Car (or bike) Chat!

[struth]

you just put your pin in and away you go mate.. its quicker and with me, great as ive not got to try and get over to booth

[Marco]

Each to his or her own, I guess. I'm just against all this automated pish, as it puts people out of jobs.

Bring back the days when public car parks were staffed by a wee man in a hut you gave your money to, and he issued you your ticket, ditto toll booths in motorways, instead of dropping coins (which you've always got to make sure you have in advance) into a box...

Is that *really* progress? Give me MANNED services, everyday, over any automated shite!

And at petrol stations, what about if, like me, you have a loyalty card, so is there a facility for swiping that as well as making payment - and if so, that's another thing to have to do while you're stood there..

The loyalty card thing at Texaco stations is important to me, as with 500 points I get a £5 voucher off fuel, and with the Brabster, that doesn't take long to accumulate!

Marco.

[struth]

yup you can use your card as you do in the kiosk. even get a reciept but sure if i was fit i would be happy to go to the girl in the box. but im happy to use the pump to pay; its not like your doing someone out of a jiob as she shas to press buttons etc in the kiosk

[Marco]

Yes, but for how much longer?

It'll get to the stage where you have to do everything yourself, perhaps via a smartphone, and there'll be no shop, no humans, no SOUL and no LIFE...

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

Lol - not standing at a pump, typing your bank details into a machine and having to negotiate various on-screen menus to make the payment), with someone glaring at you in the car behind (if the station is busy, as you say), wanting to use said pump to fill up? That would do my nut in

As I said, I'm not even sure there *exists* that facility in many stations here. However, now you've piqued my interest, I shall have a look next time!

And why does living in Wrexham not equate to 'the real world'? I wouldn't have thought that Preston, as a town, was much bigger?

Also, remember that I fill up the Brabster at off-peak times, when all the daftees are at work, which is one of the reasons why it's quiet!

Marco.

That para in bold - wrong diddly wrong wrong! Here's how:

1. "Not standing at pump" - why, do Welsh pumps have seating?
2. "Typing your bank details" - a four digit pin number! Do you not do that when you pay by card in the kiosk? Or is one of the services your
kiosk assistant provide to key that in for you?
3. "Negotiating various on-screen menus to make the payment" - select a button "receipt wanted or not wanted"
4. "Someone glaring at you in the car behind (if it's busy)" - Since when did you care about that? And anyway, you go at off-peak times,
remember saying that?

You are right about one thing though, Preston and Wrecsam will be about the same size. But size isn't everything, as I'm sure plenty of women have told you

It must be crushing to be proven so wrong, so I'll throw you a not insignificant bone, a point I know you'll labour to death - pay at pump facilities is pretty much a supermarket thing

You still haven't told me about the services your kiosk assistant provides

[Marco]

1. "Not standing at pump" - why, do Welsh pumps have seating?

Hahaha - aye, nice big sofas, mate, and free beer! Lol, the point is, I like being SERVED by a human being and don't want to be standing fiddling with cards and PIN numbers in the forecourt of a filling station. That's also why I *never* use ATMs in open public places...

Yes, there's another revelation! When I need cash, I use the ones inside the branch of my own bank, because when I conduct my financial business, I like some PRIVACY. I realise though it's difficult for you to fathom that, by stepping outside of the behaviour of today's masses, and so consider mine as weird, or perhaps even 'abnormal'.

2. "Typing your bank details" - a four digit pin number! Do you not do that when you pay by card in the kiosk? Or is one of the services your
kiosk assistant provide to key that in for you?

No, as I always like to keep my tank topped up (don't leave it until it's nearly empty like you, lol) I rarely go above the £45 limit for contactless, so I type in hee-haw and the nice man, who always welcomes me when I come in (unlike a machine), as I'm a regular customer, swipes my loyalty card, and off I pop!

3. "Negotiating various on-screen menus to make the payment" - select a button "receipt wanted or not wanted"

N/A, as I wouldn't entertain it.

4. "Someone glaring at you in the car behind (if it's busy)" - Since when did you care about that? And anyway, you go at off-peak times,
remember saying that?

