I’m from a US state where we don’t pump our own gas. Since I don’t pump my own gas regularly - only when I’m out of state - I’m not exactly sure when this happened, but all gas pumps seem to play ads now while the pump runs. At least the states adjacent to mine. Like can I not even pump gas in peace? Stop trying to manipulate my purchasing decisions 24/7.
Edit: ok I get it, there’s a mute button. I appreciate the tip, but people are already reporting that it only sometimes works. Knowing there’s a mute button that sometimes functions doesn’t make me less infuriated
It started happening a few years ago in my area. Maybe like right before the pandemic?
For a while some of the stations had a hidden option where you could hit one of the unmarked selection buttons and it would at least mute the ads. But starting around the end of last year they took that option away.
The only stations I know of that don’t show ads are Costco (and I assume Sam’s Club too, but idk). Plus they have slight discounts on gas because they are member only. But my local Costco station is such a headache to get through these days - even at around 9pm after the main store closes - that I not just go to a local Shell or Valero and resentfully try to ignore the fucking ads that always play.
It’s crazy how there are just more and more reasons popping up to go to Costco (e.g. supporting DEI, infinite return policy). I’m gonna get a membership.
Yep. And a lot of the gas stations in my area have the auto-hold latches busted or removed, so you have to stand there and have a super loud ad screamed in your face. Which is why I now have a pack of reusable zip ties in my car that I will slap on the fill handle if I come across a pump like that. And no, that’s not dangerous - the stop mechanism in the pump handle operates such that the handle depresses further when the auto-shutoff engages, so it does not disrupt the safety of the filler mechanism.
I just jam my gas cap in the handle.
Can one accidentally disable the annoying shilling screen whilst jostling the nozzle toward the intended vehicular orifice?
Press and hold two buttons in each corner. If those don’t work, try the other two. Keep iterating through pressing and holding one button on either side of the screen. Eventually, you will open a diagnostic menu. You can’t do anything here without a passcode, but it will stop the ad.
I’ve only come across a few pumps where I could not figure out the combo before I finished pumping.
I never see ads when pumping gas because all the gas stations that have ads that play on their pumps have been
vandalizedimproved so the screens don’t work lolThe entire US is a lesson on the consequences of barely-regulated rampant capitalism.
Weirdly enough the PNW just has normal gas pumps that don’t have screens or sound
I’ve def seen them in Seattle
Circle K here in Burien just outside of Seattle,WA has them.
I HATE this if I am PAYING for a product then I shouldn’t get a god damn ad.
Look at this pedon thinking that he is entitled to dignity
Cute
Paying customers/additional ad revenue
Because you’re not PAYING enough, now go INSIDE and buy some FUCKING BANANAS.
Use ads negatively, it makes ads fun.
See an ad? Pledge to never buy that product. My black book is full of spite.
Unfortunately gas stations don’t actually make much money from selling you fuel. Most of the money is made from the attached convenience stores.
Lol, imagine thinking you’re allowed a momentary reprieve from advertising in this hellscape of a world we’ve built.
Get an EV. Charge at home. Watch YouTube ads while you wait.
What are YouTube ads?
Signed, an AndroidUser
What’s youtube? Signed, a Nebula user.
ps. Ik ik tell me I should use PeerTube.
What’s a computer?
Used electric cars are some of the cheapest you can buy with the lowest total cost of ownership. If you have to drive, at least spare yourself the awful experience, cost, and pollution of gas stations.
The US never stop to amaze me
They’ve stopped using exposed speaker grilles so you can’t shove a screw driver into the speakers anymore :(
Ad blaring pumps are in Canada too. Shell is the most obnoxious.
Is gas less expensive compared to pumps where they don’t do that?
Nope!
Bahahahahahahaha!
No.
The button second from the top on the right hand side of the screen is the mute button(usually).
If not, try all of them, one usually mutes it. If not, hold the top two for ten seconds to force the pump into maintenance mode, gas pumps as normal, then times out eventually to the main screen.
Not anymore, it stopped working a while ago
Most of them in my area have disabled that. There is no non-destructive way to mute them.
Yes, the chopstick-to-the-grille is plan B.
So, most pump POS used to have a labeled or unlabeled mute button. That has become rare.
So far, I’ve been able to kick all of them into a diagnostic/trouble menu by pressing pairs of keys on each side of the monitor in sequence from the top.
Some of them have a timeout on this screen, but the counter resets when you hit a key.
Passwords can be entered from the keypad, with ok/enter also working. I bet the passwords are the manufacturer default, probably a 5-7 digit number. I was able to find partial training manuals and setup docs from one of the POS vendors but I didn’t find a default password or deeper technical docs for the one brand I looked into.
Fucking ads in my face fucking piss me off.
I just have a rubber handle icepick in my glove box that works wonders on gas station speakers.
Can’t play an ad if there isn’t a speaker.
12345 works as a default a surprisingly large amount.
2580 is another one I’ve used with success.
12345 works as a default a surprisingly large amount.
That’s amazing! I have the same combination on my luggage!
Had an Android tablet that sat in a lost and found for like three years with no claims. Finally decided to mess around with it. After charging it up there was a password screen. Tried 1234. No dice. 2580 and it opened right up.
Why would 2580 be common?
Straight down the centre.
Is this a euphemism for farting?
Typically the button on the right, second from the top mutes. It depends on the model, but it works on some.
I have like a 70% success rate with this trick
When the 2nd from the top on the right doesn’t work I proceed to hit all of them. Normally that works
Small knife/chopstick etc through the plastic grate in front of the speaker does the job too
May I introduce you to the wonderful japanese ads on the toilet?
No, I will respond with hate speech if you do
Might start bringing a sharpy with me everywhere to cover them all up.
This might bring out my inner Picasso and start painting.
