Story Comments

Additionally, regarding the gas pump story: There was a case in the Los Angeles area where a gas station owner had put in a device which would dispense the correct amount, if you filled up your tank with exactly 5 or 10 gallons. Anything else, and it was cheating you. Why 5 or 10 gallons? Because the county, when testing gas pumps for accuracy, would either pump exactly 5 or 10 gallons. The gas stations' pumps would pump a little at first, pump more later to make up the difference at the beginning, until it was exactly at 5 gallons. Then it would repeat this until it got to 10 gallons. After 10 gallons, you were always being cheated.

Not only is it bunk, it's totally rudimentary information. Hey guys! Know how you can tell if you're being cheated at the grocery store? Buy 10 lbs of bananas, and the price should total 10 times the cost of a pound of bananas!

That gas pump story from Wise Bread is bunk. All it says is the pump will charge an amount 10 times the price per gallon. It does not prove the amount of the gallon (or litre). [majorhitwaves.wordpress.com] [urbanlegends.about.com] [www.snopes.com]