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Drive off

I think I just saw a petrol drive-off. I was waiting in the queue for a bowser. To the left, obscuring the view of the shop bit of the petrol station, was a huge Coke truck. One of those Linfox ones with the sign on the back that says "You are passing another Fox", unless the driver is in a bad mood hogging the road, in which case it says "Just you try and pass this Fox, arsehole".

The guy in front of the queue finished filling up, and moved his car. The person behind came back from paying, and drove out. I moved up to the front bowser and filled up my car. Then I went in to pay. The guy behind the counter was Ray. He used to work at the affiliated supermarket nearby. I think he short-changed me a dollar once. Anyway he always reminds me of that Powderfinger song "Good Day Ray". That’s a song to which the word "blistering" could apply.

Ray asked me if the amount was correct, then asked if the guy in front had moved his car after filling up. Ah. He’d disappeared. He’d obviously thought that obscured by the Coke truck, he’d take the opportunity to drive off without paying.

Ray didn’t seem phased. You could almost say he was nonplussed. Apart from the fact that it’s not his money, this is a fairly new petrol station. I think you’d have to bet that they have CCTV cameras all over the place, and can easily catch someone who drives off without paying.

By Daniel Bowen

Transport blogger / campaigner and spokesperson for the Public Transport Users Association / professional geek.
Bunurong land, Melbourne, Australia.
Opinions on this blog are all mine.