Be Alert when you are Refueling your Car at a Petrol Station

Be Alert when you are Refueling your Car at a Petrol Station

This has happened several times to me before and I have also successfully complained to IndianOil once before

Ensure the  Meter of the Petrol Dispensing Machine is set to ‘Zero’

It happened again this early morning at 6.45 am at IndianOil’s own Petrol Pump at Bhulabhai Desai Road (Warden Road in South Mumbai)

Please ensure that the Meter on the Petrol Dispensing Machine is at ‘ Zero’ before the attendant commences to fill your car’s tank ~ especially when you are guided to a particular dispenser away from the closest one to you as you drive in and when you observe there are at least over ten machines and no other cars !

I always make it a point to get out of the car and have a look before telling him how much to fill ~ he and his cronies will try to divert attention by inquiring if you need to check water or Oil or Coolant or that your tyres have less air….don’t get fooled even if they mean well

The Meter was at 1.33 litres and Rs 100 ! ~ he had not bothered to turn it back to Zero and was already holding the hose which was positioned to begin filling  my petrol tank  ~ would have commenced filling the tank from here and I would have been charged for this 1.33 litres and Rs 100 which was not filled ~ they are all in on this and the moment he saw me observing he quickly put the Meter to ‘Zero’ ~ this fraud would have not been detected by your petrol gauge reading of the car

Beware of Spurious or Water Diluted Coolants

They even do this for Coolants ~ If you need to buy the Coolant insist the attendant brings a sealed can and you check if it is properly sealed and open it yourself  ~ because it may look sealed to you when he shows it but it may be merely closed or lightly glued ~what happens most if not all the time is that the attendant brings an open can and begins to fill ~ what they do is to mix water to a little coolant prior to filling it and you would be paying over Rs 100 for the Coolant which really was hardly any at all or it may be a spurious coolant …This was the complaint some years ago at the IndianOil Pump opposite the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai that got the attendant and the pump owner in trouble ~ how do you you know they are guilty !? once they begin filling the coolant without having shown you the can,fire them and insist they get another sealed  right away ~ they actually will ! ~ why would they bear a loss of the can already being poured in if it was genuine !?

Be Alert on some others issues too….

Of course we all know the huge racket of adulterated fuel especially on highway pumps and the tinkering around with the caliberation of the meter so it shows more than actually filled ! ~ Fill Fuel at Trusted Pumps

When your’e paying by Debit or Credit Card,always observe how he swishes the card into the machine ~ should be done just once if done correctly ~ don’t just sit in the car and give the card and await the slip for signing ~ don’t be shocked later if the card is being misused even if you have it with you !

Insist on a Bill always ~ Often they will not give it  unless you ask for it

And if you’ve got a Driver,be even more alert especially if New ~ Many are known to steal petrol to sell ~ also do not involve him in the payment process at the petrol pump unless you trust him absolutely

You may be in a Hurry and have no time to complain or check  ~ the attendants at the Pump count on this !

Just Be Alert ! ~ we are living in such times !