How to Pre-Pay at the Gas Pump

Are you a devil-may-care bicycle commuter, also registered owner and grocery-gettin' weekend operator of a motor vehicle, and therefore are only naturally unused to the...convenience of pre-paying at the pump for gasoline?

Have your repeated unsuccessful attempts ever crashed the unhelpful pump-computer, lined-up waiting cars, and their staring and unhelpful operators, compelled a garbled barking over a P.A. system and eventual visit by an actual service-station person?

Has actual service-station person likewise crashed the pump-computer, because service-station person isn't any clearer on deciphering those instructions?

Fear not, bicycle-commuter-slash-weekend-driver. Perhaps it'll be next weekend, perhaps in six months: your next visit to the gasoline pump will be uneventful, possibly pleasant, or even fun, when you unswervingly follow these simple steps.

Step 1/ Pre-Pay, just as they say, at the pump. Present your credit card. Swipe your card the correct way through the reader. If you have a newer-fangled chip card: tap your card on the chip-card pad.

Step 2/ Wait. The small display should display "A moment, please", something similar and promising: indicating the computer has read your card and is readying things for your actual purchase of that gasoline.

If small-display doesn't appear at all encouraging: first, re-try your card.

If small-display still does not cooperate: start your feet stepping; proceed to the station office; deal with an actual person more than likely only too happy to assist you.

Step 3/ When things do function properly at the pump. Small-display prompts you to take the nozzle in hand, and select the fuel-grade.

Step 4/ Follow the prompts: when the pump is active, pump your gasoline.

Step 5/ Done pumping: replace the nozzle in its cradle.

Step 6/ Pump-computer prints your transaction receipt: take your receipt.

There. Done. Happy Motoring!