Yes of course, but I'm talking about if I were somewhere busier than Wrexham (I do manage to escape now and then, lol), and if I were faced with having to suffer that sort of pish. In any case, as we've now established, it ain't ever gonna happen, because I never put supermarket fuel in the Brabsterl!!

I knew there was a reason why I'd never seen any of these pay at the pump things...

It must be crushing to be proven so wrong, so I'll throw you a not insignificant bone, a point I know you'll labour to death - pay at pump facilities is pretty much a supermarket thing

In terms of the former, how so? Your questions have been adequately answered, and besides, there's no right or wrong here - just equally valid but different mindsets/approaches to things

You still haven't told me about the services your kiosk assistant provides

Depends whether I send Del in to pay or not!

Marco.

[dave2010]

Each to his or her own, I guess. I'm just against all this automated pish, as it puts people out of jobs.

Marco.

Depends what the jobs are. We used to have a great guy at our local railway station. He'd always try to find the cheapest combination of tickets if we asked him nicely - though probably the railway company didn't like him doing that. Eventually they decided that they only needed someone in the early morning, so I guess he was "retired".

Also if jobs are just a way to get dosh, then as many people don't actually like their jobs, cutting those back isn't necessarily a bad thing. Trouble is that the companies that run things don't want to emply people for just a few hours per day, and and also pay them enough to live on. It isn't the machines which are the problem, but the management attitudes which don't use both labour and equipment cooperatively and effectively.

[Pigmy Pony]

Yes of course, but I'm talking about if I were somewhere busier than Wrexham (I do manage to escape now and then, lol), and if I were faced with having to suffer that sort of pish. In any case, as we've now established, it ain't ever gonna happen, because I never put supermarket fuel in the Brabsterl!!


Marco.

"Del! Put down that Sudoku and keep your eyes peeled for a petrol station! The Brabster's tank has gone to three quarters full!"

"Seriously? It can't wait till we get back to Wrexham? It's got us to York and halfway back, surely we'll be ok?"

"Yeah but it might cost more than £45 to top up, and you know I hate touching those dirty Covid buttons! I only do contactless"

"Just put on those Marigolds I bought you for your birthday, and you'll be fine".

"I left them at home, on the bedside table, remember?"

"I'm trying not to remember. Shame you weren't doing contactless then. That poor sheep."

[Marco]

Depends what the jobs are. We used to have a great guy at our local railway station. He'd always try to find the cheapest combination of tickets if we asked him nicely - though probably the railway company didn't like him doing that. Eventually they decided that they only needed someone in the early morning, so I guess he was "retired".

Also if jobs are just a way to get dosh, then as many people don't actually like their jobs, cutting those back isn't necessarily a bad thing. Trouble is that the companies that run things don't want to emply people for just a few hours per day, and and also pay them enough to live on. It isn't the machines which are the problem, but the management attitudes which don't use both labour and equipment cooperatively and effectively.

Sure, the answer is never black or white, one or the other [the lazy/easy, often cheapest option], but rather seeking to create the BEST of BOTH worlds, by providing manned and automated systems, facilitating the required demands of the public when needed.

However, unfortunately that rarely happens, and the decisions made don't centre around what's best for the customer, but rather what's best for the companies concerned and their shareholders. Of course, that wouldn't be the case if the customers voted with their feet and simply refused to comply, as profits would soon decrease, but the general public too easily acquiesce and accept new policies, rather than refusing them and fighting for what they want instead!

Everyone just falls into line like sheep, and so they get the 'progress' that they deserve...

Aside from jobs, dealing with less people and more machines, when conducting our daily lives, for me makes the whole experience more soulless, and simply serves to further dehumanise our society, which is becoming more devoid of human interaction everyday, to the point where the human race we've created is so painfully lacking in people skills, and with next to no personality.

The reality is, we're breeding robots now, not people, so heaven help us in future!

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

Yes, there's another revelation! When I need cash, I use the ones inside the branch of my own bank, because when I conduct my financial business, I like some PRIVACY. I realise though it's difficult for you to fathom that, by stepping outside of the behaviour of today's masses, and so consider mine as weird, or perhaps even 'abnormal'.

Marco.

Almost missed this one - if you're already in your bank, why use their ATM? Why not go to the counter? You're reliance on technology is contributing to Doris behind the counter being 'retired' early