Why do petrol stations force motorcycles to use specific bowsers?

[kaorop]

I get sick of being redirected to a que  when there are multiple free bowsers!

Today they even pointed to a sign that includes switching off engines etc. it had  "no motorcycles"

on it.

Im not interested in lowly pump attendants forcing me to start my engine and turn back around and join a que.

 

What is the point?

To me its lazy attendants who dont want to walk 5 metres to serve you, (I see that regularly when in my car, it has no electric windows and i cant lean over to wind it down manually, but they often stand at the passenger side expecting to get the money) but this "set in stone " sign is a new one.

 

(btw i have pumped gas, before anyone gets off their bike and jumps on a highhorse)

Edited November 11, 2016 by kaorop

[guzzi850m2]

Well that's just the way it is, everybody else is are queuing up, why can't you do it? Do you expect special treatment??  At least somebody is doing it for you, back in my home country you fill up yourself and walk into the shop and pay.

 

On my big bike, I am often redirected to an empty pump and will be topped up pronto.

 

Some stations attendants even clean the front shield on my truck while filling the tank for which I give them a 10 baht tip, sometimes 20.

 

How can the attendants know that your car don't have electric windows? I always exit my truck when filling up as I want to be 100% sure the meter is on zero before starting pumping, some places try to shaft people.

[papa al]

Seems pretty efficient to me.

[Dexlowe]

Probably to do with payment. Lots of small bikes, sometimes, with small tanks - that means lots of change needed and lots of running around by attendants who work long hours. I'm not fussed about queuing, especially if it makes life a little easier for the attendants.

[eisfeld]

I'm also amazed in situations where there are a couple pumps free and yet you gotta queue up at the bike pump. But overall I don't really mind it. I'm not in a super rush usually and a short break is good. Lots of nonsense going on at these stations like turning off mobile phones etc. But they are fuel pumps, guess one can't expect too much. I might actually prefer to pump myself as it happened more than once that some attendant spilled fuel over the tank of my bike or nearly scratched it by "wiping" the nozzle off on the edge of the tank opening.

[Familyonthemove]

If you ride a motorcycle in Thailand,  then you are a third class citizen.  Same with parking at hotels and shops - turn up in an imported car - park at the front, turn up in a locally built car - get directed to the car park, turn up on a bike - be told to park by the bins.

 

I just go to whatever pump is free and park where is convenient (within reason).  Act like an ignorant prat in Thailand and people assume you must have money and power.

[Namplik]

What does that mean? 

 petrol stations force motorcycles to use specific bowsers?

 

 

Edited November 12, 2016 by seedy
Language

[Langsuan Man]

17 minutes ago, Namplik said:

 

 

I too had to look it up:

Water[edit]

The term bowser is used by water companies in the United Kingdom to refer to mobile water tanks deployed to distribute fresh water in emergency situations where the normal system of piped distribution has broken down or is insufficient. The term rose to prominence in general usage in England in July 2007 when severe flooding in the valley of the River Severn caused interruption of the piped-water supply to a large area of Gloucestershire.^[1]

Fuel[edit]

 

A C-5 Galaxy cargo plane is re-fuelled by a KrAZ-258/TZ-22 tanker at Manas International Airport

Bowser also describes a fuel tanker used to deliver fuel to aircraft at airports or airfields.^[2] The term also describes refuelling boats that supply seaplanes. The term also describes vehicles that fill heavy construction equipment such as hydraulic excavators and bulldozers.

The related verb, "bowsing", is used in the fuel distribution industry to refer to the practice of customers of one fuel distributor to be able to collect fuel from a depot (including retail stations) of a second fuel distributor, at the prices of the first distributor. As such, it is a method of mutual distribution, improving fuel access for customers while reducing the main costs of each distributor. Being a commercial service, it normally applies to DERV (road vehicle diesel fuel) rather than petrol (gasoline).

Other liquids[edit]

At the former nuclear research facility at Dounreay in the far north of Scotland, the word bowser is used to describe various moveable (but not wheeled) vessels that contain alkali metals (sodium or NaK), protected from oxidation by an inert gas. The word may also have been in use at the Atomic Energy Authority's (now UKAEA's) southern sites.

References[edit]

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowser_(tanker)

[bobbin]

I dislike this as well, since it almost always means the attendant is filling the tank while the bike is leaning away from them..

[samsensam]

lowly pump attendants

 

really?!

 

 

[Dexlowe]

29 minutes ago, samsensam said:

lowly pump attendants

 

really?!

 

 

 

Well spotted. That one slipped by me. I guess the OP only wants to be served by highly pump attendants.

[taninthai]

9 hours ago, Familyonthemove said:

If you ride a motorcycle in Thailand,  then you are a third class citizen.  Same with parking at hotels and shops - turn up in an imported car - park at the front, turn up in a locally built car - get directed to the car park, turn up on a bike - be told to park by the bins.

 

I just go to whatever pump is free and park where is convenient (within reason).  Act like an ignorant prat in Thailand and people assume you must have money and power.

No I am ferang. I am special and deserve special treatment,seen many ferang think this way.....not me though everyone equal.....come with nothing leave with nothing???

[bek]

I don't mind them directing me to wherever is most convenient for them - their job is shit, so whatever can make it easier for them is ok by me.

