American shocked over wild Aussie act at petrol station

News.com.au

2 days ago

An American man has been left gobsmacked after discovering how people fuel up their cars in Australia.
Russell Richardson, a marketing expert and renowned car salesman from the US, expressed his astonishment after discovering drivers here fill their tanks before paying.
In a social media video that has garnered over 1.7 million views, Richardson was baffled by how Australia's fuel payment system works.
'One of the most wild things about being in Australia is their gas,' he said.
'I go in and ask the guy, 'How do I pay?'
'Because in America, you just pay and it starts pumping.'
To his surprise, the servo attendant instructed him to go outside, fill up his car, and then return to the store's counter to pay.
'You are trusting people to fill up their car and then come in and pay, like an honour system,' he said.
'I am blown away that people of Australia do not steal gas.
'I asked the guy, 'Has anyone stolen gas?' to which he said,' Not that I reckon.'
He then went on to say that people in the US would not follow the 'honour system' Australia has adopted, betting if the system was implemented in the US, it would likely lead to chaos.
'People in America would steal petrol left, right and centre if we had an honour system,' he said.
'What's gone wrong with us in America that we can't adopt a concept like this?'
In the US it's common practice for to pay before refuelling their vehicles at petrol stations.
At most service stations in the US, customers either pay at the pump using a credit card or prepay a specific amount inside the shop before refuelling. This approach was implemented to reduce fuel theft, benefiting both station owners and honest customers by reducing losses from drive-offs and keeping fuel prices in check.
However, there is one US state where it's illegal for drivers to pump their own petrol.
New Jersey has implemented laws that prohibit drivers from using the pumps themselves; instead, only hired attendants are permitted to operate the bowser.
Petrol station owners in New Jersey can be fined as much as $US250 for a first offence if drivers are caught handling the gas pump and up to $US500 for subsequent violations.
While Richardson's observation highlights a cultural difference in trust, The Daily Telegraph has reported a more nuanced perspective on fuel theft.
In the year leading up to June 2023, New South Wales recorded 11,673 incidents of fuel theft across the state.
While there are no specific fuel theft rules across all Australian states and territories, stealing from a petrol station can still result in prison time or fines of thousands of dollars.
In New South Wales, Victoria, and the Northern Territory, drivers found guilty of stealing petrol can be issued a maximum 10-year prison sentence for breaking state laws.
Guilty Queenslanders caught driving off without paying for fuel can be sentenced to a minimum of five years in prison.
Meanwhile, in South Australia, offenders charged with a basic theft offence can be penalised with up to five years in jail, while 'aggravated' theft offences carry a more severe 15-year imprisonment sentence.
In Western Australia, motorists caught stealing fuel can face a prison term of up to seven years, while in Tasmania, guilty drivers can be fined a maximum of $20,200 or sentenced to up to one year in prison.