDER

VEGASRIDER said:

On occasions, If I know that I'm only going to be in the store for a short amount of time, I will leave it on. I have never been asked to remove my helmet, even inside a bank. I did that once just to see if they would say anything, and they didn't. I have even worn my helmet walking inside a casino, and surprisingly, they haven't said anything yet, so far. I guess you have had some bad luck running into the wrong people. Damn Wankers!

VEGASRIDER

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A Casino is very funny LOL: that has cheered me up, thanks

I understand that FZ6 riders on the red ones get a lot more respect.
I've never been asked to take off my helmet at a gas station....If I was, I'd go to another gas station.
If I recall correctly, I used to always lock my doors when driving through crime-ridden, gang-infested Berkshire, so it really doesn't surprise me...?

OneTrack said:

I understand that FZ6 riders on the red ones get a lot more respect.
I've never been asked to take off my helmet at a gas station....If I was, I'd go to another gas station.
If I recall correctly, I used to always lock my doors when driving through crime-ridden, gang-infested Berkshire, so it really doesn't surprise me...?

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Bugger me triple standards, the bloody red ones are not only faster, they get treated better. This is aobviously a global conspiracy...... Berkshire I will have you know is a Royal county. As such we have a much higher quality level of scum and scoundrels than the rest of the uk. huff

It helps with the anti-terrorism stuff, or atleast that's what I've been told.
Also, it's for the attendant's saftey....yeah this 'Person' came in and robbed me, but I couldn't see his face (he was wearing a black helmet).

Leave my helmet on, but I use the pay at the pump with a credit or debit card system. I have a speedway gas card, so when I use them when I can.
It is pretty crappy, the thing is most people just do stuff to be butt heads.

I went to Wal-Mart the other day on the bike. I carried my magnetic tank bag in with me. The "lady" at the entrance wanted me to leave my tank bag there with her. She says "Would you like to leave your backpack here with me?" I stopped and said "No, thank you." LOL
She didnt like that, and tried to tell me that I had to. I (I can be a butt head) Told her I didnt have to. That I dont see a pile of purses there, and when I do, I will leave her my tank bag. She got a very pissed off look in her eye, I smiled sweetly, and walked off.

She just instantly assumed I was a shoplifter because I was on a motorcycle.

First post

And it's a sort of rant

Taking a helmet off in a big store, where you will be for a while is fine by me.
The same goes for banks etc.
But for fuel, no way, I will go elsewhere every time.
My local Tesco is where I get my fuel most of the time, and I use the pay at the pump option.
I do this so I will not be asked to take my helmet off.
Last week, this option is not a available, I filled the tank on my BMW R1150R and went in to pay.
Then the cashier tells me she can't take my money, nor let me in (i was already inside) until I take my helmet off.
I told her if she wanted my money she could have it, but the helmet is staying on (it was pissing down).
She refused to take it, I told her to get the manager, he said the same.
Nowhere on the premises is there a sign asking you too remove helmets, so I told him the helmet stays on, if he was refusing my money that was fine by me.
End result, £20.00 worth of petrol for free, and I was asked not to come back.

Neil. :thumbup::Sport:

PS: I suppose I should go and introduce myself in the new member forum now :iconbeer:

Sounds like not much has changed in England since I left in '74....
I remember pulling into a gas station on the M1 on my Bonneville and being refused service because I was a "rocker". sheesh....

OneTrack said:

Sounds like not much has changed in England since I left in '74....
I remember pulling into a gas station on the M1 on my Bonneville and being refused service because I was a "rocker". sheesh....

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Would that be the first services after leaving London at the North circular ??
Many bikers used to run up from the Ace Cafe, fill with fuel, and leave without paying.
It became a bit of a game in the late seventy's.
After all fuel was nearly £1.25 a gallon ($2.50 US)

Neil. :thumbup:

Yes, I think it was the first service centre...there used to be a horrible "restaurant" there that served cold chips, ancient meat pies and a pint-pot of tea for about three quid, which was a day's pay to me back in the '60s.
Even today when I stop at a Self-Serve gas station and fill up my bike, I can sense that the attendants are watching me closer than the car drivers at the pumps. I guess they think even "rocker" grandpa's will fill and dash..:Sport:

It's pre-pay or the card for me unless I'm at my local mart then I pump first. One of the guy working there rides a '07 GSX-R 600 and they know me there.

Neil said:

PS: I suppose I should go and introduce myself in the new member forum now :iconbeer:

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Hi Neil, nice to have another Brit on board :Sport:

Not yet been asked to remove my helmet. At petrol stations, it depends how far I've travelled if I take the lid off or not. If I'm Just off on a ride I don't disrobe. But if I've just ridden 100 miles, it's nice to take the lid of, have a bit of a scratch, scrape some of the bugs of my face - you know the craic.

However, always at my discretion.

OneTrack said:

Sounds like not much has changed in England since I left in '74....
I remember pulling into a gas station on the M1 on my Bonneville and being refused service because I was a "rocker". sheesh....

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Pulling in on the Bonny, That wasn't for fuel was it mate? it was for oil LOL. No nothing has changed its got worse.

pedwards89 said:

Hi Neil, nice to have another Brit on board :Sport:

Not yet been asked to remove my helmet. At petrol stations, it depends how far I've travelled if I take the lid off or not. If I'm Just off on a ride I don't disrobe. But if I've just ridden 100 miles, it's nice to take the lid of, have a bit of a scratch, scrape some of the bugs of my face - you know the craic.

However, always at my discretion.

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Like you mate, I prefer to choose when to de-louse, scratch, fart ect. It’s a matter of personal choice.

the garage i use to refuel (tesco) asked me to remove my helmet before allowing to fuel up so i went into the kiosk and went passed the queue politely and put my helmet on the counter - unbeknown the manager was in the kiosk and the staff member was new - i then left to refuel - paid at the pump went back into the kiosk picked up helmet and asked the sales persons name and managers name who came out of the back and asked if he could assist to which he did i got 4x5p off a full ltr vouchers and an apology, i have never been asked since

Put yourself into the shoes of the store clerk, bank clerk, whatever. How do you feel about a man in a mask entering your store? Isnt wearing a helmet kind of like wearing a mask? It conceals your identity, sure maybe its a bit irrational to think a guy in a helmet is gonna rob you, but its just like if you wear a hat, if you have any manners you take it off when you enter a building, church, whatever. When you buy gas and you pay with a card, it shouldnt matter one iota though if you have a helmet on, they got their money, you got your gas. lol

I usually pay at the pump... if I have to go in I take it off....

heck in FL I never mind taking my helmet off --- especially from May to Oct...