New Wave Outpost Forum

One of the TV stations here runs an occasional promotion in conjunction with a chain of gas stations to offer half price gas. Today, it was at the gas station around the corner from my house. The chaos was laughable...line ups over 90 minutes long, people running out of gas in the line up, and fist fights over who was where in the queue.

We live in an area of financially over extended, keep up with the Joneses types.

I filled up at the station down the street from the chaos, paid my $75.00 for my fill and was on my way in 5 minutes.

This behavior has always fascinated me...saving a few bucks can't mean that much to people, can it? Would YOU line up for 90 minutes + to save $25.00 to $35.00?


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I have to turn on the news to see that.What kills me are the people down here that will drive to Buffalo or Niagara Falls NY to buy their gas. They waste a minimum of two hours time, have to pay to get back into the country, waste the gas getting there and waste it idling in line to get over the border. Myself, I'm inherently lazy so I'll just drive to my closest full serve station.

Holy Criznap!

I suspect these are the same people who line up at 4am the day after Thanksgiving in front of Walmart to be the first in.

[quote][i]Originally posted by enzfan[/i]
<br>I suspect these are the same people who line up at 4am the day after Thanksgiving in front of Walmart to be the first in.
[/quote]

I know for a fact that Blir was not in 'saugua!![}:)]

[quote][i]Originally posted by schwenko[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by enzfan[/i]
<br>I suspect these are the same people who line up at 4am the day after Thanksgiving in front of Walmart to be the first in.
[/quote]

I know for a fact that Blir was not in 'saugua!![}:)]
[/quote]

If he were I'd be pissed, he owes me a beer.

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Those 3 hours of my life waiting in line are worth a whole lot more to me than a few bucks in gas.

Life's what you make it.

I agree with eight/6 100%. I rather pay more for anything and be on my way. Many times I have even paid for the people in front of me on line so I can get out faster. They give me a look of shock and horror which you can't put a price on. Example: the dork in front of me on line is fighting with the cashier because he says his ice cream is supposed to be 20 cents less. Rather than kill them both I drop the money for me and him. Then the look of horror. I say don't worry, I am a millionaire philanthropist. Enjoy your dairy treat. True story and happened this very day.




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sure, the lure of saving $25 or $30 or so on gas is swell. I'd love to save that. And $25 or $30 or so is a LOT to some people.
But--as many here have pointed out--you have to balance it with the time you lose in this money gain, the potential frazzled nerves, and the fact that your car is sitting there, idling, POLLUTING the air for that amount of time. Is that really worth it in and of itself ? No!

[quote][i]Originally posted by phillyidol[/i]
<br>I agree with eight/6 100%. I rather pay more for anything and be on my way. Many times I have even paid for the people in front of me on line so I can get out faster. They give me a look of shock and horror which you can't put a price on. Example: the dork in front of me on line is fighting with the cashier because he says his ice cream is supposed to be 20 cents less. Rather than kill them both I drop the money for me and him. Then the look of horror. I say don't worry, I am a millionaire philanthropist. Enjoy your dairy treat. True story and happened this very day.




Worlds GREATEST Photographer!
[/quote]

NO WAY! I do this too except I'm nowhere near as nice about it. I usually tell the offending dipshit to take the damned money if it's so important to them and move the fuck on.


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Don't believe everything you hear.

This reminds me of a great story I remember hearing on the news back during the gas shortage in 1974. Some woman was parked in a long line for gas. Lines were long enough that people would shut down their engines, wait for the line to move, then start their engine and move up.
This particular woman took a little too long to start her engine and move up, so someone behind her pulled around her and cut in line ahead of her. If this had been a guy that was cut ahead of there would probably have been a fight. But this woman got out of her car, took the locking gas cap off of her car, put in on the offender's car & drove away. Perfect retribution!

ha. Time is precious to me, so no I would not wait in such a line for gas.

Also... I have committed the act of paying the difference for someone's purchase before too. It makes me froth at the mouth to wait in a line, wasting my valuable time, so that someone can dicker for 20 minutes over 20 cents.

I don't call it philanthropy.... i call it an evil necessity, or common sense.

"There's safety in numbers when we learn to divide, how can we be in when there is no outside?" ~Peter Gabriel