Gas pump pain to avoid

By Elsa Maxey

With gas prices predicted to break the $4 a gallon mark, albeit showing a modest fluctuation the other direction, motorists are a little more measured when it comes to fueling up. The national average for regular retail gasoline the other day was reported to remain stable for about four consecutive days at $3.90 a gallon, two cents less than the previous week.

With these record high gas prices, some motorists find themselves checking their vehicle’s gauge level after fueling. This one motorist was glad she did because this past Saturday after having pumped a little over $27 worth of gas as she pulled away from a gas station on Lexington in Sugar Land, the level showed no change. Suspicious of what could be a charge for no gas since she noticed a gas pump among the eight had a “not working” sign taped over it, she pulled back into the gas station. The convenience store manager with the gas pumps, she said, probably wondered if she was trying to scam him by attempting to get another $27 worth of gas without paying for it.

It turned out there was in fact an issue with the gas pump. Although a new purchase was cleared at the pump for the $27 it showed to have been made, when that pump’s activity was checked inside the store, there was no recorded credit card transaction. The gas station manager suggested a refuel telling the motorist she had not been charged. But, as far as she’s concerned, the matter is still up in the air. If that charge makes it on a billing statement, it’s bound for a challenge. The refuel the second time, by the way, did raise the level on the gas gauge.

Moral of this story… make sure to check your gas gauge after a fuel up since the pain you will feel at the pump or elsewhere may end up being a little more heightened.

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Posted by FortBendStar on Apr 19 2012. Filed under Breaking News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.