Images of Motorist Cutting Line at Gas Station Spark off Social Media Debate

A long wait at the gas station can be additionally draining after a long tiring day, and it's only natural that drivers look for shortcuts to reach the nearest available pump. While it may seem convenient, the question is whether it is socially acceptable. This question has resurfaced as part of a debate sparked by a Reddit post that included a photo of a car bypassing queues at a service station by maneuvering around and seizing an empty spot.

While some on the Reddit thread supported the time-saving maneuver, others criticized the LandCruiser driver. However, the issue extends beyond mere impatience; it primarily pertains to how we, as citizens, treat one another and uphold fairness.

"We encourage our customers to be respectful of others who might be waiting to access a pump before them. If another customer is not waiting for a specific pump, and it is safe to do so, customers can access pumps from whichever direction is practical for them," a 7-Eleven spokesperson told Drive. 

On the subreddit r/CarsAustralia, user u/ilikestuffonthenet shared a photo of a Toyota LandCruiser skipping queues and opting for an empty pump on the wrong side. Most petrol stations feature printed arrows to guide users on proper parking sides, yet this driver ignored these cues.

Reddit users expressed a mix of anger and frustration over the driver's actions, questioning how they could disregard the queue and park incorrectly amidst the crowd. Criticism was also directed towards individuals who disregard the signage, with concerns raised about the potential chaos if such behavior became widespread at petrol stations.

One user commented, "I worked at a servo for 18 months. No arrows, but people would just assume they couldn't or something? I'd just be standing inside thinking gee be nice if one of these idiots turned around and used one of the 4 empty pumps instead of queueing onto the road."

"Whatever you do don’t fill up and 'park' so the next guy can fill up. Totally fucks with the payment system which will have everyone waiting in line while they pull yours out of the petrol dodgers system. Also, don’t fill up and spend 10 minutes selecting shitty overpriced servo food, that is the ultimate dog act," said another.

Some users sided with the driver, expressing that they didn't have a problem with what he did. "Yeah, no problem! If the only pumps free are on the 'wrong' side you back it in. I mean cars have reversed for a reason right ....I see zero problems with it," one user wrote.

Another user commented, "I do this basically every week, everyone’s queued for the 'correct' side and a bunch of empty browsers. So I just go to the 'wrong' side, and move it around the ass of my car to pump away happy as Larry."

A different user chimed in, saying, "My local servo has 1 e85 pump. Most of the time I have to be facing the wrong way to even access it. But I’d say it’s fine as long as they leave and move out of people's way appropriately."