At work - need to vent

[Warrior Poet]

Yeah, back in January we were paying about 40c per litre less than what we are now.

I don't know about the US or anywhere else, but our government charges an excise tax on petrol of about 37.6% per litre. On top of that we then pay an extra 10% Goods and Services Tax. Works out at about 55c a litre is tax.

Yep, we got tax. I think it's actually one of the few commodities in this country where the tax is already figured into the price prior to purchase, since the states set sales tax on a state-by-state basis, so the beer you buy in one state may have a higher tax than the beer you buy in another state. So you don't actually know what you're paying (unless you know the tax rate and can do the math real fast) until you get up to the counter to pay and they tell you what the extra amount is. But with petrol, the tax is already figured in (I think; I don't drive much since I sold my truck).

I don't know what the current energy tax rate is on fuel, and if that's established nationally or at the state level. In Illinois, our state tax (sort of the Goods/Services tax) is 9%, last I checked, so it's hovering around yours, though I don't know what the cost of living differences are (gosh, economics has a lot of factors . . . ).

Anyway, I'm probably way out of my league on the economics discussion at this point, so, I'll bow out of that section and just say, "Pour yourself a cold one!"

I'll do the same tonight.

Warrior Poet

 

[ssampier]

I've been there, I can sympathize. First-line customer service employees always get the brunt of the blame for anything. As a Internet customer service "specialist" working for a phone company, I hear it all: my computer is broken, my phones don't work, and (my favorite) your system gave me a virus. I just politely inform them what avenues they can take to fix the problem. If they're still grumpy, I try not to let it bother me.

In your case, the only thing you can suggest is write a letter to your representative. That's been a good excuse in the U.S. for decades, so it may work in Australia; I don't know.

 

[Turanil]

In your case, the only thing you can suggest is write a letter to your representative.

That's it! Find the adress of the oil company, and some appropriate person there to whom send a letter. Then, everytime a guy complains, give him the adress and tell him to write a letter. And don't forget to ask him if he is going to do it, or if he just intends to complain uselessly to the employee at the petrol station.

In any case, remember all that the major worldwide oil crisis is nearing. Just 5 to 10 years and the worst is coming...

 

[DaveStebbins]

Yup, I don't mind admitting my mistakes and accepting the consequences (it gets easier because I have had lots of practice), but it really cheeses me off when people at work blame me for stuff I have no control over. Since I very rarely have any contact with executives, vendors or customers, I am, however, pretty free to respond in kind to such abuse. Since I am the first one to admit my mistakes, I don't get in trouble when I do this.

Over the last fives years or so, I've discovered that a cheery attitude is the best retaliation, though. When I let someone's anger roll off my back and respond politely it just torques them off even more and I grin my evil grin on the inside because part of the goal of their pissy attitude is to see if they can ruin my day.

-Dave
"A positive attitude will not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." --Herm Albright

 

[IronWolf]

I just don't see why people think it does any good to complain about fuel prices to the person working the counter. It just makes no sense at all to me. Yeah, the person back there making min. wage is solely to blame for fuel costs... Yeah, right. I'd just do your best to let it roll off your back, though I am sure it gets quite old after awhile.

 

[Henry]

I've commiserated with the sales clerks over gasoline prices before, but hopefully I've never taken it out on them, specifically because of this.

 

[kenobi65]

I don't know what the current energy tax rate is on fuel, and if that's established nationally or at the state level.

Both. There's a federal tax on gas, then there may be a state tax, as well as a local (county and / or city) tax. Differences in the taxes are a big part of the reason why gas prices vary so much regionally in the U.S.

 

[WayneLigon]

I pay at the pump with a card. I haven't seen a counter person in years

 

[Eternalknight]

I've commiserated with the sales clerks over gasoline prices before, but hopefully I've never taken it out on them, specifically because of this.

Don't get me wrong; if someone comes in and is justtalking to me about high prices I don't mind because, yes, they are stupidly high. It's the abusive and/or people who blame me specifically. Example:

I bought a brand new car a month ago, 2005 Toyota Corrola. Some nob last night came in and said:

"F***, no wonder you can afford a new care with the price you charge for petrol."

To which I responed:

"Sorry, I have nothing to do with the price of petrol."

He, in turn, responded with:

"You rob us blind to fill your own pockets."

I finished serving him and walk away.

 

[Henry]

You should have showered him with $100 bills and cranked up AC/DC's "Love me for the money" on a stereo and laughed at him.

Now, I'm not sure which is dumber, my statement, or his.