Garages with petrol pump attendants

Mental Mickey

There was an letter in the latest edition of the IWA's "Spokeout" magazine from someone who highlighted the lack of petrol pump attendants at petrol stations throughout the country, and the difficulties that arise for disabled drivers getting their cars refuelled. I can't scan the letter into this thread, but if anyone has this magazine, you should be able to find it.

Anyway, the editor's response was that we should be the ones who raise this issue with our local petrol stations!! Surely, as the organisation that represents us nationwide, the IWA should be the people who bring this to the attention of the petrol stations, and even to the relevant Minister???

I for one have to rely on my father, who is almost 70, to get my car refilled each time it runs low.

Any thoughts from fellow disabled drivers?

Well, from someone who spent his teenage years working in his father's petrol station, i can see both sides of the coin here. I would suggest that you ring ahead to whatever petrol station you use and arrange help beforehand. I'd be surprised if a station refused to meet your needs, and if any does, then you know who not to give business to!

SerialComplaint

My missus has difficulty with the strength and grip required to operate the pumps, and generally managed to get help from the attendants in Tesco Dundrum to sort her out. Maybe a bit of fluttering of eyelashes was involved.

ottobock

While I find it a great inconvenience taking a wheelchair in and out, tiring and so on, I usually havent a big problem with lack of attendants.
My issues are the following:
1. Rain
2. Oil/dirt on the ground getting on the wheels of the chair
3. Waiting for a space wide enough to get out the chair and hence the filler has to be on the pump side
4. Some doors are hard to get through to go in and pay
5. There is no fifth thing!

Mental Mickey

ottobock wrote: »

While I find it a great inconvenience taking a wheelchair in and out, tiring and so on, I usually havent a big problem with lack of attendants.
My issues are the following:
1. Rain
2. Oil/dirt on the ground getting on the wheels of the chair
3. Waiting for a space wide enough to get out the chair and hence the filler has to be on the pump side
4. Some doors are hard to get through to go in and pay
5. There is no fifth thing!

there are at least 5 stations in my area but none of em have attendants.

SerialComplaint

Mental Mickey wrote: »

there are at least 5 stations in my area but none of em have attendants.

While they don't have any dedicated attendants, you might well be able to persuade some of the counter staff to give you hand. If there is more than one person in the shop, see if you get one of them to come out to you (if you need help).

Mental Mickey

SerialComplaint wrote: »

While they don't have any dedicated attendants, you might well be able to persuade some of the counter staff to give you hand. If there is more than one person in the shop, see if you get one of them to come out to you (if you need help).

I wouldn't be able to attract their attention from inside my car - other than asking one of my fellow customers to go inside and ask them to come out. Seriously, the IWA are the ones who need to highlight this issue, not us. They are supposed to be the ones who are representing us.

Cookie_Monster

Without meaning to sound to insensitive, if you are enabled enough to drive a car in the first place surely filling it should be reasonably do-able.

The additional cost to a garage of having a forecourt attendant is unrealistic as margins are tiny on garages as it is. they will already be trying to get away with as few staff as legally possible. The wholesale closure of garages in the last few years attests to this IMO

GalwayKiefer

I can think of 3 off the top of my head in Galway that have attendants so I guess its just a case of supporting them and ignoring the rest. An uncle of mine goes to one (near Woodquay) specifically because they have attendants to fill the car for him and will check the water level/pump a tyre if he asks.

SerialComplaint

Mental Mickey wrote: »

I wouldn't be able to attract their attention from inside my car - other than asking one of my fellow customers to go inside and ask them to come out.

Could you drive up to the hatch (used when serving customers at night) and attract some attention there? If you build up a relationship with a particular garage, they might well help you once they recognise you.

You are legally entitled to a 'reasonable accomodation' from a service provider under the Equal Status Acts, and I can't see how getting some help to fill up is anything other than reasonable.

Mental Mickey wrote: »

Seriously, the IWA are the ones who need to highlight this issue, not us. They are supposed to be the ones who are representing us.

Have you raised it with them? Maybe a letter to Spokeout magazine, or a suggestion for an article in the mag?

Mental Mickey

SerialComplaint wrote: »

Could you drive up to the hatch (used when serving customers at night) and attract some attention there? If you build up a relationship with a particular garage, they might well help you once they recognise you.

You are legally entitled to a 'reasonable accomodation' from a service provider under the Equal Status Acts, and I can't see how getting some help to fill up is anything other than reasonable.

Have you raised it with them? Maybe a letter to Spokeout magazine, or a suggestion for an article in the mag?

