Fuel up without frustrating fellow motorists
With motorists likely annoyed by high fuel prices in recent weeks, here’s how not to add to their annoyance when refuelling.
While a sa move poll last November revealed some of your biggest petrol station pet peeves, there are another five ways you might be adding fuel to the fire without realising.
1. Stretching the hose across your car to fill up
Efficient or inconsiderate? The time-saving hack of stretching the hose across your car because your fuel filler is on the other side of the vehicle might be an ingenuous way to skip the queue.
Unfortunately, at most petrol stations it’s likely to annoy motorists patiently waiting their turn at the bowser. What’s more, pulling the fuel hose across your vehicle may damage the paint.
To avoid the frustration of other motorists, and your own should the hose scratch your ride, try to pull up at the pump on the same side as your fuel filler when possible.
2. Cleaning your entire windscreen while others wait
The pump isn’t the place to perfect your squeegee skills; however, well done, you must have watched our video on how to squeegee streak-free. Instead of holding up the queue behind you, thoroughly clean your windscreen at home before hitting the road.
If you really need to wash your windscreen at the petrol station, move your car to a parking bay and wash it there instead. That said, if nobody is waiting to fuel up behind you, give your windscreen a good scrub.
Why? If your dirty windscreen obstructs your view of the road, you can be fined $228 and a $105 Victims of Crime Levy. Best petrol station protocol is to put your fuel in your car, pay and leave as soon as you can.
3. Taking ages to drive off after paying
Whether a quick text or phone call, using your mobile phone when returning to your car at the bowser after paying isn’t the best idea.
When returning to your car, get in and your fasten seat belt and move away from the pumps. If you want to check your phone, park elsewhere away from the pump area.
In Australia, it’s illegal to hold a mobile phone in your hand or have it resting on any part of your body, such as your lap, when driving. This rule also applies when your car is stopped in traffic, or in this instance, in a petrol station with the engine running.
The phone does not need to be turned on or in use for it to be an offence. You can be fined $573, a $105 Victims of Crime levy and three demerit points for this.
Aside from being unsafe, leisurely using your phone or taking longer than usual to leave the bowser is inconsiderable to other motorists queuing behind you. Remember, the fuel bowser isn’t a parking bay.
4. You speed and don’t give way to pedestrians
They’re officially known as road rules, but did you know some of these rules still apply when you’re, you guessed it, not on the road? For instance, driving through a petrol station.
According to RAA Senior Manager for Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain, if there’s no sign posted speed limit at a petrol station, stick to under 10km/h.
“Petrol stations can be risky for road users because they’re pedestrian hot spots and store large amounts of hazardous and flammable substances,” Charles says.
Giving way to pedestrians and cyclists is an important rule that can get forgotten when you’re in a rush. Always keep an eye on your surroundings, particularly people coming out of the station after paying and on footpaths between pumps.
5. Panic buying and filling unapproved containers
Before you jump in the car and head for the nearest servo, we hope you’ve managed to reach the end of this article for a very important public service announcement. There’s absolutely no need for a repeat of the toilet paper saga. RAA advises motorists not to panic buy fuel.
RAA Fuel Expert Peter Nattrass says if you’re looking for the cheapest fuel prices, the best place to start is the RAA app.
“But please, if you see queuing out onto a road, drive on by as you will find a convenient supply elsewhere,” Peter says.
Filling up approved containers and hoarding them at home is also not advised.
In Australia, you can legally carry up to 250 litres of fuel in approved containers for personal use.
Plastic approved containers have a regulated service life of five years with the manufacture date moulded into the plastic. Using older containers is considered non‑compliant and can increase the risk of leaks or ruptures.
Another reason not to stockpile fuel is fuel degrades over time, meaning it can expire or ‘go off’.
“How fast fuel expires depends on the type and storage conditions,” Peter says.
Our advice? If you’re going to fill up approved containers with fuel, make sure you use them to avoid wasting fuel and your money.