💾 Archived View for jsreed5.org › log › 2021 › 202109 › 20210915-fueling-station-freedoms.gmi captured on 2021-12-04 at 18:04:22. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
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The local filling stations all have self-serve pumps, as is the norm in most of the country. When one purchases gasoline, there are a number of small steps one must complete: using a payment card, selecting a grade of gasoline, removing the fuel nozzle from its cradle, accepting or declining a receipt, accepting or declining a car wash, etc.
Years ago, the majority of gasoline pumps allowed one to perform these steps in almost any order. If I wanted to select 87 octane before removing the nozzle, I could do so. If I wanted to do both of those things before swiping my card, the pump had no problem with that. I took advantage of that fact and developed my own routine of button presses and nozzle movements that enabled me to start refueling my car very quickly.
It occurred to me the other day that most pumps do not do this anymore. Most pumps require the user to follow a very specific sequence: pay, accept or decline supplementary services, remove the nozzle, and select a fuel grade. Only after performing those steps in that exact order will most modern pumps begin to dispense gasoline.
I suspect pumps began enforcing this sequence to help prevent people from selecting options they didn't mean to select. I can understand and even sympathize with that. Even so, I miss that little freedom. It's a small reminder of how much of modern life is structured and regulated on our behalf, with no option for recourse.
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[Last updated: 2021-10-28]