“The joke is nice, but what is not told is that you have to pay a 131 euro fine plus the fuel amount. Even without a fine it is expensive and with compensation it is even more expensive,” says ‘t Hart.
‘Be right back’
In recent years, gas stations have invested in camera systems, which has increased the chance of being caught, says the interest group for gas stations. SODA notes that these days it is more often about so-called beaters. These are customers who knock on their pockets at the checkout to indicate that they have no money to pay. They promise to come back later to settle the bill, but they don’t always keep that promise.
“Last week I had a knocker who promised to come back to pay, but did not come back,” says gas station entrepreneur Rosan Kreijne. It has two stations in the Amersfoort region. “They always have a story ready and promise to come back soon. But often they don’t come back, even if they leave their passport or ID card behind.”
With the current fuel prices, the damage for the gas station owners is greater. “The margin on petrol has become smaller in the past week, so we have to fill a lot of cars to compensate for the damage of one driver,” says Kreijne.
Tank limit
The high fuel price leads to more changes at filling stations. For example, the fuel limit at unmanned filling stations was increased this week. Previously, motorists could refuel for a maximum of 125 euros, that amount has now been increased to 200 euros in various places.
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