Technology is Great
My van was going to need gas sometime tomorrow. The daily commute to Tampa has one downside, and that's the more frequent fill ups (which is why Sputnik is on track to be repaired).
On the way home from going out this evening, we noticed one gas station had gas at $3.46 a gallon. The one across the street was $3.40 and we commented that they probably missed the 3:00pm price change. Ed and I met working together at a gas station, so we are aware of the ins and outs.
I didn't stop for gas because typically, once I cross out of our county, gas prices are 5 to 10 cents cheaper. I'll visit a place on the way into work. Ed comments that this morning, while taking GameTeen to school, gas was several cents cheaper than we'd just seen. Oh well, prices are going up.
Then, we get to the intersection where we normally turn right. A new gas station went up at the beginning of the year. Their price is $3.34. I decided to turn around and get their gas, because they definitely missed that 3:00 call to change prices. (Typically, stations change prices before they open, at 3 or at 11pm).
Now, there's a glitch at one of the pumps at this station in that it doesn't take my debit card. I walk inside, clerk sets me to fill up and I have to come back in. So, I fill it up and come in, commenting that they are 11 cents cheaper than the two stations up the road. I said "I guess you guys didn't get a 3pm price change?"
The clerk tells me he needs to get gas at this price, too. He says that the price changer has gone missing, but shows it to me, hidden under the credit card swipe machine at the register. I had to laugh at his ingenuity in ensuring he got the deal.
What I didn't tell him is that that little remote saved him a few bucks on a fill up, but back in our time, we'd be stuck changing the spiral numbers at each of the 12 pumps, climbing the ladder at the street sign to change the numbers and spending 20 minutes at the Tolkheim reprogramming the numbers. Then again, that was back in the era of sub-$1.00 gas prices.
It sure would have been nice to grab a remote and have that part of the job done!
On the way home from going out this evening, we noticed one gas station had gas at $3.46 a gallon. The one across the street was $3.40 and we commented that they probably missed the 3:00pm price change. Ed and I met working together at a gas station, so we are aware of the ins and outs.
I didn't stop for gas because typically, once I cross out of our county, gas prices are 5 to 10 cents cheaper. I'll visit a place on the way into work. Ed comments that this morning, while taking GameTeen to school, gas was several cents cheaper than we'd just seen. Oh well, prices are going up.
Then, we get to the intersection where we normally turn right. A new gas station went up at the beginning of the year. Their price is $3.34. I decided to turn around and get their gas, because they definitely missed that 3:00 call to change prices. (Typically, stations change prices before they open, at 3 or at 11pm).
Now, there's a glitch at one of the pumps at this station in that it doesn't take my debit card. I walk inside, clerk sets me to fill up and I have to come back in. So, I fill it up and come in, commenting that they are 11 cents cheaper than the two stations up the road. I said "I guess you guys didn't get a 3pm price change?"
The clerk tells me he needs to get gas at this price, too. He says that the price changer has gone missing, but shows it to me, hidden under the credit card swipe machine at the register. I had to laugh at his ingenuity in ensuring he got the deal.
What I didn't tell him is that that little remote saved him a few bucks on a fill up, but back in our time, we'd be stuck changing the spiral numbers at each of the 12 pumps, climbing the ladder at the street sign to change the numbers and spending 20 minutes at the Tolkheim reprogramming the numbers. Then again, that was back in the era of sub-$1.00 gas prices.
It sure would have been nice to grab a remote and have that part of the job done!
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