My Cousin's Burning at the Gas Station

Mobile phones must not be used at a gas stations but what are the options for a woman reeling under danger at a place as dangerous as that.





My cousin has driven to one for filling up her two-wheeler petrol tank. She demands for a refill for Rs. 252.




Now, there is a concern of consumer in India that the fuel dispensing machine are manipulated to deliver a little less in quantity for standard round figures such as for Rs 250. That explains why she opted for Rs 252. Most gas stations in our country are available for self-service only if the consumer is impatient for the absence of a service guy or if he is daring enough to handle machines that he is not supposed to (the rules being never rigid, nor the need to ever worry about the consequences of breaking a rule if at all).





Now the guy that filled up my cousin's tank, meets a friend (for this is a country where any and everybody is a friend and more so when there is an opportunity to chat) and gets busy talking. Customer in India is used to handing over money to distracted people and then wait for a change. My cousin hands him Rs. 300 and starts searching for a change of Rs. 2 that she was sure she had with her. Her luck is good and she fishes out the change from her belongings in the bag and hands it over to the man who gave her petrol. The guy is not happy, he sounds frustrated when he demands for Rs. 250 to finish off the deal.





"I have just handed you Rs 300, you have to return a 50" demanded my cousin.





"You have paid nothing, you are not going to make a fool out of me" retorted the disgruntled gas dispensator.

My cousin started losing her cool as she responded, “Check your cameras (recordings) if wish to contend with me on that.”

“We don’t have cameras installed” came an easy response.

My cousins mother who despised fuel fume, had got down a little away from the gas dispensers. She was watching the argument and proceeded to check what the argument was all about.

As the dispensator man saw the mother figure appearing, he must have sensed her as an observer and a witness. He must have felt he was fighting a lost battle when he might have considered that the lady could be the mother of the women he was torturing. He must have thought sensed the dangers of fighting a woman at a public arena. He surrendered a Rs. 50 note to my cousin without further argument. However, as a man with no hormonal deficiency he made note of the vehicle number and also took her mobile number. She argued that he check the accounts before she left. But the man contends that he is happy with the information he has.

After, she left the spot my cousin feels the pinch of her unthinking actions. She feels the heat of burning in a fuel tank. She has revealed her mobile number to a person of shady character. Had he been genuinely mistaken of not having taken money from her at the first instance, why would he give away Rs 50 without argument on seeing her mother available for her support. He had enough information with him to find her residence if he pursued that matter. She was under terror when she felt she may have compromised her safety. That’s when she calls me.

I suggest her a few things she could have done:

1. She could have walked into the office at the gas station and talked to the officer about the situation, thus letting more people be aware of what transpired.
2. She could have taken the person aside and taken a picture of his on her mobile as he was demanding her personal information. She could have then told him that she would be sharing his picture with people whom she trusts to help her if there was any need. That would have kept him from being bold enough to venture into wild adventures.

When incidents happen, we may not think of all the right things we may do then and there. However, if you have an afterthought, there are still measures you may take to keep yourself safe.

Thank God for you mother, cousins and friends J