READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE FOR A FOLLOW-UP
This was my experience at the AMPM at 850 Lawson Ave in Woodburn Oregon.
At approximately 3:30 am on Tuesday, October 1, sought to fill my tank at this gas station. No signs stating the price of the gas, but there were signs stating that all pumps were full service. I stayed in my driver’s seat, handed my card to the attendant. After filling, he asked if I wanted a receipt, mentioning that he would have to go inside the convenience store to print the receipt. I said no, but as I was starting my car, I glanced at the pump and noticed it stated a transaction for $96.61. I got out and read the details on the pump. About 14.5 gallons at 6.69 per gallon. What? Thinking it an error on the pump, I went into the convenience store for my receipt. It was indeed for $96.61 with the details mentioned above.
The clerk said that the price was set by the owner and that I could call the number on the receipt. The price of the gas at the nearby station was 3.99 per gallon. No reply yet to the voicemail I left for “corporate manager.”
Google and Yelp reviews indicate the scam has been going on for two years, at least. Here are some snippets:
This place should be criminally charged for the prices they charge. I honestly thought I had been robbed when I noticed that I paid $100 for a tank of gas that would normally cost me around half that amount. I assumed that arco sold cheap gas as they typically do but not this place. I will never go to arco again.
This place blatantly obscures the price per gallon signage. Scum.
I feel like a schmuck, but I am also very angry. Yeah, I guess there is a certain amount of trust extended when you fill your gas tank. If I was another gas station owner, I would tell the owner of the Lawson Ave Woodburn AMPM to get his act together and stop giving ALL gas stations a bad name.
I’ll keep this post updated if anything comes of my actions so far. I left the message at the number on the receipt. I will call a customer service number for AMPM/Arco/BP tomorrow. I sent a suggestion to a local newspaper reporter.
Found this news coverage:
On October 21, the (Salem) Statesman Jouranl ran an article about my experience. The reporter says he got a lot of response about it. I mentioned that I might like to change the law so that gas stations must post prices on roadside “marquee” signs. I will post more about that. Here is what I found, so far:
Gas stations are generally required to display prices clearly at the pump, but in some states, there is no requirement for them to display prices on large roadside signs. Whether a station can “hide” prices depends on the specific regulations in that jurisdiction:
- At the pump: Almost all states require that gas prices be clearly posted on or near the pump so that customers can see the price before they begin fueling. In this case, hiding prices is illegal, and stations must ensure visibility and accuracy of the prices being charged at the pump.
- On roadside signs: Some states, such as Oregon and New Hampshire, do not require gas stations to post prices on large signs visible from the road. In these states, stations are not violating the law by omitting a roadside sign, but many choose to display prices for competitive reasons. However, if a station opts to display a roadside sign, the posted price must match the pump price.
- Deceptive practices: In any state, intentionally misleading customers by covering price displays, showing incorrect prices, or charging more than the posted price can be considered deceptive and may violate consumer protection laws. This can result in fines or other penalties.
In summary, while gas stations can avoid posting prices on roadside signs in some states, they cannot hide or misrepresent the prices at the pump. Misleading or hiding prices would likely violate consumer protection laws.
Several U.S. states have specific laws requiring gas stations to post their fuel prices on signs visible from the road, while others leave it as optional. Here are some examples of states that mandate visible roadside signage for gas prices:
California: Gas stations are required by law to display prices visible to passing motorists, especially when there are different prices for cash versus credit transactions.
New York: Gas stations must post prices clearly visible from the street, including details about payment methods if prices vary between cash and credit.
New Jersey: Similar to California and New York, gas stations in New Jersey are required to have price signs visible from the road, especially when there are multiple payment options.
Illinois: There are regulations in place to ensure gas prices are displayed visibly on signs that passing drivers can see from the road.
What do you think? Had any experience with something like this? Comments welcome below.
I am about to embark on a civics project, bolstered by my proximity to the Oregon Legislature. I’ll just wait to let them get this election thing worked out, first.
Dude. That sucks. Another thing I can’t trust anymore.