Gas Station Protocol

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Boy, no sooner do you guys make a thread about gas station security...

Yesterday I went to get gas and waited until I could get the front position at a pump as was mentioned... I locked the lever on the nozzle to let it pump and was cleaning my windshield. Comes a guy in one of those monster truck things and says "Could you move your car to clean your windshield, I need to get this vehicle to my customer." This made no sense to me, not least because that was not the only pump at the station and others were open. I said "I'm refueling my car." He looked at the pump and said he thought it was done, I said I was almost done cleaning my windshield. Then he got out of the truck and went to the cashier. I kept my eyes on him the whole time. I finished refueling and took my receipt and as I was getting back in the car he started running back toward me. I never locked my car so fast in my life, thankfully the lock is on the dash just to the left of the steering wheel, no reaching around needed, started it and drove off, continuing to look to see if he was following me, which thankfully he didn't. In retrospect the other part of his story that made no sense was that if he was taking that vehicle to a customer, how was he going to get somewhere afterwards.

Of course the whole thing could have been completely innocent, but it also could have not been. In any case I was very happy for all the posts I've read here about situational awareness, thank you very much.
 
I always use the perimeter pumps, too. I never let my tank get below half a tank, so I gas up quite often. Keep the car to my back and keep my head on a swivel. If there is a positional latch on the nozzle, use it so that you have your hands free. Your car and the pump will provide marginal cover, but don't rely on that alone.
 
Generally you know when you are pulling up, whether you should or should not proceed with pumping.

If you see a definite threat, then continue on to a different station.

If a threat pulls up while you are pumping, make eye contact and convey the fact their life is valued at less than the lint in your pocket.

Propping car doors, etc, doesn't address the root problem. Avoid the predators when possible. Convey you aren't an easy target when avoidance fails. Seize the initiative when deterrence fails.
 
I keep aware of the people around me while I'm out of the truck and my right hand in my pocket (which has my pistol in it), just in case of a problem.
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Yep. That's exactly what I do, out of force of habit my hand stays on my pistol even when I'm in the store waiting in line and any other time I'm standing around not using my hands. Around here if you see someone keeping a hand in a pocket, or a lady with her hand in a purse, it's a good bet they're ready for trouble.
 
Can't say I have any real procedure, mostly just common sense stuff.

Don't wait till you NEED gas to get it, fill up during the daytime, avoid gas station in sketchy parts of town.

I mean, it's not rocket science here, it's getting gas. Don't flash a giant wad of 100 dollar bills in the hood at 3am and go inside with the key in the ignition and car running.
 
My gas station "protocol"

My gas station protocol, if you can call it that:

I pull up to whichever pump is available and convenient. (When pulling a trailer, convenient is more important than first available.) I park, shut off ignition, take keys with me. I pump gas. Sometimes I wash the windshield. I almost always pay at the pump with a debit card, although, I often go inside for a soda. I lock the truck if I go inside. On occasion I will engage in conversation with others nearby, especially if they are driving or towing something I like. Often, when towing my boat, someone will engage me in conversation about it. Once all of that is done, I get back in my truck. If no one is waiting for a pump, I will figure out my gas mileage and then reset my odometer. If there are people waiting, I will do that after pulling away from the pump.

That's pretty much it.

If something or someone were to make me feel uncomfortable or unsafe, I immediately stop pumping gas, I forego the soda, and I immediately leave. But that almost never EVER happens. (At least at gas stations; on 4 occasions in the past 10 years, it has happened inside businesses where I just got up and left.)
 
sdlsaginaw said:
I'm really completely safe. I've printed out the assault statutes and will assertively read them to the attacker. If they come at me with a gun I have a $50 gift certificate to trade them for it. As a last resort I have a high resolution picture of a bullet spraying AK-47 death machine with the thing that goes up to brandish.

Actually, since I live in no-self-serve Oregon I'm pretty much a sitting (literally) duck.
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Are you saying that there is a law that says you can't pump your own gas?
 
> annoying video screen playing commercials at every pump.
> While I can ignore the distraction I can't turn down the sound.

A station I used for years got those pumps, with the sound turned up well past the point of pain.

