HOLDEN, Maine — A local teenager put gas into his car early Wednesday morning at G&M Variety Market on U.S. Route 1A and then drove off without disconnecting the nozzle, thereby ripping the hose right off the pump, Police Chief Gene Worcester said.
The store distributes gas under the Dysart’s name.
“To his credit, he called Dysart’s to let them know,” Worcester said of the 19-year-old. “They didn’t believe it was leaking.”
The hose was leaking, though, and was discovered by Officer Chris Greeley about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday while he was doing a routine check, Worcester said.
“The hose had detached from the main unit and fuel was running out of the hose,” the police chief said.
Greeley described the fuel leak as a thin stream and said a small puddle had formed. The Holden Fire Department was called to clean up the spilled fuel. The Department of Environmental Protection also was notified but did not respond because the leak was so small, Worcester said.
Longtime store clerk Robin Stonetree said it is not uncommon for customers to drive off with the nozzle of the hose still in their vehicles. She said it occurs every four to six weeks, on average.
“It happens quite a bit,” she said. “They literally forget it’s there and drive away.”
Tex-ting while fueling . WE NEED A LAW!
No i did this once but the guy was pumping it. He came over, took my money and brought my change. I thought I was done so I pulled out. It wasnt pretty. Took the pump with me.
Same thing happened to me…but the attendant said, “Have a nice day!” before I pulled away, hose and all, lol.
Me too. And it was at G&M market too. then they tried to charge me $3000 for the nozzle. My insurance company fought them and won. They stopped full service shortly there after.
3000 what a joke ,all they do is put a new connector on it and its good,good for you.
You can buy new one’s on Ebay for $10.
it amuses me that you know this…but Ive done it too. I only went ten feet and heard the quick release pop, and knew what happened instantly. They popped it back on, and it was no big deal. I have seen someone driving down the road, radio blasting, oblivious that they have one dragging along behind.
I was on a long distance drive so I didn’t stick around long enough for them to try to charge me. I would have told them to stuff it anyhow. It wasn’t me who pumped the gas or left the hose in the tank…it was their employee.
Happened to me, too. Back years ago, an attendant pumped the gas and left the hose in the car. No idea why. It was on the passenger rear side so I didn’t see it. I sure heard it though! No damage but it made a heck of noise!
I can’t remember if we heard a noise…but I remember that we didn’t even feel a slight tug or anything. The kids noticed it, though. One of them said, “Mom, you’re driving away with the hose!” and “That man is chasing us!” lol
Give the kid some credit. At least he owned up to the mishap. It is rare these days to see a honest, responsible young man.
Quite true, and the young man deserves credit for his honesty, not many kids do this.
Does he get to keep the nozzle?
I hope he does get to keep it. It will be a wonderful conversation piece .
Dumb, but honest is better than smart and dishonest
And there lies the difference between politician’s and the “regular Joe”
Every 4 to 6 weeks? Wow
They had to call the fire department to clean up the small puddle??? Seriously??? Anybody heard of Kitty Litter…I’m sure that is all the fire department had to do today was clean up a puddle of gas. Stop the world…
Ellis has to justify his bloated taxpayer funded empire. Why do you think they have to scramble a police cruiser and two fire trucks for every fender bender? Gotta run up the response numbers so they look good come budget review time.
anything over a gallon and the fire department is supposed to be notified. all spills regardless of amount are supposed to be logged by the employee cleaning them up and there are very specific protocols for cleaning up the spill and disposing of the materials.
I know. It just seems ridiculous…and probably every environmentalist in this area will make a comment on my words right now, I’m sure I’m setting myself up.
Gasoline is a very toxic brew…want a gallon in your water supply?
They had to call the fire department to clean up the small puddle??? Seriously??? Anybody heard of Kitty Litter…
****************************************
mmmmmm, I’ve heard of Kitty Carlisle, but I don’t think she’d come out to clean up a small gas puddle either…..;-)
deleted
They are breakaway assemblies. They should not leak like this one was. Look at the hose the next time you fill up. You will see the chrome connector.
Your right and it shouldn’t have leaked, but then again the shut off on the ocean bottom of the BP Oil rig wasn’t suppose to leak either.
deleted
….
