Motorists drives off without paying for his petrol
Remember when petrol cost R13,96 a litre back in 2018 and people were doing this. How are people managing now?
Petrol attendants face many challenges in their profession. Aside from dealing with rude customers, they often have to deal with people who drive off without paying.
This issue has been an ongoing problem for many petrol station owners.
However, despite the frequency of such incidents, not all stations have
adapted their operations.
In 2018, Primrose Service Station on the East Rand was so fed up with the losses they incurred due to drive-offs that they implemented a new operational rule.
They asked customers to pay for their petrol before their vehicles were fuelled.
While the new policy wasn’t popular with some customers, many of whom would swear at the petrol attendants, it proved to be a better option than continuously absorbing losses from drive-offs.
One petrol attendant, unfortunately, learnt this the hard way. After being verbally abused by customers on multiple occasions, she chose to trust a particular customer, which didn’t work out in her favour. The customer drove off without paying, leaving her with the bill.
This approach is common at petrol stations abroad, and the reason is clear: ensuring payment upfront guarantees they receive compensation for the fuel they provide before anyone can steal from them.
Check out the video below to see what happened to a Shell petrol attendant recently, who was also duped by a customer – video courtesy of TikTok.
@nkazimulo.maynazi 😔Klungile kyolamba ezami ingane ajabule yena mhlathi wakhe😔
♬ original sound - Ⓜ️Yeyesa_2🌀
READ MORE: How much petrol attendants earn in SA
Even with the anticipated decrease in petrol prices, the ongoing price hikes have already put a strain on many people, making it difficult for them to keep their vehicles running.
However, regardless of rising fuel costs, driving off without paying is never acceptable.
It might be time for a reassessment of how petrol stations operate in our country to better address this growing issue.
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Image courtesy of TikTok