A recent letter in said magazine prompted me to post this thread.

coldwood92

Jayus the atendent faded out with the celtic tiger I tihnk or is it just me ?
Its all self service now !

SerialComplaint

coldwood92 wrote: »

Jayus the atendent faded out with the celtic tiger I tihnk or is it just me ?
Its all self service now !

True, but the guys in the shop will often help out at the pumps if asked.

fozzle

I used to work in a petrol station with no attendants, but we had posters up beside the pumps saying "if you need assitance just beep". Occasionally you got yummy mummies who just didn't want to handle the nasty pump, but most people respected the service and it meant we never had anyone struggling to fill their car.

Cookie_Monster, just being able to drive a car certainly doesn't mean you can fill it. Now I know it's not just wheelchair users who have difficulties but let's take a wheelchair user for example. First of, not all users can get out of a car unaided or in the space between the car and the pump. Okay, sometimes you can leave the car far enough forward that you can get plenty of clearance, but then you find that some of the hoses on the pumps are quite short, and unless you park very close, they just won't reach. Then remember some of them have incredibly strong recoils (I've muscular issues and have had to get assistance with some of them) - a couple of months ago I gave a girl a hand with one 'cos everytime she pulled it out to her van the recoil just pulled her and her chair back again.

Perhaps petrol stations should be encouraged to adopt a "beep for assistance" policy?

Also, would it be worth sticking up a list here of attended stations, and ones where you don't have to go inside to get assistance? I know three myself.
Christies at the junction of Mail Coach Road and Pearse Road in Sligo town is attended all day.
Topaz in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo has attendents most of the day, think I've been there once when there was a woman working and she wouldn't come out :rolleyes:
The petrol station in Gurteen, Co. Sligo is attended too - you just might have to wait a minute or two 'cos the attendant is the shop assistant too.

Mental Mickey

fozzle wrote: »

I used to work in a petrol station with no attendants, but we had posters up beside the pumps saying "if you need assitance just beep". Occasionally you got yummy mummies who just didn't want to handle the nasty pump, but most people respected the service and it meant we never had anyone struggling to fill their car.

Cookie_Monster, just being able to drive a car certainly doesn't mean you can fill it. Now I know it's not just wheelchair users who have difficulties but let's take a wheelchair user for example. First of, not all users can get out of a car unaided or in the space between the car and the pump. Okay, sometimes you can leave the car far enough forward that you can get plenty of clearance, but then you find that some of the hoses on the pumps are quite short, and unless you park very close, they just won't reach. Then remember some of them have incredibly strong recoils (I've muscular issues and have had to get assistance with some of them) - a couple of months ago I gave a girl a hand with one 'cos everytime she pulled it out to her van the recoil just pulled her and her chair back again.

Perhaps petrol stations should be encouraged to adopt a "beep for assistance" policy?

Also, would it be worth sticking up a list here of attended stations, and ones where you don't have to go inside to get assistance? I know three myself.
Christies at the junction of Mail Coach Road and Pearse Road in Sligo town is attended all day.
Topaz in Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo has attendents most of the day, think I've been there once when there was a woman working and she wouldn't come out :rolleyes:
The petrol station in Gurteen, Co. Sligo is attended too - you just might have to wait a minute or two 'cos the attendant is the shop assistant too.

Some good points raised here - particularly about having a list of stations that offer assistance. Dont think I'll be travelling to Sligo to get petrol?? I live in Dublin

coldwood92

Mental Mickey wrote: »

Some good points raised here - particularly about having a list of stations that offer assistance. Dont think I'll be travelling to Sligo to get petrol?? I live in Dublin

No, Jayus no you should to go to SILGO from DUBLIN to get your fill

coldwood92

The Mesage to Biffo is:

Get attendents at Petrol Stations Quick smart

fozzle

Mental Mickey wrote: »

Some good points raised here - particularly about having a list of stations that offer assistance. Dont think I'll be travelling to Sligo to get petrol?? I live in Dublin

'Twould be somewhat pointless all right. :-)

SerialComplaint

Here's one interesting solution for petrol pumps;

http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com/2012/01/tampa-florida-ordinance-aids-disabled.html

Vote 4 Pedro

The filling station at Carnmore Cross, Galway has 4 pumps and at least 2 attendants working, I use them because of there service,
Luckily I can get out and fill up if I need to but it takes around 10 minuets to do so and it's great not to have all the hassle.

If just a few stations had attendants I'm sure more disabled people would use them and there business would improve.

Although a lot of petrol stations make more money from there "shop" than they do with the petrol sales and to be honest i don't think many disabled people get out of there car and therefore don't go inside spending money in the shop.