Petrol Pumps

[Deleted member 63160]

I often joke how the pumps are set up to always go an extra penny when you stop filling. Today I didn't bother trying to get a "round pound" and released the trigger bang on £29.99. As I put the handset back in it's holder the display jumped to £30.01. The checkout operator said "it's not the first time" and handed me 2p from the till. 2p not really an issue but could it be the pumps are fixed or was that just a glitch?

 

[cajar]

The price of petrol is so high now that quantity of petrol per penny is so small it's hard to measure. Pretty sure that's why it jumps up.

 

[Deleted member 63160]

I thought that myself. It was just odd the way I released the trigger, the pump stopped then a couple of seconds later, as I replaced the nozzle it jumped? You're probably right. I'm just paranoid

 

[joinerjohn]

At or local Sainsbury's petrol station, the pumps there always seemed to jump to 1p over by the time you place the pump back in the machine. I queried this one day with the person behind the counter and he said, "There's nothing wrong with our pumps. " A few weeks later it just happened to do exactly the same to a trading standards officer from the local council, doing the spot checks on the metering.
About a month after this the petrol forecourt was closed for 6 weeks whilst they had brand new pumps installed. Coincidence ?? I hardly think so.

 

[chapeau]

I bet the law says something like they can be 5% out from the days when they were rickety clockwork things.

I bet the modern pumps are accurate to the nearest 0.5%.

So I also bet they set them to short change you by 4% knowing they will not get done but they pocket 4% of the cost of your fillup. That's a fair chunk of change.

Bit like landlords do in plain view.

 

[joe-90]

I've had that happen too. It never goes back the other way though.

 

[joinerjohn]

I bet the law says something like they can be 5% out from the days when they were rickety clockwork things.

I bet the modern pumps are accurate to the nearest 0.5%.

They are very accurate these days.

a petrol pump can deliver up to 10ml extra per litre of fuel and is only allowed to deliver 5ml less per litre of fuel

Although I bet there aren't many that would deliver the up to 10ml per litre extra.

 

[libby lou lou]

Better to buy your petrol when the weather is cooler.

 

[securespark]

I've complained of this before.

And I even had the display increase once the nozzle was re-holstered.

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1243840#1243840

 

[AronSearle]

Government taxes petrol at 80p to a litre.

Petrol pump jumps up by a penny or two, maybe.

DAMP PETROL STATIONS RIPPING ME OFF!

 

[captaincaveman1]

I'm really glad my company pays all my fuel bills Pheww

 

[longdogs]

I managed to stop it at exactly £20.00 yesterday and wasn't even trying

I'm always aware that pumps operate at a £pound per second.

 

[peterperfection]

My theory is- for those of us who always pay cash for our fuel, - when it goes a penny over (as it does 9 times out of 10)-- I for one- always pump more fuel in to round it off to next £5 or £10.
Just the companies way of getting us to spend more .

Sometimes though- just for a laugh-- I let the pump stop at £20.03-- and then give them a £50 note .

 

[EddieM]

I'm sure i read somewhere that pumps are set to slightly over dispense.