How do people pump gas before paying?
this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2026
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How do you fill your tank without paying for more gas than you're going to use?
In some gas stations you must pay beforehand, but in others you can pay afterwards so you can fill your tank.
How do you fill your tank without paying for more gas than you're going to use?
you don't pay for more than you use. I prepay $100 on my credit card, use $58 and I'm charged $58, the $100 was a security hold and is the most you can get.
In Germany that is the norm. You pay after pumping at the counter. Cashless automatic pumps that require a deposit are rare
Cashless automatic pumps that require a deposit are rare
But getting more common. The ED in Oberzissen now have one pump with a payment device and Oberzissen is in the back end of nowhere.
As an almost completely illiterate (in German) English person I prefer the pay at a counter thing because the usually pleasant person behind the counter can just accept the payment. This is good because getting a phone out to translate the instructions often results in an irate German shouting at you.
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In most of northwest europe this is standard. Otherwise how do you know how much you need pay to fill the tank?
In Canada its an auto function of the payment system. You say you want $100 in gas. The card gets preauthorized for $100 to ensure the money is available then the pump starts. After you finish pumping and get only $80 in fuel that is what is actually charged to the card. The card is charged only after you finish pumping.
What if one only as cash?
Then you pay at the counter for the amount of gas you want to pump and if you overpay you go back to the counter and they give you back the difference.
That is definitely not true. There is no gas station here where you can do that anymore without having either signed in via an app or credit card.
It used to be like that, but that was a long time ago.
How do you pay before you know how much you need?
Pay the clerk. If you can't fit x litres/gallons/whatevers, you go back to the clerk and they give you the remaining balance back.
Well these days credit cards have an authorization function where they can hold $50 or $100 and then when done can release the hold and charge you the proper amount.
And cash is rare enough that they don't mind inconveniencing those people anymore.
In Europe it blocks €300. Fuel prices are high. Sometimes a payment doesn't go through as it should and the remaining amount isn't released. Then you get an article in the newspaper of someone complaining their couldn't pay in the shop because 300 was blocked on their account. These things resolve themselves as the bank does a check automatically after a day or two but some folks get caught close to payday.
Personally, I estimate. I have a quarter of a tank, I need 3/4 of a tank. That's 9 gallons. Times $3.63 is $32.67. I get $30 on pump whatever
Standard procedure in Australia
not at Costco
That's pretty standard some places. Or at least it used to be.
The same way that people get completely exonerated of a crime by paying a fine for missing their court date: they fucking don’t.
Its something u get in high trust society. This is the cost of soft on crime polices. In most places in Australia its just the norm. You fill up then go in and pay. I can see the downfall of my nation as they start introducing pay first.
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That citation might have cost 85 dollars in 1981.
Can you even get gas without paying? Seem rare nowadays
How does it even work having to pay before? Cos in germany you pay afterwards. But lets say you fill up for 40 dollars; does the pump then automatically stop when 40 dollars are reached?
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LOL, what is wrong with people? This is brain rot.
that's what the people want