Because sometimes you just have to draw the line

[firecat]

There is a Shell gasoline station near my house and I go there when there is a line at the local independent station (which is frequently the case).

I won't be going there any more if I can help it, because they have installed new pumps with video screens in them, and the video screens run continuous ads while you pump your gas.

(Also the new pump kept shutting itself off when I tried to set it to pump automatically, but that wouldn't be a show stopper in itself.)

Comments

[usqueba.livejournal.com]

They're doing that at "my" Valero station too. I just read a book :P

[firecat]

I find it hard to read a book with someone yammering at me in the background. (It's not just a screen, it's a speaker too.)

[krasota.livejournal.com]

I've seen volume/mute buttons on some of those.

Really annoying, though.

[usqueba.livejournal.com]

I've seen volume/mute buttons on some of those.
That's good to know! Thanks for the heads-up. I'll look next time I'm there.

[usqueba.livejournal.com]

::nodding:: That's what they have at Valero.

I grew up in a big/loud family. I can block stuff out (a little too well sometimes)!

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

I buy gas at a cheap station. I'd be surprised if they spent money on monitors.

[firecat]

The local independent station probably won't install this kind of pump. But there's usually a line at it during the day. I'll need to switch my gas-buying to the evening.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

Mine actually sells more cigarettes than gas, so there's almost always a pump free.

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, very nearly every gas station here has those. It actually strikes me as weird to not see them.

It does amuse me when they're bluescreened, though.

[bcholmes.livejournal.com]

Really? I haven't seen them in any of the places I buy gas.

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

I only tend to buy gas regularly at about five locations (the two stations near my house, the two stations near my work, one location at Bayview and Sheppard which seems to frequently be "en route" for me), so it's possible that I just got "lucky" in my sample set. :/

[surelars.livejournal.com]

Argh. It annoys me that I can't get a minutes of nothingness. Here, my until-recently-preferred taxi company have installed monitors in their cars, running adds and a bit of news. You can kill the sound, but I still find it annoying. When going to the airport and 5:30 in the morning, I don't want to have a TV pushed in my face.

[firecat]

It annoys me that I can't get a minutes of nothingness.

Per-zacktly.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Is it worth writing a letter to the station's management explaining why they've lost your business?

[firecat]

I sent e-mail to Shell...

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Well done that woman!

[stitchinthyme.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind that sort of thing if it meant cheaper gas (although I wouldn't pay attention to the ads because I just never do on principle), but I bet prices haven't gone down any since they were installed.

I noticed on my last trip to Wildwood, NJ that the boardwalk tram cars now had ads all over them -- but the price of a ride had also gone down by $1 from what it was the last time we were there, so I didn't mind so much because at least they didn't just pocket the extra profit...they actually used it to reduce the price.

The place I still object to ads the most is at movie theaters -- if I'm already paying to be there, I damn well shouldn't have to watch ads. (I don't mind movie trailers [though after about the 7th or 8th one I'm usually a bit sick of them]; I'm talking about product ads.)

[firecat]

I don't hate stationary ads, although when they appear in new places (like the *floor* of the grocery store) I am bemused.

What I hate are noisy, moving ads in places where I am trying to concentrate on something else. It's hard for me not to be distracted by them.

I am annoyed by the ads at movie theaters for the reason you state, but it doesn't bother me as much, because they aren't distracting me from something else I want to do. Also, movie theaters are elective for me right now, but gas stations aren't.

[stitchinthyme.livejournal.com]

What I hate are noisy, moving ads in places where I am trying to concentrate on something else.

Oh, yes. I have several Firefox add-ons that allow me to block most of the distracting web ads -- I hate having something flashing at me while I'm trying to read an article. That's one reason why I like Google...at least the ads they have a) don't flash; and b) are actually relevant to whatever I happen to be looking for.

At gas stations I wouldn't care so much because it's not like filling up the car requires that much concentration, though.

[firecat]

Yeppers on the web browser stuff. NoScript rules.

It's true that filling the car doesn't require concentration, but I just have a general objection to noisy, moving ads unless they're on a screen I'm deliberately sitting in front of.

video ads at the pump

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

it's not about concentration for me, it's about the bloody noise pollution. i'd like less of it, please. less of moving, flickering ad stuff too; i can tune out still pictures, but not movement (which is why the a*holes do it, of course). there is quite enough for my visual cortex to do without ads tiring it out, thanks.

i'd stop buying gas from my station if they installed this sort of crap. fortunately they're a small backwoods independent, and are unlikely to do it. heck, we can't even pay with a card at the pump yet. :)

google text ads rule, if one must have ads (i am often willing to pay so i don't have to see any).

Re: video ads at the pump

[firecat]

Yes, exactly - attention pollution, peripheral vision pollution...