| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 6:27:26 AM | Just been looking at all the prices of petrol and diesel as I've come back from shopping today, checking out the price differences as you do...
Well it suddenly occurred to me that the pricing HAS to be illegal.... It is impossible to charge someone a percentage of a penny.... There is no such thing... So I imagine prices are either rounded up or down according to how much of the pence you are over/under... If the total is rounded up, then we are being fleeced and if it is rounded down then of course we are technically stealing...
Now nowhere else is a product sold for a percentage of a pence is it? Or is it? I suppose shares sell for a percentage of a pence too.... So why is this allowed? Anyone know? | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 6:47:06 AM | It's just a tradition from the days when petrol was not as expensive as it is now, carried on purely for marketing purposes - to make prices look as if they are slightly cheaper than they are (and is completely legal incidentally).
But yes; stupid and pointless. The only reason it's not been stopped is because if one station does it then it makes them look slightly more expensive than the ones that aren't doing it. They don't seem to realise that if they all stopped doing it then things would just be exactly the same as they are now and they could actually be slightly better off (because they'd be getting a fraction of a penny more per litre).
Personally I don't bother looking at prices anyway, fractions of a pennies are just not worth worrying about that much. If I was bothered about saving a few pennies here and there on petrol, then adjusting the way I drive would be a much better place to start looking. I managed to just nudge over 20mpg on the motorway during the Christmas period so I've definitely done my bit for "saving the environment" (20.1 to be exact!)
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 6:53:57 AM | | i worked in a petrol forecourt for 6 years in my younger days and i have no idea what the answer to this question is! lol | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 7:59:52 AM | I'm not sure about the .9 but the price generally stinks if you ask me. I really really really don't know how they can justify the price or why no one says anything? A couple of years ago even on a low wage I was reasonably able to get about and go visit friends etc, without worrying too much of deisel consumption. Nowadays i'm having to stay at home as I just can't afford to keep filling the tank up, which I need for work purposes.
IT'S ALL CRAP!!!! | |
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cargy
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Joined: 10/13/2006
Msg: 5 | |
| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 8:31:54 AM | We should all go into our local garage and ask to buy EXACTLY one litre, no more, no less.
Then we could all demand our 0.1 of a penny change
That'd show 'em, and and and and we should make a point of helping ourselves to a set of diesel gloves (even if we aren't buying diesel) and a large length of the hand-wipeing roll.
Then we could just finish off by beating up the cashier and torching the place.
...and don't forget to wish them a cheery "Merry Christmas" as you leave, it's only manners! | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 8:44:10 AM | Isn't this the same with all "fuels" for instance gas and electric aswell?
I think they have strange part-pence prices per unit/therm/lump whatever aswell....... | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 8:52:02 AM | if not there, then the price would be rounded up...
tend to simply stick the nozzle into the hole and fill it up, rarely bother with how much it is as got a company car with fuel card, pay a lot of tax on it, so might as well use it :) | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 9:20:21 AM | .........and I still insist on buying my petrol in gallons, too.
5 gallons = 22.65 litres (or sometimes I buy 2 1/2 gallons, which is, of course, 11.32 litres).
Confuses the fcuk out of the cashiers!!!
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 10:23:32 AM | I still insist on buying my petrol in gallons, too.
5 gallons = 22.65 litres
Confuses the fcuk out of the cashiers!!!
I bet it does, especially considering 5 imperial gallons is not 22.65 litres... 
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 10:25:44 AM | Ah, you know what? I just knew someone smart alec would say that!!! It IS according to the conversion calculation my late father did - so THAT's what I use!! and have done since they started to sell in litres.........
I notice you don't offer an alternative (more correct?) conversion either!!! Not got one?
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 10:26:58 AM |
Confuses the fcuk out of the cashiers!!!
why would it confuse the fook out of anyone? the amount of the sale comes up on the pump so the cashier doesn't have to work anything out at all... | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 10:35:49 AM |
Just been looking at all the prices of petrol and diesel as I've come back from shopping today, checking out the price differences as you do...
I dont.
Well it suddenly occurred to me that the pricing HAS to be illegal....
Exciting..
It is impossible to charge someone a percentage of a penny.... There is no such thing... So I imagine prices are either rounded up or down according to how much of the pence you are over/under... If the total is rounded up, then we are being fleeced and if it is rounded down then of course we are technically stealing...
I wont feel as if i was being robbed.. it can only be by half a penny. So it dont matter, i give more to a beggar.
Now nowhere else is a product sold for a percentage of a pence is it? Or is it? I suppose shares sell for a percentage of a pence too.... So why is this allowed? Anyone know?
Is it? Isnt it? Is it?
This dilemma is like trying to buy exactly a kilo or a pound of potatoes etcs... its virtually impossible. | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 11:04:35 AM |
why would it confuse the fook out of anyone? the amount of the sale comes up on the pump so the cashier doesn't have to work anything out at all...
........ because they usually say pump number? £489.23? and I say no, 5 gallons.........
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 11:24:11 AM | Msg 12... Never claimed it to be exciting... Just perhaps thought provoking on an otherwise quiet afternoon.. The query had nothing whatsoever to do with the ability to purchase a precise amount but more the right to only have to pay for what you actually buy and not for something that is technically impossible to give change for ... Ok so you may not get rich on it ... But why just give it away meekly???
Also why do they use volumetric flow meters to measure petrol which give out more fuel in the winter than in the summer. If they used mass flow meters the mass of the fuel would be the same, meaning we wouldn't lose out regardless of the temperature and pressure of the fuel being delivered.
