Oh, definitely! When I first started driving (which was, eek, more than 20 years ago) there was no such thing as prepaying for gas, at least for all the pumps in my area. You pumped the gas, then entered the store to pay for it. I always told the cashier the amount I pumped so I'm not sure if they would have the amount you pumped on their register or not. There were warning signs saying "drive offs will be prosecuted."
Year later, around 2004, I started paying for gas with a credit card at the suggestion of a friend. At first I was super uncomfortable doing so because a casual observer from a distance wouldn't be able to tell if you actually paid for your gas if you didn't enter the store. I'd take the receipt so I had proof I paid if anyone accosted me.
Shortly after that, around 2005-ish(?) I started seeing signs that said "cash transactions need to prepay."
Now I don't see any signs because prepaying is the standard procedure now.
Another difference between now and back then was kids (teens and preteens) would regularly pump gas for their parents (or whoever was driving). Not me, specifically, but I had a few friends who were always expected to pump the gas and pay for it if they were in the car. It was one of their assigned chores.
That's really interesting. I think we're around the same age-ish (I'm in my mid 30's). It must be a regional thing -- "Can I get $X on pump Y" goes back forever here as far as I can remember (Northeast US). I bet we got it earlier in these less trusting areas (I grew up in a tourism town).
Oh, definitely! When I first started driving (which was, eek, more than 20 years ago) there was no such thing as prepaying for gas, at least for all the pumps in my area. You pumped the gas, then entered the store to pay for it. I always told the cashier the amount I pumped so I'm not sure if they would have the amount you pumped on their register or not. There were warning signs saying "drive offs will be prosecuted."
Year later, around 2004, I started paying for gas with a credit card at the suggestion of a friend. At first I was super uncomfortable doing so because a casual observer from a distance wouldn't be able to tell if you actually paid for your gas if you didn't enter the store. I'd take the receipt so I had proof I paid if anyone accosted me.
Shortly after that, around 2005-ish(?) I started seeing signs that said "cash transactions need to prepay."
Now I don't see any signs because prepaying is the standard procedure now.
Another difference between now and back then was kids (teens and preteens) would regularly pump gas for their parents (or whoever was driving). Not me, specifically, but I had a few friends who were always expected to pump the gas and pay for it if they were in the car. It was one of their assigned chores.