I started using a different station. Not as convenient, not as cheap, but at least they weren't deafening me with advertisements for things I not only had no intention of buying, but were now on my boycott list for annoying ads.
 
Plan2Live said:
I was reading an article about a Texas deputy who was ambushed and killed while fueling his patrol car at a public gas station. http://news.yahoo.com/sheriffs-deputy-fatally-shot-houston-while-pumping-gas-043751950.html

I thought I would ask THR what their preferred protocol is while refueling their vehicles. I'll describe mine.

The gas station I normally go to is the most convenient location for me and the lowest price for quite some distance. However, they have this annoying video screen playing commercials at every pump. While I can ignore the distraction I can't turn down the sound. I drive a pickup, the gas cap is on the driver's side. I leave my driver's door open in an attempt to limit approach angles. This boxes me in between the truck, the pump, the driver's door and the gas nozzle/gas hose. While I recognize this boxes me in, limiting my ability to flee, I also feel like it limits direct access to me. I can see clearly over the open truck bed. I keep my head on a swivel and even turn my body in about a 270 degree arc as I scan the area.

What do you do differently?

My condolences to the officer's family.
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I just get my gas and pay attention. I don't do anything special like you and others describe with blocking angles with the door, only fueling during daylight, only using buisy stations, outside pumps, etc.

I just...fuel up...it's no big deal.
 
I just...fuel up...it's no big deal.
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That's the way everything is. You just do it and it's no big deal.

Until maybe one day it is a big deal. People often change their ways after being burned once, but that strategy has two major flaws:

1. You may not be around to change your ways if you wait until it's a big deal.
2. It's a rare enough occurrence that it may never be a big deal again in your lifetime.

I like paying attention to what happens to others and taking what I consider to be reasonable actions to either prevent what happened to them happening to me, or at least to help minimize the impact.

For example, a friend of mine had her house burn down one night some years ago. She and her family found themselves standing in their front yard, in their pajamas, watching their house burn down. The cars burned too because they had to get out so fast they couldn't spend time looking for things like car keys and couldn't get the cars unlocked to move them away from the house in time to save them. They ended up with nothing, no DLs, no credit cards, no cash, no keys, no cars. Nothing.

Since that time, I put my wallet and car keys in my pants every night before I go to bed and put my pants in the same place every night so I'll know where they are. I also thought through what I would do if I wake up and the house is on fire and discussed it with my wife. Just so we don't have to try to come up with a plan in the middle of the night in the middle of a fire. It's not a foolproof scheme, but I figure that even that small amount of preparation gives me a little better chance of not ending up in quite as bad a situation as they did. And it costs me almost nothing.
 
JohnKSa said:
That's the way everything is. You just do it and it's no big deal.

Until maybe one day it is a big deal. People often change their ways after being burned once, but that strategy has two major flaws:

1. You may not be around to change your ways if you wait until it's a big deal.
2. It's a rare enough occurrence that it may never be a big deal again in your lifetime.

I like paying attention to what happens to others and taking what I consider to be reasonable actions to either prevent what happened to them happening to me, or at least to help minimize the impact.

For example, a friend of mine had her house burn down one night some years ago. She and her family found themselves standing in their front yard, in their pajamas, watching their house burn down. The cars burned too because they had to get out so fast they couldn't spend time looking for things like car keys and couldn't get the cars unlocked to move them away from the house in time to save them. They ended up with nothing, no DLs, no credit cards, no cash, no keys, no cars. Nothing.

Since that time, I put my wallet and car keys in my pants every night before I go to bed and put my pants in the same place every night so I'll know where they are. I also thought through what I would do if I wake up and the house is on fire and discussed it with my wife. Just so we don't have to try to come up with a plan in the middle of the night in the middle of a fire. It's not a foolproof scheme, but I figure that even that small amount of preparation gives me a little better chance of not ending up in quite as bad a situation as they did. And it costs me almost nothing.
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I thought I was the only one :)

I don't know that there was any one given situation for me, or if it's just my personality, but I keep all the important stuff like keys, wallet, etc, in my pants. I'll always set up my next pair of pants the night before eventhough I don't set out other clothes.

