Evening star., 1927-11-20
MILLIONS ARE LOST
BY CARELESSNESS
Motor Car Owners Urged to
Check Up on Measure
ments of Fuel.

Motor car owners themselves are
much to blame for the continuation
of an evil through which millions
upon millions of dollars annually are
lost from their own pockets.
This was pointed out yesterday in
a statement issued from national
headquarters of the American Auto
mobile Association, in which it was
asserted that the Indifferent attitude
of the average motorist Is the chief
cause for the tremendous yearly
losses through short measurements
in gasoline and oil.
The American Automobile Associa-
ton statement is predicated on the
experience of many of it's large affili-
ated clubs throughout the country.
which have from time to time and
with the cooperation of officials, staged
Investigations of and raids on certain
gasoline stations suspected of sys-
tematic 'sfort measure" practices.
Attendants Criticised.
The experiences of the clubs, ac-
cording to the American Automobile
Association, have definitely estab.
lished that the filling station pump Is
not responsible for short measure.
ment in nearly so many instances as
the station attendant who recognizes
in the inattention of the patron an
excellent opportunity to substitute
lesser quantity of gasoline and oil
than is ordered. 1t has also estab-
lished that the oil companies and the
owners of filing stations are in the
great majority of instances doing
everything possible to prevent sharp
Io wi nf
attendants.
"It Is safe to say that majority
of car owners literally turn their
backs upon the filling station attend
ant who is replenishing the cars fuel
supply" the statement points out. ''In
the earlier days of motoring when the
gasoline tank was located under the
cowl or under the front seat, this was
impossible, for the tank filling opera
ton had to be carried on under the
eyes of the car owner. Now, virtually
all cars boast Of gasoline tanks at
the rear.
1.-THE conventional practice is to
drive up to a pump and order 5, 10
or Is gallons of gasoline. After plac.
ing an order the driver remains seat.
ed, paying no attention to what is
going on behind him. How does he
know that the attendant does not
put 4. or 13 gallons in the tank?
The answer is that he does not know.
Filling station attendants are aware
of this, and it is only due to the fact
that majority of them are honest
that motordom's loss through short
measurement is not considerably
larger than at present.
Co.0neration Extended.
Oil companies and owners of indi-
vidua1 stations have given unstinted
cooperation to the authorities and to
the motor clubs attempting to remedy
the short measurement situation, but
the motorist must give his assistance
in a similar manner IL the evil Is to
be quickly and effectively wiped out.
"In a recent raid staged by city
officials with the cooperation of the
Cleveland Automobile Club, 16 sta.
tions serving from 500 to 1000 GUS
toners daily We're found to have at
tendants who were manipulating the
pumps in such way that short
measurement of gasoline was resorted
to in order to provide them with easy
money, the statement points out. In
one case, the raiding party found an
attendant who, on three different oc-
casions, pumped less than four gal
Ions Of gasoline into the automobile
tank on each five-gallon order.
"This employe freely admitted the
charge established by the investigators
and declared that he was using this
method to get money to pay off some
bills because 1t was so simple.
Pumps Not Faulty.
"Of the 100 stations visited, it was
found that not one pump was faulty.
but that careless or deliberate mis-.
handling often resulted in short meas.
| urement. Failure to drain the hose
fully was responsible for many cases
Of shortage" The statement con.
cluded:
"Watch the attendant when he fills
your cars gasoline tank. Let him
| understand that you are determined
to get tho quantity OF fuel for which
| you pay. Watch the pump indicator
| and see that the bowl is absolutely
| empty before 1t Is shut off. Then see
| that the hose Is thoroughly drained.
If this cannot he done while remain.
| ing in the car. getting out is a simple
proposition. The owner of your ia.
| Vorite iilling station may be your per-
| aonal friend and as honest as hon
esty itself, but his attendants are not
| always above sharp practices. Tho
| individual must help himself before
the help of others in this respect can
be fully effective"