Well, this town's politicos have inconvenienced me once again. Rising gas prices and that fact that brown people and poor whites don't like to pay for anything has given rise to a new (pain in the ass) law that says we must all pre-pay in Kansas City.
On Thursday, the Kansas City Council approved an ordinance that requires gas stations to make their customers prepay or be pre-approved before pumping the fuel. Such an ordinance places Kansas City among the largest municipalities in the country to require prepaying at its gas stations, said Jeff Lenard, spokesman for the National Association of Convenience Stores.What this basically means is that I'll always do my best to never buy gas within the city limits again. Because I'm a Latino (and mean and dumb looking - same thing, I know), I'm accustomed to being treated like a criminal but sadly I have to admit that there are few decent places to get gas in this city.
Just like grocery stores, JoCo has all the nice gas stations that just make every other place seem low rent and many of them still don't require pre-pay during normal business hours. Seriously, last time I checked the average gas station in JoCo not only offered fast food but also a chance to buy concert tickets, groceries (read: 9 dollar bread), drink gourmet coffee and possibly get a better rate on your home mortgage. Whereas KC gas stations are only good for finding the nearest meth dealer. Also, the nicer Northland gas stations have mainly fallen victim to this crime which may be another sign that suburban living/commuting is simply too costly for most people.
Soooooo, once again the local government has shown how little they know about commerce and done its best to waste my time. Yeah, I'm sifting through my garbage like a homeless person because Mayor Kay cares about the planet and now the gas station wants a blood sample before I can fill up . . . Welcome to Kansas City.
Since I always pay at the pump, I never know if a gas station is pre-pay or not anyway. I haven't paid for gas inside a station in years.
ReplyDeleteWhat has happened to our country? I can understand if a station makes a decision to require pre-pay. It's a business decision, and they have that right. I won't shop there, because it's offensive to me... but a city ordinance?
ReplyDeleteWhat's next? Requirements that we all wear blue on Tuesdays?
Throw the bums out.
This is stupid given the fact that I don't know ANY gas stations that allow you to pump then pay. It seems the market has taken care of the problem of drive offs.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the city has a vested interest, namely taxes. How dare someone drive off from a gas pump without paying their taxes?
When I first moved here from LA in 1996, I ran inside a gas station that didn't have pay-at-the-pump options to give them my gas card. "What's this for?" they asked me. "Pump #3, please..." They informed me that I was (a) stupid for leaving my credit card inside like that, and (b) that pre-paying wasn't necessary. (This was at the former Texaco on Shawnee Mission at I-35.) I was confused...why wouldn't you require people to pay for gas before they pumped? I told them I was from California, and we HAD to pre-pay there, so I was unaware that it wasn't required elsewhere throughout the country. I said, "Can't people just pump gas in their car and drive away if they don't come in here to pay first?"
ReplyDeleteUm, yeah. They can.
I don't know what the big deal is with it becoming a city ordinance rather than just a smart rule for gas stations to work by, but whatev. This is why I don't dabble in politics...
I pay at the pump anyway, so it doesn't affect me none.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think I will look into buying a locking gas cap...
I too was against this ordinance at first glance, but then I heard the reason and I have to say I now support it.
ReplyDeleteThe real reason is not taxes. It's the time and expense incurred by the Police. The few stations that don't require pre-pay are using an inordinate amount of police time for their drive-offs. This occupies officers who have to respond, fill out a report, etc.
Yes it is a business owner's right to do business their own way, but when their decisions affect the quality of life of the rest of us, it's time to step in. I for one want cops chasing bad guys (and Tony B) instead of logging a complaint about $50 in stolen gasoline.
Aren't cops supposed to do law enforcement? Are we going to pass legislation outlawing fires because it takes up too much of firefighters time?
ReplyDeleteI can't, for the life of me, figure out why there would still be an owner of a gas station in this day and age that DOESN'T require pre-pay! Where are these idiots at, and can someone please give them a reality check? I know it isn't their fault that jackasses out there think they deserve a free tank of gas over the rest of us that have to pay for it, but still...have a little common sense. We need to change with the times every now and then. It ain't 1952 anymore, yo.
ReplyDeleteYes, an ordinance might have been a strong-armed solution for a crappy problem that shouldn't exist anyway. But it's reality. Screw the time the cops are spending on chasing down the gas-lifters. Screw the suggestions of what this ordinance means in the long run (outlawing fires - gimme a break). This is the only solution to the problem of a few gas stations not being up with the swing of things. Something they should have done on their own a long, long time ago...
Wow, so this is the kind of crap that Loser Americans care enough about to post comments about.
ReplyDeleteI say they should scrap this ordinance. I mean, lets take those cops off those murder cases and put them on gas station patrol.
ReplyDeleteI mean, we can't have poor tony having to pay for his gasey wassy before he buys his 40oz can we?
How DARE you!
ReplyDeleteThanks to another KC ordinance (and Aggie Stackhaus), the 40 oz. is banned within KC city limits as well.
Another example of local government fucking with me ...
Just joking tony.
ReplyDeleteAre you serious about the 40oz ordinance? That would make no sense at all. A search on google didn't bring anything up. Do you have any links to the ban?
I had the misfortune to live in NJ in the late 80's. There was a law against self-service gas stations. Every gas station was Full Service.
ReplyDeleteApparently the New Jersey legislature didn't trust the general populace of Wise Guys and Future Floridians to pump their own gas without mishap or driving off without paying.
I used to try to make a tank of gas last until a day of really crappy weather. Snow storm, thunderstorm, 100 degree heat, whatever I could find. Then I'd go fill up my car. Then I'd drive back home, get my wife's car and go fill it up.
That's the sort of shit that still makes me giggle like a 7 year old girl, 'cause that's just the kinda guy I am...an asshole.