[Closed] Why can't petrol stations

Ask them if they have the same policy for ladies wearing hijab or burqa.
If you don't get a reasonable response, write to the head office of the company concerned.

Today the cashier even told me it was illegal to dispense petrol if I didn't remove my helmet FFS

That's rubbish. Certain companies have a policy of requesting removal of helmets, but it has no basis in law.

Take the helmet off leaving the balaclava in place and get on with the job in hand. 😀

Only happened to me twice so far & both times managed to trundle down the the next garage 1/2 mile down the road, just hope that one day it'll happen when I have my thermal balaclava on under the helmet to see what happens 🙂

Edit Don Simon - great minds think alike

....it has no basis in law.

Well I know it's stretching it a bit, but they can probably argue that they have a legal requirement to be sufficiently satisfied that you are of a legal age to purchase petrol, and therefore need your see your face or ID.

That is the argument used Ernie, although Morrisons have argued that petrol fumes pose a health risk to helmet wearers.

They seem to go a bit quiet when asked why the same rules are not applied to the burqa.

Are you sure the same rule doesn't apply to the burqa ? I've never seen anyone filling up with petrol wearing a burqa.

Are you sure the same rule doesn't apply to the burqa ? I've never seen anyone filling up with petrol wearing a burqa.

I doubt they'd serve a car driver with no front number plate showing who didn't show his face to the camera either. Given that every robbable place (banks, post offices, off licenses, petrol stations...) expect you to remove helmets before entering the "shop" I don't really see why you are having a problem with taking it off to fill up.

od help any non english speakers who don't understand the muffled tanoy announcement

I think we might have heard about it if nuns, burqa wearers and weekend IRA/UDA/SAS hobbyists were refused petrol.

Are the two things connected?

Yes. If you have to show your face before you can buy fuel, then this should apply to everyone, not just motorcyclists.

How do the drivers of cash in transit vans get fuel, they have helmets visors and stab vests.

Oh ansd whats this stupid idea power rangers have of not getting off the bike to fill the tank, dribling petrol which is inflamable over a hot engine while sitting on it, .

They have to get off to pay though.Unless its asda.

Oh ansd whats this stupid idea power rangers have of not getting off the bike to fill the tank, dribling petrol which is inflamable over a hot engine while sitting on it,

I think we might have heard about it .......

And we haven't because they are never refused petrol ?

BTW nuns don't cover their faces. I don't know about IRA/UDA/SAS hobbyists, but if they do cover their faces, then I would be surprised if they were served petrol - it certainly wouldn't be right.

I doubt they'd serve a car driver with no front number plate showing who didn't show his face to the camera either. Given that every robbable place (banks, post offices, off licenses, petrol stations...) expect you to remove helmets before entering the "shop" I don't really see why you are having a problem with taking it off to fill up

I can see that it may be considered a security issue but when I'm cold & wet & just want to fill up with petrol & go it doesn't half grind my gears, especially when stations just up the road have no issue with it, where am I supposed to put my helmet whilst I fill up then?

I can't find any evidence of anyone, apart from a motorcyclist, being refused fuel because of identification issues.

If the Bobba Fett appreciation society are suffering massive oppression, they've certainly kept quiet about it so far.

I can see that it may be considered a security issue but when I'm cold & wet.......

Did you point that out to them ?

If I'm paying in the station I always take it off anyway, because I'm not a ****. But when paying at pump it's annoying.

Did you point that out to them ?

I lost the will to discuss the matter with the cashier who told me it was "against the law"

I used to commute 80 mile a day on my Fazer. I started using a flip front helmet to get round this. Before I did, I used to argue the toss asking them for somewhere safe to put the helmet when its not on my head. On the bike seat is a nono as it could fall off, wedging it on a mirror damages the inside and deffo not on the floor with all the spilt fuel and sand.
Most pumps dont have a space to put a helmet so all the above applies. Argued the toss with most people at the tills and went to a couple of supervisors and got my way 99% of the time.

project - Member
Oh ansd whats this stupid idea power rangers have of not getting off the bike to fill the tank, dribling petrol which is inflamable over a hot engine while sitting on it,

You don't ride a motorbike I take it??

Sitting on the bike whilst filling up FTW! Especially at a pay at the pump station. It's almost like motogp pitstopping, and if you rock the bike back and forth, you can an extra litre or so in, too... 😈 (this is important when your bike has a sub 150 mile range)

And the idea is to pour the petrol into the tank, not dribble it over the engine. Although even if you did, the engine would need to be seriously hot to cause a problem, petrol's spontaneous ignition point is in the region of 250degrees C.