I saw this alot working for Irving. Folks just dont pay attention to what their doing and what their doing is dispensing a volatile chemical into their cars. You’d think some of them were running a garden hose or something. They pull up, pop in their credit card, start the pump and head on inside to pee and get a coffee. Then they walk out get in their car, totally forgeting why they were there in the first place and drive away ripping the hose from the pump, or springing out of their gashole like a rubber band potentialy decapitating the guy at the next pump if it doesnt smash his windshield first. I felt whole lot safer when the station was full serve because at least then someone was tending to the job at hand.
lol…see my last post about the full service attendant who left the hose in my car. It’s not just customers that leave the hose in. :)
Not to mention people running their engines or smoking while pumping gas, both illegal, and stupid.
If I see that going on I drive away to other side of lot, cell phone in hand to call 911, until that customer is done and gone.
Darwin Award winner? I just don’t think I should go with them!
you call 911 when someone is filling up with their engine running? Gimme a break.
Give the rest of us a break! Why endanger life and property, all for a simple key turn?
I am PREPARED to call 911 if (when?) you set yourself afire with a running engine, spilled gas, static discharge, smoker nearby…etc.
Check Youtube for thousands of security vids of “gas station fires.”
You won’t be so smug.
Just because it hasn’t happened to you all the times you did fill up with a running engine, doesn’t mean it cannot happen. Just do the right thing–you know it is right.
Do you wrap yourself in bubble wrap before you leave the house each day? I live on the edge. im gassing up right now with the engine running, a smoke in my mouth AND writing this message on my cellular device as we speak! LOOK OUT!
That’s exactly what I was thinking .. should be charged with misuse of 911
This happened to me in another state at a truck stop once. I didn’t pump the gas, so it wasn’t my fault. It was a full service station and the attendant pumped the gas. He took my money and said, “Have a nice day!” That typically means that you can leave…so I started the engine and pulled out. He never took the hose out and when I looked in the rear view mirror he was chasing after me waving his hands. Believe it or not, you don’t really feel anything when you yank the hose out like that. I always wondered if that guy got fired over that one, lol.
Not an every day occurrence but it happens. The driver is always responsible for the safety of his vehicle at all times. Insuring that the gas cap is on tight is one of them. (safety item) Some cars will not run correctly even if the gas cap is loose.
ps: This is why there are break-away hoses installed at every gas station. It’s a mandatory item for fire prevention.
It’s the responsibility of the driver IF they are the one who pumped the gas. At a full service station where a station employee pumps the gas then it is the attendant’s responsibility.
WRONG, It is always the drivers responsibility. Ever hear of “Trust but verify”?
Even the pilots of 747’s are required to make a “walk around” inspection as are ALL commercial truck drivers. Any driver should be bright enough to determine whether or not his or her vehicle is attached to a fixed object. If not they may want to reconsider if they are qualified to drive.
Finally, someone said it!
I’m not a 747 pilot or a commercial truck driver. I am a single mother who stopped at a FULL SERVICE gas station. It was the attendants responsibility to do the job that the extra charge for gas paid him to do. Many vehicles have gas tanks on the passenger side, which you cannot see from the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Irrelevant, it is still the drivers responsibility. If you had the brakes fixed on your car, would you drive off and risk your life and those of your children by traveling at 60 to 80 mph without first “checking” (testing) them by stepping on the brakes at a slow speed first?…. I didn’t think so.
Do you check the lug nuts to see if they are tight after you have your tires changed also? What type of torque wrench do you use?
YES, and my torque wrench is made by Proto
Are you kidding me?? People need to have babysitters with them when they pump gas?
yup
Yes indeed, Uncle Drinky! People have so much to do these days – texting, phoning, i-padding, while driving, walking, eating . It’s too much to expect them to be focused on anything as insignificant as a gasoline pump or stop sign or traffic light. What with all our multi-tasking such vital stuff, we do need sitters – one adult for every childadult, and god bless us every one.
Probably a CYA move. They notified the proper authorities and let THEM decide what to do. I would not dismiss this. Given how often spills occur, the cumulative effect can’t be good. Plus, now we have that MBTE(?) additive with no half-life polluting the aquifers.
