Costco Gas Line Drama: Bad Mom and Lazy Hero

flappy

New member
This past Friday afternoon, in the 115 Technology Costco gas line, Bad Mom suddenly discovers she needs to use a toilet. [1] She leaves her vehicle [2] with her young kids inside totally unattended [3] with the engine still running [4] blocking the gas line [5] while there are SIX empty parking spots right next to her car and [6] a Costco attendant who is always on duty.

Is leaving kids in a vehicle unattended with the engine running against some law? I don't actually know. What I do know is I personally count the cost of getting in a line in the first place. And if I have an emergency (which I have had), I still get my vehicle out of people's way and take my kids with me even if I risk wetting myself or worse. It would never enter my mind to do what she did. Maybe if you can give birth, you can also clench for 2 more minutes.

Back to our story: Maybe she tells someone in the adjacent gas line, one of whom apparently considers himself a Great American Hero. He's sitting in the passenger seat so he's entirely available (that is, he's not the driver of his vehicle so he's free to get out and help). He decides to continue sitting in his seat to watch the kids. He assumes anyone else who approaches the vehicle means to scare or harm the kids inside (instead of merely trying to see what's up and then reacting in utter shock at an empty driver seat and young kids inside).

Instead of standing next to the car and re-directing other drivers around the vehicle like a Useful Gentleman Hero, he sits in his car leaving other drivers to discover for themselves. Then he takes his false assumptions about one of the other drivers who tries to tell the Bad Mom that it just wasn't cool (she's talking on her phone, unapologetic, not listening), and our Lazy "Hero" tries to pick a fight with him by invading his personal space, yelling, and issuing threats.

Don't leave your car running, unattended, with kids inside, blocking traffic.

If you want to be a hero, you might need to get out of your seat in order to help the rest of us lesser mortals.

If you're unwilling to get out of your seat to be a Hero, then don't get out of your seat with your false assumptions and try to pick a fight. That's not what a Hero does.
 
You will never find me being a hero. I will gladly pay ten cents or even twenty more a gallon not to have to wait in line.
 
All this drama and no one had a cell phone...
1489604995940
 
Costco Gas line at the District is nuts. Can't believe people wait in line for that. Pisses me off when you get stuck trying to exit because of all the people waiting to get into the driveway. Really poor design.

 
As gas prices increase I expect lines at Costco gas stations to become longer, with people randomly exploding in road rage (gas station line rage?).  I try to time my visit to avoid busy hours.
 
I was in Garden Grove yesterday and up pops the low gas warning so I decided to try Costco and it made the District look fantastic. It was so bad, I drove down the road and got gas elsewhere.

I've waited in the District gas line and it moved pretty quick but it wasn't because it was low in price, it was because I needed gas (because my better half ran it down to next to nothing, thanks for that) and there aren't many gas stations in the neighborhood.

The time to go there is early...... no line.

Before Church is a good time.

On another note, don't wait till the end of the month. They have an allocation per month and if they hit it, they close the station till the calendar hits the first of the month.
 
Liar Loan said:
I will gladly pay an extra $1.40 in order to avoid this mess.

Costco is discounted by at most what... .50 a gallon? For a 15-18 gallon fill up your saving about $8 if that?

Doesn't seem worth the hassle. Just pass by one of the basketball courts near the The District and you can find a qwertwenty taped up somewhere.
 
Gas in Irvine costs more, so I'd imagine .50 a gallon discount at Costco is accurate.  In my area, Costco is only about .10-.15 a gallon cheaper than Arco, so not really worth it for me.
 
The district Costco is generally 30-40 cents cheaper than most gas stations. Definitely not worth it.
 
or get electric and never go to a gas station ever

I?m about 5 years away before considering one. In the meantime I?ll still end up in Costco trying to save me my $8 per fill up
 
When I used to drive a gasoline car, I always go to Costco in Technology drive on my way to work (around 730-800) -- never encountered more than 1 car wait.
 
Ready2Downsize said:
I needed gas (because my better half ran it down to next to nothing, thanks for that)

Trust me, it's a guy thing. They seem to really love to let it run as close as possible to Empty before refilling. Like it's a challenge to their manhood to have to stop at the pump a moment too soon. Mine thinks if you go before it's Empty, it's a "wasted trip". This is how we're different. It's the story of my life.

Half a tank left = I'm feeling a little anxious.

The needle is on the picture of the gas can = I'm getting nervous.

3 ticks above Empty = I'm afraid to drive anywhere in case I run out.

