Jan. 8, 2023, 11:05 p.m. by Chris
Today, 1/8/23, I was subjected to severe and even dangerous mistreatment by gas attendants Dan and Nick at the Costco gas station in Santa Rosa, California, and a rude and condescending interaction with store manager “Dawn R.” when I met with her afterward to complain about the incident.
Here’s what happened:
Today, 1/8/23, at roughly 5:15 PM, I was waiting in line to get gas at the Santa Rosa Costco gas station, and noticed an empty pump one car ahead in the lane across from me. As a long time Costco member (for decades), I have observed, on many occasions, drivers entering the passing lane in such a a situation to move ahead and pull up beside the unused pump to get gas – without any problem, complaint, correction, or even a single word of disapproval on the part of Costco members or gas attendants.
Doing this is helpful in a number of ways: 1) it allows the car behind me to move forward in line, and 2) it allows more efficient utilization of the limited number of pumps at Costco.
Since I’d seen this happen on a regular basis for years at Costco without incident or objection on the part of Costco members or gas station attendents – and therefore believing the behavior to be allowed and completely okay – I chose to do so, myself, this evening. I certainly meant no harm nor maliciousness in any way whatsoever. In fact, I thought what I did was perfectly fine – since I’d witnessed it at Costco so often before without any problem whatsoever – and since doing so enables multiple Costco customers (myself, and the car behind me) to get gas more quickly – which seemed to me to be a good thing, not a bad thing.
Costco gas station attendants Dan and Nick then began yelling at me in an abusive, hostile, almost violent way, threatening to revoke my Costco membership, and ordering me off the property.
** Nick even YANKED THE GAS PUMP OUT OF MY CAR – WHILE I WAS FILLING UP!! **
I then drove away from the gas station, parked in the Costco parking lot, and entered the store to report the incident to the manager on duty. I spoke with a female supervisor named “Dawn R.”
Dawn listened to my recollection of the event, which included all information written here. Dawn rudely and candescently dismissed my complaint, asserting that it was “common sense” that I shouldn’t switch lanes to fill up at an unused pump.
How am I supposed to know that such a think is not okay – when I’ve observed Costco members doing exactly that – without any correction by Costco gas attendants – without any word of objection at all – on many occasions at various Costco gas stations – over a period of decades?
How am I supposed to regard it as “common sense” that behavior X is wrong, when I’ve seen behavior X take place, without any problem AT ALL, year after year, at numerous Costco gas stations – and when there is NO sign posted at Costco gas stations explaining that members MUST stay in their own lane and not change lanes to utilize unused pumps?
And HOW IN THE WORLD is it okay for Costco gas attendants to yell at me using hostile, near-violent voices, threaten to revoke my Costco membership – and then endanger the lives of those in the vicinity by PHYSICALLY YANKING OUT THE GAS PUMP FROM MY CAR – as I’m pumping gas into it – risking a gas spillage, or worse?
** How in the world is THAT behavior okay? **
I want to speak to a Costco regional customer relations representative about this event, asap.
I also want – and fully expect – to receive a written apology (email would be fine) for the dangerous, hostile, abusive, and disrespectful mistreatment I was subjected to by various Santa Rosa Costco employees this evening.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you.
Click here to see the complaint and comments
