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Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

arstechnica.com

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Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#31

Post by jimmux »

kolinko wrote: post #21
jopsen wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you can pay with card at the pump, the only remaining users for "pay inside" are thieves and the occasional cash-only customer. Also no surprise they don't want you to pay cash, that means dealing with cash which is expensive. Employees at the gas station could spend their time selling hot dogs instead :)

Or people from Europe. It’s 50/50 whether an automated station will accept my European card - can’t figure out the pattern there

Back around 2008, I recall having problems because my Australian cards would be prompted for a 5-digit zip code. It only happened at gas stations for some reason. The closest we have is 4-digit postcodes, which it wouldn't accept. Eventually, I figured out I could prepend a 0, but I didn't want to trial-and-error that unless it set off a fraud flag with my bank. Probably a good thing it was pre-pay in the cases that didn't work.

Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#32

Post by dbetteridge »

kiwijamo wrote: post #26
dbetteridge wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pay before fill is predominantly an American thing. Australia, NZ, UK and most of Europe all operate on a fill then pay. Some stations in Australia at least are an exception that open 24/7 and have no employees and are prepaid and some manned stations where they charge at the pump during night hours for safety reasons.

Many fuel stations here in NZ have switched to pay first then fill for cash payments. Most stations I go to have signs saying 'Please go inside to pay first' or words to that effect on the pumps. However many chains have introduced self-payment card terminals, payments via app, etc so it's not a hassle if you can use these other options.

That's a new one since I last visited, but I guess it has been a few years

Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#33

Post by sam_bristow »

crtified wrote: post #24

Looking back at the recent history of the company involved, Invenco, the main foundational change since the last leap year occurred (2020) is that they were sold in 2022 to a United States-based global industrial tech company Vontier. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/472444/ivenco-sold-to-us... (sic) There is a certain pattern there, of home-grown startup, mentored through internal growth and success - then sold o…

Pretty sure I interviewed with this company about 10 years ago. Their software stack was all assembly on the embedded side. They were in the process of developing an new hardware with a soft-core processor because the original hardware was all end of life.

Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#34

Post by earthling8118 »

Arrath wrote: post #30
ripjaygn wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Pay before fill is predominantly an American thing Huh? Every gas station I've seen in the US is fill before pay. Except in NJ where there's an attendant.

Are you posting from an alternate universe? Or the 1950s?

As recently as 2019 I would refuse to purchase gasoline at a station that was pay-before-pump. There were enough options. This is no longer the case sadly.

Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#35

Post by fuzztester »

chimpansteve wrote: post #4
pants2 wrote: post #2

Gas stations in New Zealand are interesting because for the majority of them you fill up before paying inside. They trust you not to drive away with their gas. Self-pay gas stations are relatively new.

I've had a driving licence in the UK for 26 years, and have never once paid for my fuel before filling up. This is normal everywhere in Europe at least, to the point where I suspect the US is the outlier

Fill, then pay is normal in India too. And AFAIK, all pumps are manually operated. Not seen any automated ones.

Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#36

Post by konschubert »

dbetteridge wrote: post #22
pants2 wrote: post #2

Gas stations in New Zealand are interesting because for the majority of them you fill up before paying inside. They trust you not to drive away with their gas. Self-pay gas stations are relatively new.

Pay before fill is predominantly an American thing. Australia, NZ, UK and most of Europe all operate on a fill then pay. Some stations in Australia at least are an exception that open 24/7 and have no employees and are prepaid and some manned stations where they charge at the pump during night hours for safety reasons.

For automated gas stations where you pay at a machine, this is standard also in Europe.

Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#37

Post by julosflb »

chimpansteve wrote: post #4
pants2 wrote: post #2

Gas stations in New Zealand are interesting because for the majority of them you fill up before paying inside. They trust you not to drive away with their gas. Self-pay gas stations are relatively new.

I've had a driving licence in the UK for 26 years, and have never once paid for my fuel before filling up. This is normal everywhere in Europe at least, to the point where I suspect the US is the outlier

In France at least, more and more stations require pre-paying at the counter, especially stations in big cities.

Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#38

Post by Ekaros »

jopsen wrote: post #19
pants2 wrote: post #2

Gas stations in New Zealand are interesting because for the majority of them you fill up before paying inside. They trust you not to drive away with their gas. Self-pay gas stations are relatively new.

Yeah, I was shocked how many gas station are manned. In Denmark they are almost all unmanned, and if manned you still pay at the pump with a credit/debit card. The manned gas stations are for serving hotdogs :)

Same for Finland. Even those manned stations have terminals there. I think there are few, but I don't think I have ever paid for gas at the till...

Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#39

Post by LinearEntropy »

kiwijamo wrote: post #26
dbetteridge wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pay before fill is predominantly an American thing. Australia, NZ, UK and most of Europe all operate on a fill then pay. Some stations in Australia at least are an exception that open 24/7 and have no employees and are prepaid and some manned stations where they charge at the pump during night hours for safety reasons.

Many fuel stations here in NZ have switched to pay first then fill for cash payments. Most stations I go to have signs saying 'Please go inside to pay first' or words to that effect on the pumps. However many chains have introduced self-payment card terminals, payments via app, etc so it's not a hassle if you can use these other options.

Many say this, but not once have I ever had to do it. Lift the pump and wait for the attendant to approve. Then pay after.

Re: Self-pay gas station pumps break across NZ as software can't handle Leap Day

#40

Post by RoyalHenOil »

Arrath wrote: post #30
ripjaygn wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Pay before fill is predominantly an American thing Huh? Every gas station I've seen in the US is fill before pay. Except in NJ where there's an attendant.

Are you posting from an alternate universe? Or the 1950s?

This was the norm during my childhood (90s and 00s). Paying at the pump is a fairly recent development. I think gas stations were reluctant to adopt it because it makes it harder to sell snacks.

I live in Australia now, and all the servos (gas stations) I've encountered here are just like the American gas stations I grew up with: you pump, then go inside to pay. The only real difference is that adding air to your tires is always free here.

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