This Is A Real Question…
There has been too much YUK! in the world recently, so I am taking it back to the burning questions in my life. YES! This IS a real question…
Picture this you are at Costco in line for gas with about 50 of your closest friends at lunch time. It looks something like this.
Say you are in Car C. As you are sitting there waiting your turn, Car A finishes up, but Car B is still pumping. Do you, pull into the center lane in front of Car B, back into the space and begin pumping gas? Or do you wait for Car B to finish up then you pull up into Car A’s spot, leaving room for Car D (not labeled) to occupy Car B’s spot?
Yes, there is a right answer to this question (well at least in the world where I am always right!) What are your thoughts on this burning question?
fixitmommy.com 
This is similar to the Mobil station where I gas up my car, but Mobil has 3 pumps in a row on each island. In the world where I am always right, the world in which my Mobil station resides, car C should pull forward, and back into the front space. And I’ll tell you how I know that’s what Mobil (and apparently Costco) intend.
1. The lane between the parallel islands is wide enough for cars to pull out, pull up, or drive through while there are cars at the pumps.
2. Drivers who wait to pull up are using extra minutes while the pump sits empty. Each car pulling up to an empty pump creates the most efficient use of time and pumps.
3. If Mobil or Costco intended otherwise, there would be no need for a lane between cars at parallel islands, and they would be forced to employ security people to prevent pump rage when drivers who finish quickly at pump B (or B and/or C) are compelled to wait for driver A (or A and/or B) who also stop to clean their windows to vacate the premises.
🙂
Thank you for the reply Sue! In my head I know that you are correct. Why else would there be a middle lane? My heart just can’t do it though. Growing up military, the gas stations on base never had the middle aisle and boy howdy would you get an ear full if you pulled around on an end and then backed up to the “A” position. So to this day, I struggle with the situation. I anxiously sat in the Car C position yesterday watching the older gentleman in the B position struggle with getting his card swiped. I literally got sweaty thinking about it! (clearly I have issues!!) Thankfully he had a small tank, or wasn’t that empty so he finished before Car B and A so all was well! It’s funny several friend replied on Facebook and the overwhelming majority agree with you. *sigh*.
I can see where pulling around to the front would be asking for a fight if you weren’t next in line. Even if you were, then you would be preventing those behind you, who presumably would finish before you, from leaving. Maybe if you remind yourself that the military must insist on regimentation to maintain chains of command and, I think, a strong team mentality, and that out here where two of our grounding principles seems to be “time is money” and “every man for himself”, you can see your way to a clear conscience when you use that middle lane. Lol.
Hahaha! Oops *seem
Perhaps it is a military thing Joyce. I would be with you. Our way is OK so long as there are only 2 pumps. Any more and we would be in trouble!