(^^ Stolen word perfect from a friend)
So we're being double duped for a commodity we are already being overcharged for... | |
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44Boz
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Joined: 6/22/2007
Msg: 15 | |
| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 11:33:14 AM | They can charge what they choose and round up in their favour:
In order to comply with the very strict rules governing an actual legal tender it is necessary, for example, actually to offer the exact amount due because no change can be demanded.
http://www.royalmint.gov.uk/Corporate/BritishCoinage/LegalTenderGuidelines.aspx | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 11:43:33 AM |
Msg 12... Never claimed it to be exciting...
I didnt say you were exciting, did i? (Sorry if i did. I did not mean to)
Just perhaps thought provoking on an otherwise quiet afternoon..
Yeah.. my afternoon suddenly became ever so exciting.. woopieedo 
The query had nothing whatsoever to do with the ability to purchase a precise amount but more the right to only have to pay for what you actually buy and not for something that is technically impossible to give change for
We do pay for what we buy exactly.
Ok so you may not get rich on it ... But why just give it away meekly???
I fill my car with diesel once per week and even if i was on the wrong side of that 'half penny' every single time (which is unlikely), i would be 26pence a year worse off which is less than a packet of cheap crisps. | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 12:00:21 PM | SanToki - 20mpg? wtf are you driving, a V8?
My diesel Mondeo averages 42mpg overall and gets more than 60mpg on the motorway - even with diesel at 105+/L its still cheaper to run than a petrol car... | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 12:01:31 PM | Thank OPEC
One good reason why we should be pushing for alternative fuels !!
They've had the technology to run cars on water for years , but they wont release it because the oil barons are making way too much money from oil , plastics etc..... | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 12:46:06 PM | I bet it does, especially considering 5 imperial gallons is not 22.65 litres... Ah, you know what? I just knew someone smart alec would say that!!! It IS according to the conversion calculation my late father did
But not according to every other conversion calculator...
I notice you don't offer an alternative (more correct?) conversion either!!!
Not got one?
Not capable of finding anything yourself?
SanToki - 20mpg? wtf are you driving, a V8??
Currently a V6. Quite proud of 20mpg actually, had a twin turbo Subaru until earlier this year, never got above 10mpg in that (and that's not exaggerating, 8 was my usual average) 
I had a diesel for a while this year. It was so much fun I choose to use a pushbike instead most of the time...
EDIT : VVVVVV
don't need to - I have a tried and tested calculation with the math proof already - not just cribbed from a cardboard freebie..........
Google is hardly a "cardboard freebie", but good on ya; you stick to your guns and take on the multi-billion pound empire, heh.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=5+uk+gallon+in+litres&meta=
Happy New Year to you and please stop picking - it's sssssssssssssooooooooooooo unattractive
I sssssssssssssooooooooooooo don't care. Like whateeeeeeeever. Tooooootally.
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 12:52:07 PM |
I bet it does, especially considering 5 imperial gallons is not 22.65 litres...
Ah, you know what? I just knew someone smart alec would say that!!!
It IS according to the conversion calculation my late father did
But not according to every other conversion calculator...
I notice you don't offer an alternative (more correct?) conversion either!!!
Not got one?
Not capable of doing anything yourself?
Ah, but I don't need to - I have a tried and tested calculation with the mathematical proof already - not just cribbed from an estimated cardboard freebie .......... but thanks for reminding me that I have Masters level education coz .......... i forgot how fik i is durrrrrr!
Happy New Year to you but please stop picking - it's sssssssssssssooooooooooooo unattractive | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 12:57:28 PM | | a masters? in what? looking at petrol station price boards ...let me take you out love n live a little lol | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 2:22:42 PM | OK so let's say we all could save an average of 26 p a year as an earlier poster proclaims.. Nothing to us is it really... According to Whatcar.com back in march 2006 there were approximately 33 million cars on Britains roads... multiply that by the 26 pence a year...That's £8,580,000 of revenue the petrol companies get from us each and every year because of that .1 penny .. not such small fry then is it...
Msg 26 ... Thing is though ... I buy them at the advertised price... Not at some trumped up point something of a penny that is impossible to pay ... .. If bread and milk were advertised at 110.9 p a loaf/litre there would soon be complaints made... | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 2:29:37 PM | maybe we shouls all pay cash and make sure the pump goes 1p over and say we haven't got any change?
edit..
actually i've just had a thought...
surely the fuel has already been paid for by the owner/franchiser of the forecourt? so that profit isn't going to the oil companies but to the shop owners? | |
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| .9p .. How is this legal ?
Posted: 12/27/2007 2:41:15 PM |
OK so let's say we all could save an average of 26 p a year as an earlier poster proclaims.. Nothing to us is it really...
It is nothing to us, Really.
26pence per year is IF every single transaction is rounded up by 'half a penny' . Every single transaction IS NOT rounded up to the nearest penny.
According to Whatcar.com back in march 2006 there were approximately 33 million cars on Britains roads... multiply that by the 26 pence a year...That's £8,580,000 of revenue the petrol companies get from us each and every year because of that .1 penny .. not such small fry then is it...
Woah! If each of us writes to the petrol companies and try to claim back that 26 pence.. IF 26 pence is correct and put a stamp on the envelope which will cost more than the 26 pence.. Not including the price of the envelope...
£8,580,000 ...... Britains women spend more than that on Tampax every year.
Edit
I would never date a lady that didn't spend a small proportion of her salary on menstrual goods but that's just how I am
LOL msg 28! | |
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