If I tell Mr. SoCal: "Is the warning light on?" Me: "No." Him: "Then you've got PLENTY of time!" He then tells me *EXACTLY* how many miles the car is capable of going and reminds me how many it could go even if the fuel light was on. No matter where the needle is, he's got it all calculated down to gnat's ass.

Guys don't consider stuff like... what if something urgent came up and you had to make an unexpected trip? My friend's ex-husband did the same exact thing as mine does. Except one day her dad had a heart attack. When she got that dreaded phone call, they had to stop for gas en route to the hospital while her dad was on Life Support waiting for her to say her goodbyes!!! I always state this example when telling Mr. SoCal the importance of keeping it topped off. He thinks it's no biggie. Men. What are you gonna do. ?\_(?)_/?
 
SoCal said:
Ready2Downsize said:
I needed gas (because my better half ran it down to next to nothing, thanks for that)

Trust me, it's a guy thing. They seem to really love to let it run as close as possible to Empty before refilling. Like it's a challenge to their manhood to have to stop at the pump a moment too soon. Mine thinks if you go before it's Empty, it's a "wasted trip". This is how we're different. It's the story of my life.

Half a tank left = I'm feeling a little anxious.

The needle is on the picture of the gas can = I'm getting nervous.

3 ticks above Empty = I'm afraid to drive anywhere in case I run out.

If I tell Mr. SoCal: "Is the warning light on?" Me: "No." Him: "Then you've got PLENTY of time!" He then tells me *EXACTLY* how many miles the car is capable of going and reminds me how many it could go even if the fuel light was on. No matter where the needle is, he's got it all calculated down to gnat's ass.

Guys don't consider stuff like... what if something urgent came up and you had to make an unexpected trip? My friend's ex-husband did the same exact thing as mine does. Except one day her dad had a heart attack. When she got that dreaded phone call, they had to stop for gas en route to the hospital while her dad was on Life Support waiting for her to say her goodbyes!!! I always state this example when telling Mr. SoCal the importance of keeping it topped off. He thinks it's no biggie. Men. What are you gonna do. ?\_(?)_/?

My car gets horrible gas mileage. A quarter tank is my version of the low gas warning light. I'm checking into a gas station almost twice a week.
 
Ready2Downsize said:
On another note, don't wait till the end of the month. They have an allocation per month and if they hit it, they close the station till the calendar hits the first of the month.
Seriously?  Is that all Costco's, or just some?  I've been going to ours for years, but haven't seen them closed ever.  What do they do with the workers?  Paid time off?  Help stock the racks?

I'm personally hoping for another run up in gas prices so I can upgrade my truck to a brodozer coal roller on the cheap, ha ha.
 
SoCal said:
Ready2Downsize said:
I needed gas (because my better half ran it down to next to nothing, thanks for that)

Trust me, it's a guy thing. They seem to really love to let it run as close as possible to Empty before refilling. Like it's a challenge to their manhood to have to stop at the pump a moment too soon. Mine thinks if you go before it's Empty, it's a "wasted trip". This is how we're different. It's the story of my life.

Half a tank left = I'm feeling a little anxious.

The needle is on the picture of the gas can = I'm getting nervous.

3 ticks above Empty = I'm afraid to drive anywhere in case I run out.

If I tell Mr. SoCal: "Is the warning light on?" Me: "No." Him: "Then you've got PLENTY of time!" He then tells me *EXACTLY* how many miles the car is capable of going and reminds me how many it could go even if the fuel light was on. No matter where the needle is, he's got it all calculated down to gnat's ass.

Guys don't consider stuff like... what if something urgent came up and you had to make an unexpected trip? My friend's ex-husband did the same exact thing as mine does. Except one day her dad had a heart attack. When she got that dreaded phone call, they had to stop for gas en route to the hospital while her dad was on Life Support waiting for her to say her goodbyes!!! I always state this example when telling Mr. SoCal the importance of keeping it topped off. He thinks it's no biggie. Men. What are you gonna do. ?\_(?)_/?

Your post made me smile. :) As a guy, dutifully, I calculated that my car goes 400 miles on full tank. There is no reason to fill at 200 miles left in the car. Emergency trips like you mentioned could not be 200 miles long one way, unless you are driving to Phoenix, in which case you will need to fill up anyway. I tell my wife, every 200 mile fill up takes twice as much time as every 400 mile fill up out of my schedule and I much rather do dishes for you than spend time at gas station.

Of course I never win the argument.
 
I am too afraid of an earthquake or civil unrest or the Russians attacking the electrical grid to let my tank get lower than 1/4 full. Even then I still get nervous.
 
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