Wow!! I hope he wasnt texting?
see it happen, twisted the pump right around sideways,guy was grinning at me as he pulled off.
And a nice lady dropped her coffee, and a kindly old man stumbled, and a little kid cried, and a puppy barked, and a young lady decided to buy pizza instead of a sandwich. It was a crazy 24 hours at G and M. A robbery would not have created so many comments. When everyone drives a Hybrid this will only happen every 10 to 12 weeks.
good one! :)
When everyone drives a Hybrid this will only happen every 10 to 12 weeks.
****************************************************
heheheheheheh…..In Colorado, many apartment and condo complexes that do not have garages for each unit, have installed electric outlets at each parking spot so that residents can plug in their core heaters whn it gets down below zero. Many core heater plugs have been “left behind” in the pre-coffee hours of the morning! If evryone drove electric cars, three-pronged cords would litter driveways and parking lots coast-to-coast!
Hybrids don’t have cords, “plug ins” such as the new Prius plug in, Nissan leaf and Chevrolet Volt do. Regardless, we’re all subject to these gaffs…Nice comment!
Little off topic: I watched a women in a Prius finish fueling her vehicle….turn the pump off, turn the nozzle back on, and with the pump off, and with the nozzle still in the car, proceed to lift the hose over her head a shake it several times to get “the last drop” out of the hose. Not sure how much extra gas you get, but hey!
Hmmm… wonder if she does that with all hoses?
you can get a cup and a half out of the hose sometimes. This once saved me walking home one nite when I was a teen. I went to a nearby station and drained the lil bits out of all the hoses and it was enough to get my car started and make it home.
I shut the pump off and squeeze the nozzle once more before taking it out but I don’t lift the hose over my head. I hate dripping gas on my feet.
The irony there (as it is with all Prius owners, to be fair) being that, for someone so concerned with economy, she sure didn’t mind being overcharged for her car.
I saw someone do this years ago. I guess it still happens.
Seriously? This is news?
Also my goat jumped over the fence yesterday.
I hear the store awarded him with the nozzle and that he plans to have it mounted so he can display it on the mantle above his fireplace.
It happens a lot, but this poor teenager gets lucky enough to have everyone read about it?
This is news?? Sounds more like an AFV video.
Did the same thing..the pump had a quick disconnect fitting so no harm done.I took the pump handle out of my gas tank..brought it into the store..laid it on the counter and asked is anyone needed gas :>)
Texting while pumping I presume!!!!
This happens every 4 to 6 weeks??? How incredibly stupid can a person be? How do you forget that you are sitting at a gas pump and you haven’t yet taken the nozzle out of your car?
You can’t fix stupid, but you should be able to charge them for repairs and keep them from reproducing.
If it occurs every 4 to 6 weeks, why is it suddenly news?
I was working in a gas station in the early 80’s and witnessed the same thing by an older individual. I hadnt finished pumping his gas and he drove off, hose and all. Funny thing though, he didnt make the BDN.
I wonder how many times we’ll hear about this when we all go electric….people in a hurry in the morn. and drive off still plugged in to the garage and starts a fire and burn the house down or some gets fried…YIKES!!!
Why is this NEWS? It happens all the time, at every pay-at-the-pump station.
This kid made a mistake. Thankfully, he was honest enough to make the phone calls that he did to get it taken care of. By reading some of the comments on here, I am guessing that some of you have never made a mistake before.
I did this about ten years ago. Fortunately there’s an auto shut off. Not sure why this is newsworthy.
Its not…I replaced many in my day. Its a fairly common accident.
This is newsworthy?? Are you serious BDN???? Do you realize how many times this happens a day in this state and the majority of those who do it are adults!!!
Why is this story so intresting to you that you have to print it and no story on all the others who do it? is it because he was a teen? The place could have blown up reguardless of the age of the person who did it!!
This is BDN’s attempt to drum up article after article of inexperienced teen drivers. There’s alot going on politically right now about teen drivers. Give it up. They get a kick out of all our comments and realize how foolish a story can drum up customers!
I have almost done this a couple times. He showed his character when he called & reported it. Many would have just left?
LOL… Mine was on I95. As soon as I heard the safety connection pop I stopped. The kid working there was laughing the whole time as he poped it right back in.