Pampered Ladies

The big bru-ha-ha here is that the petrol stations are going self-serve. There is a great hullabaloo that has erupted on one of the local chat rooms about having to get out of your car to fill it up with petrol.

So far, only one petrol group has started. They have chosen a few stations to pilot with - and I'm assuming will roll it out from there. The method they have chosen is bound to create longer lines at the stations. They have everyone going in to pre-pay for gas. You must specify how much you want - you cannot just say "fill it". If you over-pay and your tank is full before you've used your full credit - you have to go in and get a refund. Now that's silly! If they're really going to do this, they need to get pay-at-the-pump machines. Otherwise, who's going to want to be treking back and forth into the shops to queue for payment and then again for a refund. Especially in this heat.

But what is really amusing to me are the women who are up in arms about having to get out of their car to fill their tanks. I feel like I'm transported back to the 1950's. Lord help us if a woman might put a ladder in her tights (as they would say here) by getting out of the car to put stinky smelly petrol in the car. An actual quote (which summarizes the whole debate) from the local chatroom:

"Its not that I can't use a petrol pump...I just hate being told that they are providing me with "european service" which:
1) Results in my makeup running
2) May cost me time
3) May result in petrol on my clothes
4) Makes me hot (in a bad way)
5) Results in me leaving my kids (or passengers or work collegues) in the car (with the aircon off) whilst I pay the bill.

etc etc etc

How is that going to improve my day?"