Pulling up to the service station to top up the air in your tyres and water for your windscreen washer for free in Australia is common. Believe it or not, you actually need to pay for it in the United States.
A quick stop at the servo for a top-up of air in your tyres, or maybe a refill of the reservoir for your windscreen washer, is a pretty common task in Australia.
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Most motorists wouldn’t own an air compressor at home, and pumping tyres up with a hand pump is just plain silly. But, this simple automotive requirement actually costs money in the United States.
A video posted by an electric vehicle content creator showed motorists in California how to get free air from a petrol station compressor, where it normally costs a whopping $US2.50 ($AUD3.90).
The comments section saw a mixture of people from all over the globe, shocked that you’d actually need to pay to pump up your tyres.
“Free air is natural at Australian service stations,” said one user.
“This is incredible, we would never have to pay for air in Australia,” said another.
(@klwtts)Even people from Europe, where using a public restroom can cost money, had people in the comments bragging that air is essentially free everywhere else in the world.
But surprisingly, the US residents in the comments were siding with the petrol station, with some even claiming the user was stealing.
“You should be paying for it, so the gas station keeps it working,” said one commenter.
“Technically, you’re stealing since you did not purchase fuel here,” wrote one other.
“It’s free for paying customers. You have to present your receipt for gasoline, and they’ll turn on the water and air for free,” said another.
Although the term “stealing” is strong, it has been the law in some US states for decades that the service must be provided at service stations. But, customers are forced to pay for air.
Using the 1999 California Assembly Bill, for example, “every service station in this state is to provide, during operating hours, water, compressed air and a gauge for measuring air pressure to the public for use in servicing any passenger or commercial vehicle. These air and water services be made available at no cost to customers who purchase motor vehicle fuel”.
Do you need to pay for air at a petrol station in Australia?
Is it actually the case that air is free in Australia? Well, there is no legal requirement for petrol stations to have a compressor, let alone to offer its use for free – it has just become the social norm.
In fact, users have spotted paid compressors at Australian petrol stations over the past few years, with some sharing stories of store clerks’ refusal to turn on the pump until they made an in-store purchase.
“I used to fill up at one particular servo all the time. I’d actually only buy petrol there and nowhere else because I’m a big believer in loyalty. One day, I just needed to go in there for air, and the owner, who knew me by name, said to me ‘Only with a purchase’. I thought he was joking at first, until he said my name and said ‘Seriously, only with a purchase?’” said one Australian motorist.
It is a common complaint that the air compressors around Australian petrol stations never seem to be working. However, a popular theory is that the pumps do work but require the user to make an in-store purchase before usage – it’s just not signposted.
Do you believe that compressed air and water should be free for all to use at a petrol station? Share your opinion below…
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