Fuelling forecourt frustration

Disabled motorists are getting fired up and chippy, says Helen Smith, over problems at the petrol pump

The story of Berkshire motorist Linda Guttridge finding it difficult to get served at a petrol station and subsequently having problems paying is sadly not uncommon. For many disabled drivers getting fuel is not a pleasant experience and it is one which I personally try to avoid as much as possible by getting someone else to do it for me. However, that’s not always possible and so I know only too well how Linda feels when faced with the prospect of trying to get fuel.

The problems usually start on arrival at the station where the first job is to get the attention of the attendant inside.

This can be a simple job if the attendant recognises the buzz from service-call (www.service-call.net) but more often than not they don’t know what it is. On one occasion after waiting for at least 15 minutes I gave up pressing the service-call and hooted my horn instead. Eventually when the attendant finally came out they told me they thought service-call was their freezer making a funny noise. Service-call is a great invention but staff need to be informed what it is and what it sounds like.

There is also the problem of going to a petrol station where there is only one person on duty. The likelihood of them locking up the shop to come out to help you is next to none. When faced by this problem I’ve had to ask a stranger to help fill my car up with fuel. The next problem this then brings is having to pass your credit card over to them to pay for you in the shop. I haven’t done this since the introduction of chip and PIN as fortunately, having acquired some better artificial legs, I am now able to get into the shop and pay myself, but if I couldn’t I don’t think I’d have been at all happy handing my PIN number and card over to a stranger. However, this was exactly what Linda Guttridge was doing. She had been giving her PIN number out to staff as she was unable to get into the shop and they couldn’t bring the PIN terminal onto the forecourt.

When chip and PIN was first introduced the disabled motorists’ organisation Mobilise raised the problem disabled drivers would face and were told by the banking industry that anyone who finds it difficult to use chip and PIN cards is entitled to apply for a chip and signature card instead. The way a chip and signature card works is when it is put in the reader it generates a slip for a signature. However, not all banks have been willing to give these cards out. In a recent piece of research carried out by Mobilise it was found that disabled people were still experiencing problems getting hold of chip and signature cards.

Although in the past, health and safety regulations have prevented electronic devices such as chip and PIN terminals from being used on the forecourt, regulations have been amended to allow for the use of portable card terminals suitable for petrol station forecourts. However, few if any have introduced them. Sandra Quinn, Director of Corporate Communications for The UK Cards Association, said: “Whilst we urge petrol station retailers to upgrade their technology, the reality is, until mobile chip and PIN terminals are widely available, many disabled drivers may not be able to have a terminal brought to their car.”

In addition to these problems some stations are doing away with attendants completely, meaning getting served as a disabled driver is next to impossible, and in my opinion are to be avoided if at all possible. However, some disabled people prefer the automated pumps as it does away with struggling across the forecourt.

Although getting fuel can be a pain many disabled people have improved the problem for themselves by buying service-call, going to the same petrol station where you are recognised or where you know there are several staff members, and getting a chip and signature card.