Should I be pissed? At least I think I should be.
 

So my car was on dead E, and letting it idle to see if the P1441 code would come back up after I replace the canister vent valve ( which it didn't....so far) And I head to the 5th Ave. Wawa where I live. I'm about a half a mile away and my car starts to stutter, so i throw it in neutral ,and use the last bit of umph to get it up one last hill, shortly after it dies out. I happen to have enough momentum to coast into the Wawa parking lot, and pull over where large trucks do.

So I begin to push to the pump, but once again they have a small incline, and I'm about 30 feet away and almost at a stop when a gas station attendant finally came over and helped ( there was 3 cars and the person that came over was talking to another attendant at the time, I was watching.) The problem is I get Vinnie the Loud mouth as my attendant, and he begins to tell me to prime the system and yadda yadda, and throws a couple jokes in there. So we get done, I go to grab the money I had in the car to give the kid a couple bucks, but the envelop I had it in was in the back seat. I guess he thought I was going to put my seatbelt back on, and he comes up to my window, and tells me I should go give that kid a couple bucks for helping me out. How dare you tell me who to pay for and what, that's what pisses me off. I'm not a prick, I am thankful he helped, and I tipped him, but don't tell me what to do with my money, I thought that was ****ing rude.

I'm not going back there for a while, and probably will send a complaint to Wawa ( although I didn't get his name, I'm not going to name names, just Wawa HQ will send a memo and they will let the workers know during a store meeting.) But should I be pissed some worker is telling me to tip someone else for helping me push my car?

I agree with you. Last I checked they are "full serve" gas stations in NJ, not just "we pump for you". So if you ask them to check the oil, etc (not that you would) they should do so as part of their job. Pushing you in could fall under that.

He definetly should have gotten a tip, but doing so is completely at your discretion either way.

The comment about throwing the kid some extra $$ for helping you out was unnecessary, but wawa is a "we pump for you" type place. Welcome to corporate America. I worked at wawa through highschool and if you look at the little kiosks on the island, there should be a sign that says "wawa employees are not certified to do any type of maintenance service on a vehicle." You could actually get the kid in trouble if you call corporate and tell them that he helped you push your car because that makes wawa liable for your car while it was being pushed.

You should be pissed. Tips are at your discretion but some people don't see it as such.

I had a similar issue at a hibachi steak house, our chef did a terrible job (messed up on the tricks) compared to the others we saw at neighboring tables. The food wasn't good so we left a 10% tip as we were walking out the, managers stopped us and wouldn't allow us to leave until we paid the remaining 10% of the tip. Even after telling the guy about our terrible service and if we paid the rest we would never come back he still insisted on making us pay.

I did not know this. I thought that the maintenace message meant fixing something that was broken, etc. not the full serve type of stuff like washing windows, etc.

I dont understand this world we live in where you get in trouble for going above and beyond. I have had a few jobs where I actually got into trouble, which is worse than zero recognition, for helping out beyond the call of what my job entailed. What happened to good old fashioned physical labor? Young kids now-a-days have no idea what work really is, and most have everything handed to them. (yeah im young, but I have had tough physical labor jobs before, i know what it means to earn my pay.) Sorry to steal your thread but I had to rant.

This.

I do agree that you have every right to be pissed that it was suggested you tip the guy. That was out of line.

i had a car die at the gas pumps at wawa a couple years ago. (the starter jammed) the gas attentants wanted me to move my car away from the pump so that other cars could use it. but they refused to help me push the car into a parking spot.

when i pumped gas during highschool i use to think nothing of pushing a car to or from a pump. if a car needed to be pushed it needed to be pushed no questions asked.

yea, we weren't allowed to check oil, fill washer fluid, wash windows, push cars, etc. Every wawa is supposed to follow those rules, but it depends on how strict management is there. It sucks, but from a corporate point of view, they're just trying to save their ass from the sue happy people out there.

They actually stopped you? No way would I'd be tipped 20% for poor service. No way I would ever go back there. I'm not afraid to tip for good service or exceptional service but no way I'm tipping for poor service..NFW..

This. Taking out as much risk as possible is what keeps Wawa out of trouble. With the way it would happen, Wawa gas guys and gals would have to get some sort of training ($$$) to tell people what is what, then Wawa would have to justify this increase in spending by making them either 1) increase the cost of gas, 2) have the gas station attendents sell products to the driver.
Its just easier to have them pump gas, and send them on their way.

step 1: don't go to wawa or foreign owned gas stations

problem solved. sometimes it pays a little to pay a little more....

Its New Jersey's own fault that we have gas station attendents, they are like a server at a restuarant they serve you want you want and they want a tip. that person needs to understand its ok to help someone out for free, if they deserved a tip they would get it without asking.

Im actually not a fan when they wash my windows.

Well like I said, I was greatful of the kid to help, thats not what pissed me off, its some other attendant telling me to tip someone else, or even just to tell me to tip at all. If it means gettign the kid in trouble, then I wont send the complaint, but I certainly wont go there for a while, or ill try to avoid Vinnie Voice box.

lol I can see being bothered by it but pissed? calm down dude.

boot to the lip, problem solved

So, who tips the gas attendant? How much if you do? Jeff, I don't know about being pissed. Just tell the guy, go pound sand!

While I hate that NJ is one of like 3 states that don't allow you to serve yourself, on the same token it does create a lot of jobs.

If the kid's comment made you feel as strongly as you do, then call and complain.

Btw, "vinnie the voice box" is starting to piss me off.:wink:

i only tip those that go above and beyond their call of duty. ive tipped my garbage men for taking large items or items they shouldnt, waitresses that do well and even service station people who've helped in tight pinches but its not required no.


as to this situation the guy was just looking out for his buddy who risked his job, by assuming vehicular liability in this situation, to help you out. was it in bad tact? maybe, but that guy was aware of the risk his buddy took (being an employee knowing the policies) by putting his job in jeopardy to help you out.

i wouldve tipped, you couldve always reduced the tip amount if it ticked you off that bad. i wouldnt write a letter though because then your putting the guy who helped you in a bad situation because his buddy has no tact. not cool.

I get out and start doing it myself anyways. You know how much I cringe when they just drop the gascap and let it hang off the lanyard onto the side of the car?

thats why i cut the lanyard so they have to put in on the pump:wink:

I would be pissed off. Go back and beat him up lol but did he say it loud for others to hear. If so I would have lost it.

then they lose it...