Quite.

When you don't have a centre stand (majority of bikes these days) you need to keep the bike upright when filling it, i.e. sit on it. My bike only does about 100 miles before the fuel light comes on, so I need to get every last litre in.

I can see that it may be considered a security issue

but when I'm cold & wet & just want to fill up with petrol & go it doesn't half grind my gears, especially when stations just up the road have no issue with it,

where am I supposed to put my helmet whilst I fill up then?

poly - Member

of course it is - it would be very easy to fill a bike and go without paying and be totally anonymous.

If only they had some sort of identifying number- perhaps fitted to the back, in big letters?

blah blah ...power rangers... waffle waffle

Hello Jeremy, love the show, when does the next series start?

I reckon this is one of the things that marks me out as a not real biker. I dont see the problem with taking a helmet off.

Hmm. Just wondering how many experts on here have ever ridden a motorbike....and slightly nonplussed by the burka comments. Some people will do anything to steer a thread towards religion and politics it seems...... 🙂

I can't remember the last time I had to remove my lid, maybe once years ago, and I've done more than the average miles on my bikes.

We have, however, had some remarkably odd attitudes surface just because we arrive on motorbikes. It seems it's still acceptable to use prejudice against bikers. I could tell a couple of stories along those lines. This is where the filling station thing comes from. Prejudice and misinformation from employees.....

PP do you not findit hard to get your wallet in and out of your pocket with your helmet on? I dont always take it off to fill up but do to go and pay.

They have to get off to pay though.Unless its asda.

Theres your answer if you want to keep you helmet on - the Asda by me is completely unattended self service - no kiosk at all. I presumed they were under some sort of CCTV supervision - until one of the machines failed to give me a receipt for £120 of fuel. It took 45 minutes to find anyone inside the shop who could handle an enquiry.

So you can keep your helmet on, shower your hot groin in fuel, never get off the bike, even to pay, smoke a cigar, juggle babies and chainsaws, anything you want. Its a libertarian paradise

This is why i have a open faced lid.

Note for reference: I once over-filled my tank and poured petrol over a hot engine.

It didn't burst into flames but it boiled and evaporated into petrol STEAM while I stood with the nozzle in my hand and shat my pants.

PeterPoddy - Member

Hmm. Just wondering how many experts on here have ever ridden a motorbike....and slightly nonplussed by the burka comments. Some people will do anything to steer a thread towards religion and politics it seems......

Yes, I used to ride an awful lot. Not so much recently.

And it's got cock all to do with religion or politics!
It's about unecessary harrasment of motorcyclists.

Surely if there are rules regarding identification, they should apply to everyone?

Edit, don't know where you live, but this is quite prevalent up North.
Morrisons are a main offender, but sell the cheapest petrol!

We have, however, had some remarkably odd attitudes surface just because we arrive on motorbikes. It seems it's still acceptable to use prejudice against bikers. I could tell a couple of stories along those lines. This is where the filling station thing comes from. Prejudice and misinformation from employees.....

It's about unecessary harrasment of motorcyclists.

But the very necessary reference to burqa-wearing drivers ?

TBH I'm surprised no one has mentioned that Sikhs aren't forced to remove their turbans.........how did that one slip through ?

Or burqa-wearing motorcyclists.

Although on the plus side nuns did get mentioned.

I blame religion for causing discord among road users.

If you dont like the rules they put on paying for petrol go elsewhere. Its their petrol to sell how and to whom they like. Bit like forum mods, their forum, their rules.

But the very necessary reference to burqa-wearing drivers ?

TBH I surprised no one has mentioned that Sikhs aren't forced to remove their turbans.........how did that slip one through ?

Or burqa-wearing motorcyclists.

Although on the plus side nuns did get mentioned.

Well, can you think of another subset of road users who cover their faces?

Oh, and a pathetic insinuation of racism, whilst avoiding the issue is EXACTLY what I'd expect from you. How sad and predictable.

And if your turban obscures your face, you're wearing it wrong.

if your turban obscures your face, you're wearing it wrong

A bit like your nun with the wrong habit then ?

I still think some millage could have been made from the fact that Sikhs aren't forced to wear helmets in the first place and therefore never have a problem when it comes to paying for petrol.

Specially after the tenuous link between non-existent burqa-wearing drivers and helmet-wearing motorcyclists has been made.

And nuns.

