>in Canada, if you want to "Pay Inside", you have to go in and actually pay - they authorize the maximum transaction, and it unlocks the pump and sets it to a maximum amount.
I'm in a good-sized city, and every gas station I've been to lets you pay inside after filling up. The only ones that require pre-pay (either by going inside as you described, paying for a max amount, or by CC) are the farthest pumps away from the store.
this is insane to me. I have not been to a single station in the continental united states in the last 7 years where "pay inside" does not equate to "pay first"
That being said - perhaps its an "attendant" state? Several states have laws which restrict motorists from pumping their own gas, is this the scenario which you are talking to?
Laws saying you can't pump your own gas? Having to prepay inside? Wow, I'm flabbergasted, and it's a bit funny you're thinking it's insane the other way around. I guess it's what you're used to.
When tanking before paying, I also used to get into the car and move it so that someone else could fill while I was inside(it would start a new transaction when you put the nossle back), probably to you look like a dash from the bill. Then walk inside saying "hundred and fifty something on pump 3 is mine".
But I haven't seen a pump not accepting card in what, 20 years, here? So haven't used anything else for ages (and now got an electric car anyways)
thank you! This pattern essentially disappeared from the US with the exception of perhaps the very smallest and remote locations (public accessible) seemingly since the late 1990s (I do remember this pattern as you have described, just not in the last 20years)
I'm in Canada and I have never seen a pump or gas station in the last 10+ years that allow you to pay after filling up. I had thought all the stations have changed since incidents like this: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/attendant-drag...
Perhaps only BC made the switch? Not sure. But I filled up this morning and paid after the fact at PetroCan, so it's definitely not a Canada-wide thing.
I'm in a good-sized city, and every gas station I've been to lets you pay inside after filling up. The only ones that require pre-pay (either by going inside as you described, paying for a max amount, or by CC) are the farthest pumps away from the store.