Take my lid off before Fuel! WTF!!
 

Has this happened to you? It did to me! The station wouldn't even turn the pump on until I took my helmet off! The whole of the forecourt looked at me like I was a suicide bomber! Lets fight it and stop using these stations! Add your story to www.petrolstationstoavoid.co.uk

Just to play Devil's Advocate, I have worked in urban filling stations in my impecunious youth and, particularly in this day and age, the spectre of attempted robbery is all too real.

I know from our perspective, a drugged up lowlife is unlikely to be riding a ten-grand Ducati, but isn't it a little unfair to expect fuel station cashiers to instantly discern our trust-worthyness while keeping half an eye on the inevitable Burberry-clad chav's trying to nick the confectionary? It doesn't seem too unreasonable to have an across-the-board ban on helmets...Same argument as targeted security checks at airports....pain in the **** for law abiding majority of targeted group, but its not like its brain surgery without anaesthetic is it?

Each to their own but, personally, I reckon a bit of empathy for some poor sod who's earning minimum wage is called for. (Particularly as , depending on location, in that job he/she is fairly likely to experience at least an attempted robbery.)

Never happened to me, what were you riding and what time of the day was it? Seems a little OTT to create a website for this :confused:You may have it happen to you one day and not on another depending on who is on shift on the day.

I understand where you ar coming from Ian, but if youre gonna rob the place youre not gonna remove it are you!! Just overzrealous madness in my view, and if its to stop drive offs then I hope they make advance pay a must for all cars!

I would boycott any place that made me take off my lid - I normally dont have time to spedn 5 mins getting all of my gear on and off again...

It only happened to me once. I shrugged, got back on the bike and went to the next one. I never again had the problem with that same petrol station. I guess there was a real jobs-worth on that night.

wouldnt go there twice
 

Its never happened to me but if it did wouldnt go there again, not because I think its a bad thing or even unresonable but because its a pain and theres more gas stations around.

Happened to me in... Switzerland :lol:
I can understand them though, I was not offended showing me face :) (but then maybe they were :lol:)

The remove the helmet at a fuel pump is an attempt to i/d a rider so as to avoid the thousands of £'s worth of drive offs a year, thats all.

If they want you to take the lid off prior to coming in the shop then i would go with that as well, and clearly they will shout over the tannoy before they let you have fuel.........

same old story really the minority of criminals ruining it for the majority law abiding people.

Id just comply and not take it too personally.:rolleyes:

There is a Shell garage between Dorking and Reigate, it has a miseable old far* working there who insists it's the "law" that I take my helmet off and refuses to serve me. So I don't go there anymore. He is the only member of staff there who does it and no other station that I have been to yet makes me do it.
I agree if your sitting on your bike filling it up with your lid on it looks suspiscious.

They insist my wife leaves hers on..........

There`s a station at Swaffham in Norfolk,I think it`s a BP one,and they will not let you fill your bike there unless you get off it and put it on the stand:mad:

You can do a little bit to get yer own back...

When you get to the front of a queue in a busy filling station, just spend about 5 minutes putting your lid on the counter, taking your gloves off, fumbling around inside your leathers for your wallet, selecting which card to pay with, then decide you want to add a mars bar to the tab just as they start ringing up, then repeat the procedure in reverse, putting your receipt and card neatly back in your wallet....

You get the picture...you waste my time, I'll waste yours

When you get muppet robbers with masks over their faces but still wearing their laminated ID passes, anything is possible!

I thought it was that they didn't like people entering the "shop" area with a lid on, but if AndyB reckons its just to prevent drive-aways, then maybe I'm over-dramatising it :o

Anyway, I know a lot of filling stations don't like bikers keeping their lids on so, personally, I always take mine off as a courtesy. Then again, I only use the bike for fun, maybe if I was racing against time to get to work I'd see it differently!

Failing that, don't whatever you do just lay the dispenser on the floor before riding off to another petrol station ok,? LOL

?
 

?...Am I missing something here? Do you normally take the bike into the shop with you or something?

If they ask this i will just go the next one, usually leaving the pump on the floor.

Had it done to me before. I went elsewhere and have never been back again. I won't comply - it's that bend over and take up the brown pipe attitude that leaves us saddled with all sorts of stupid laws and rules in this country.

Au contraire ... I actually make a point of going back every so often - just to see if they have changed and to leave the pump on the ground again and cause them some more grief if they haven't. I figure the more hassle we cause them, the more likely they are to rethink their policy.

Some peolpe sit on the bike while filling up, so that they can get a little extra in the tank.

TBH I always take my helmet off as it gives me a break, and I believe that it shows more respect for the staff, I take off my sungalsses for the same reason.

I have never found it a hassle