I think religion got off a tad too lightly on this thread.

anagallis_arvensis - Member
I reckon this is one of the things that marks me out as a not real biker. I dont see the problem with taking a helmet off.

First they complained that they were being forced to put helmets on, now they complain they're forced to take 'em off 🙂

[IMG] [/IMG]
Sleep well, for tomorrow the petrol theft begins!

put an obvious sign up

For the OP:
Why not have your own sticker made and attach it to the top of your fuel tank.
"Remember to remove helmet to refuel"
This should avoid any future complications no matter which petrol retailer you choose to use, and have the added bonus of still being useful if you decide to go motorcycle touring to other non-English speaking countries.
Problem solved. 🙂

I think religion got off a tad too lightly on this thread.

Well, seing as you're the one who brought religion into it.......

Go on, surprise everyone, break the habit (sorry) of a lifetime and actually answer a question:
Should the identification rule apply equally to all members of society?

Specially after the tenuous link between non-existent burqa-wearing drivers and helmet-wearing motorcyclists has been made.

No, sorry you'll have to explain this one.
Which is non existant? The burqa, the driver or both?
Do burqa wearers not fill up with petrol?

Er, no, I didn't bring religion onto this thread Rusty - why don't you check ? 🙂

Go on, surprise everyone, break the habit (sorry) of a lifetime and actually answer a question

LOL

Never had a problem using "Pay at the Pump", what do they expect me to do, pay for the fuel and then drive off without using it? 😉

ernie_lynch - Member

Er, no, I didn't bring religion onto this thread Rusty - why don't you check ?

No you're right, it was Poddy who made the first pathetic insinuation 🙂 . Apologies.
You've done well to shoehorn further irrelevant and unsubstantiated allegations of anti religious predjudice in though, thoroughly obscuring the OP's point. Well done 🙂

No chance of an answer?
Go, on, you might enjoy it.

one of these, it'll blow their mind

[img] [/img]

Better still, take the helmet off, pump the fuel, then put it on to pay, see how quick they refuse then

PP do you not findit hard to get your wallet in and out of your pocket with your helmet on?.

No.

Especially when it's in the glove box on the Vespa!

No chance of an answer?
Go, on, you might enjoy it.

I would hate to prove you wrong Rusty.......apparently I have never in my lifetime answered a question.

Don't take that as an answer btw 🙂

The helmet thing is more about attitude than anything else.

If there's a nice polite sign, then yeah, no problem. I've actually been thanked by bank staff when they've seen me remove my lid as I walk in.

But some people are little hitlers. I've been told to remove an open faced lid when trying to post a parcel and the woman was a right snotty cow. So she got some backchat from me about it.

I've been told off recently for standing just outside the kiosk at a petrol station talking on my phone. (I walked there. Not in the car....) The woman came rushing out, rudely butted in to my conversation with the "health and safety says so" line so I told her top poke it and leave me alone. I was going to explain it all to her when I'd done, but she disappeared in a huff. If she'd have asked nicely and not interrupted I would have nodded sweetly and thought no more of it.

Working as I do with heavy duty health and safety rules in a rather dangerous line of work I KNOW these people are just bullshitting and it does grate a bit. Next time I'll ask to see the risk assessment etc I think, then sit picking holes in it.

Go on. Just a little answer?
Maybe start with nodding your head and work your way up from there? 😀

I've never been asked to remove my helmet but thats probably because 9 times out of 10 I do it anyway as it's nice to get a bit of fresh air around my barnet. Gloves naturally come off in order to take off the helmet, as it's not easy to get the wallet out with them on and it gets rid of some sweat!

Fair weather biker.......moi? 😉

Go on. Just a little answer?

Well it's a bit of a mystery to me as to why you should attach so much importance to my opinion on the matter Rusty, or why you have particularly singled me out for that question, but no, I'm determined that you shouldn't be proved wrong so I won't answer the question.

Although if you're really that interested in my opinion on the matter, and you're clever and cunning, you might find a clue in what I posted yesterday, ie :

[i]".....if they do cover their faces, then I would be surprised if they were served petrol - it certainly wouldn't be right."[/i]

Can you see any hints/clues in that ?

How about getting a sticker of your face on the back of the helmet, pulling a disgruntled face?

If you are being continually harassed by petrol station attendants, it is of course your right to grow a huge **** off beard.

If you're feeling like being really awkward, you could wear a massive false beard/moustache & dark glasses under your helmet, so you're just as unrecognisable when you take it off.

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Cold sore?

This thread is actually about helmet hair / baldness.