What I do mind, is when the they tap the nozzle on the side of the tank opening.
I understand it's because they don't want to spill drops on the tank, but wait 5 seconds and let gravity take care of the remaining few drops.


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[chiang mai]

I agree that bikes should be directed to a limited number of pumps otherwise the sheer volume of bikes in Thailand means that every pump would be occupied by a 100 baht customers, hardly good for a business that's relies on volume of litres pumped, car driving customers would simply go to another station if faced with that scenario, I certainly would.

 

The other aspect of this is safety, most bike riders in Thailand aren't the safest individuals, having bikes scooting in every direction across the forecourt is almost certainly going to result in accidents.

[Kwasaki]

Another moan thread only referring to where they live, all good here and we call'em pumps. 

[Ace of Pop]

I recon there should be E85 and E20 Only Statios .Those smelly Diesl things are below us Ferangs.Also no Mocy under 750cc either. The place is going to ruin.[emoji602][emoji965]


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[bramds]

Never happened to me.

Although I only put 95 in my bike, might be the reason.

[DLang]

On 11/11/2016 at 8:03 PM, kaorop said:

Im not interested in lowly pump attendants forcing me to start my engine and turn back around and join a que.

 

DELETED

 

 

I personally think it's a very good system. Most of the time I see it, it's the car pumps are full and I can ride my bike up to the available motorbike pump.

 

When in the car I always get out anyway, nice to stretch the legs, give them money next to the pump (also making sure the cap is put on correctly etc. and the amount of gas put in is correct).

 

I always think 'lazy buggers' sitting in their car when I see others not getting out. :D

Edited November 14, 2016 by seedy
FLAMING

[recom273]

It's laziness and the fact no one can think for themselves.

I don't mind to queue, when im on my wave.

It's often that people are just lounging around and the guy running the 'bike' pump is rushed off his feet constantly.

If I'm on my Versys I think it's rather silly to join the queue, leave the engine running, so no one can hear themselves speak, roll up to the pump fill a tank of 350B on autofill then make them dribble another 100B on top to get a full tank, pay with a big note, adjust the tank bag, stash the change, put on my gloves - While the queue is getting longer behind me, but some garages try and insist, I usually skip those.

The garages that don't have that system - the guys are always happy to have a chat, they are always happy to make sure the tank is full, don't throw petrol over the tank, just take a bit of time.

Another point - how much fuel do you need to buy to get a free bottle of water - I can squeeze 450B in and never get one.

[Jimi007]

If you came to California, then you'd bitch that you have to wait in line, then get out of your car or off your bike, pre-pay and pump your own gas! Geez, some people are never happy!

[Deli]

Waiting for the time that it will turn to self service like in the more civilized world.

 

[recom273]

1 hour ago, Deli said:

Waiting for the time that it will turn to self service like in the more civilized world.

 

 

Never gonna happen !!

 

There is a (BP I think, the green and yellow ones, you see them in Malaysia a lot more ) self serve pump in Hat Yai .. People roll up, they sit there waiting for the pump attendant, they get out, they scratch their heads and drive off.

 

self service doesn't happen.

[grumbleweed]

On 11/11/2016 at 8:03 PM, kaorop said:

Im not interested in lowly pump attendants

Personally I don't regard people who have to hang around all day in this climate, serving pompous morons and still managing to be courteous,  as lowly. Quite the opposite if truth be known They are human, no different to you or I in that we are all talking monkeys

 

[NoshowJones]

On 11/12/2016 at 0:28 AM, Dexlowe said:

Probably to do with payment. Lots of small bikes, sometimes, with small tanks - that means lots of change needed and lots of running around by attendants who work long hours. I'm not fussed about queuing, especially if it makes life a little easier for the attendants.

As long as they don't try and jump the queue, an attendant directed me to a pump, as I was pulling up, a guy came in from the road and nearly took the front of my bike away and jumped in right in front of me, I dismounted and stood between his bike and the petrol pump, so the attendant could not fill him up, then he moved away, and I got filled up.

[NoshowJones]

On 11/12/2016 at 8:00 AM, Namplik said:

What does that mean? 

 petrol stations force motorcycles to use specific bowsers?

 

 

He thinks he is still on his computer.

[DSJPC]

what the hell's a bowser???

[Rob13]

On 11/11/2016 at 9:03 PM, kaorop said:

Im not interested in lowly pump attendants forcing me to start my engine and turn back around and join a que.

 

 

 

som num naaa.

[Beats56]

Crying about nothing. get in line and follow the rules...simple 

Back home it is self serve. use your ATM card or credit card at the pump. no attendent. And off you go.

[Stevemercer]

It must be a Bangkok thing? I've never noticed a specific motorbike pump when I fill up in the regional cities. They just pump the petrol from whatever bowser I stop at.

[connda]

I've pulled into stations with absolutely no cars or trucks, three out of four lanes open, and directed to the far lane with 5 motorcycles waiting to get gas.  I feel the OP's pain. 

My solution?  I bypass that station ( especially the one with a sea crustacean) to go to a station that's isn't constrained by a limited vision of customer service (ie, cars/trucks = HiSo; motorcycles = LowSo).