In the event of an emergency, which fortunately have been few and far between, all I need to remember in that groggy half-awake state is to put my pants on.
 
JohnKSa said:
1. You may not be around to change your ways if you wait until it's a big deal.
2. It's a rare enough occurrence that it may never be a big deal again in your lifetime.
Click to expand...

“Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”
― Otto von Bismarck
 
Gassed up just before noon today (2.13 gal) always daytime . I choose the outside pump, but in all of this situational awareness (big topic I know ) is the key.
 
Some things I noticed:

1. Some of you live in scary places. Or you're a little paranoid.

2. Many of you have the "I didn't see anything" attitude. Wasn't there a quote that is along the lines of, "all that is necessary for evil to prevail is good men do nothing"?

3. If you avoid the low-tank situation, you will be at these dangerous places more often.

Not trying to start a war. These thoughts just came up as I read the thread.
 
Actually, since I live in no-self-serve Oregon
I'm pretty much a sitting (literally) duck.
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I lived here five years ago.

Then I migrated to (see 'home').

I'm back for a short visit.

Trunk Monkey is correct: by law, one cannot pump gas in this state.

It seems to be a law designed to ... support slackers.

I can't wait to get back home.
 
You know a bad gas station when you see it.

Avoid them.

Go to a well lit, well maintained station in a nicer area. Busy is good too. Avoid stations with excessive loitering. Some of you guys have been getting gas longer than I've been alive and know this stuff.

Sometimes though, your ticket will get punched and there is nothing you can do about it.
 
When traveling with my sons we fan out while gassing up... we do a warfaces convergence on any aggressive panhandlers or dindonuffins and it scares them away fast. Broke down at night in an area that rapidly changed from sketchy to BAD quickly while at the station making repairs at the back of the lot. My son and I had worked out our tactics and he deployed around the back of the car with his hand inside his jacket when we got approached by a couple of twitchy scholars in sweat pants and tied up canvas sneakers. They showed their hands and backed away having "just needed a light". We, and they were all communicating quite clearly :D
 
-get a car with a remote starter key fob w/ panic button or have it installed.

If you decide to leave it running somewhere and someone jumps in, it shuts off when the brake pedal is pushed. So if you decide to let it run, turn the ignition off and remove key. Close door and hit remote...will run for 5 minutes and shut off if key isn't inserted.

-take the ignition key out and lock the doors when you get out. If alone, make sure all other doors are always locked whether in or out of vehicle.

-If someone strange starts coming over while pumping or loading groceries. Just shut the door and covertly push the panic button/lock. The noise will be unwelcome and they will not want witnesses. Just look stupid, like the alarm has a mind of its own.

-If buying something with cash, remove bill and put in a front pocket so you are not thumbing through a wallet filled with cash.

-Pay with debit at the pump. It's easier to see people coming, instead of walking into a crowd.

-Don't ever stop at places with hang-arounds, homeless, drug dealers, drinkers milling around. Stupid people do stupid stuff. Trust your gut, forget being politically correct.


-If you go inside and left the door unlocked, LOOK FROM INSIDE FIRST. Close female had a guy sit inside her car. She saw the guy, walked up, leaned in driver's side window (open) and the guy said get in or I'll shoot you. She got in and was instructed to drive away. It ended ok....pure luck. A co-worker who carries looked over and was wondering what was going on and was waived off "all set"...that could have been interesting. She failed to detect the guy hanging around. DON't go back out until trouble/crowds clear out.

-Look around and see who is looking at YOU! They may or may not be subtle, but will always range you with glances as things start moving.

-if sitting at pump w running car won't cause a riot, sit for a minute and see who isn't moving...coming, going, paying, pumping.

-Are you the real paranoid type with no full service stations? Put a can of OC under the tank door. Tape, magnet, whatever.







.
 
I have 1 gas station 10 miles others are 17 and 20 miles . Country store Town about 500 people . Not much crime to worry about. I go when one of my daughter's are working when I stop she has already reset pump. .

I don't travel much any more Stay with in 30 miles of home. except 1 week end a year
 
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