Petrol Pumps

a couple of years ago in Spain, I was surprised that it seemed to be a cash society.

In Belgium, I have trouble finding a filling station off the motorways that either takes cash or has staff. The only place in Europe I've had trouble paying for anything motoring related with a card was at a motorway toll booth in Italy, where they only accept their own pre-paid cards or cash.

Our local filling station has silly prices and the nearest competitively priced ones (Tesco and Sainsbury) are about 10 miles away, too far to justify a special trip. So I sometimes buy a fiver's worth locally to tide us over until the next supermarket shop visit. The price difference can be substantial - 20p+ per litre including supermarket offer means more than a tenner saved on a fill-up.

but, cash at petrol stations is a magnent for thieves. That why credit cards are preferred in the UK.

You need to get out more if you think every country everywhere accepts cards, as readily as the UK.

Can't remember when I last saw a pump which took cash.

It's a *much* harder design and security problem than just skimming the data off a card and forwarding it to a central computer.

Just think, a nice big box of money on an open, unattended forecourt full of combustibles...

Some years ago, French unattended pumps would only accept French cards and they were often unattended all weekend. They have long since changed to accepting other cards, but for a while it was very useful to have a Carte Bleue.

Our local ASDA is only pay at pump, but has no manned presence in the pump area at all - no shop.

Eastleigh ?

Certainly prevents drive-offs.

Although I prefer their implementation of Chip&PIN where you also have to sign.

Asda: Seacroft, Leeds; Rooley Lane, Bradford

Same at our local ASDA too. Before that it had a system where you paid either side of a small carpark attendant sized shed on the way out.

Asda Coventry (Walsgrave branch). They have 3 booths but usually only 1 manned. The Whitley branch has pay at the pump. Simon.

LOL

In message , Chris French writes

I could equally take issue with your claim that *most* people pass several petrol stations on their normal day to day travel- but I can't be arsed. The original comment referred to "following around" these deals which to me implies going out of ones way a little.