04 Jan 2003 | ek said...

Seems like it varies a lot from station to station and, even then, from pump to pump. I went to a Mobil station near the United Center last winter and the pump must have been operating in drip mode, but others at the station seemed to be operating normally.

On the topic of differentiation, I think that BP has done a great job with the redesign of their stations. They are very bright, very friendly, and, at least for now, much cleaner than most of the other stations that I see around here. And call me a nave consumer, but I like the solar power initiatives that BP is undertaking at their stations. To me it's these sorts of things more than pump speed that make me want to go to one station more than another.

Taking a completely different tack, Paco Underhill recommends in his book, Why We Buy that gas stations use bathroom cleanliness to differentiate themselves.

04 Jan 2003 | pinder said...

one thing they can make better is making the pumps stop at even values like $20 instead of at $20.02. some of the full serve stations here have big buttons you can press that say $5, $10, $20, or FILL, but none of the self-serve ones have it.

04 Jan 2003 | Steven Garrity said...

The universal speed pass. Two common stops for us just down the street from our office are the Tim Horton's donut/coffee shop and the Esso gas station. The Esso has the SpeedPass, while the Tim Horton's remains one of the few establishments that still doesn't take Interac (presumably it's a speed/value issue - hundreds of people a day come through the Tim's drive-thru window with $1.05 orders).

I don't have one (yet), but a few friends tell me that the Esso SpeedPass is great. This left us wondering, why can't we use our SpeedPass at the Tim Horton's - surely they'd love not to have to pay their min-wage workers to fumble around with all of that change. Why doesn't Visa or Mastercard produce a speedpass?

04 Jan 2003 | Steven Garrity said...

Also - in the last year, almost all of the local gas stations ditched their full services. Was there no demand? It always amazed me to see people driving $50,000 SUVs standing in the freezing cold stinking up their leather gloves just to save a few pennies. I used to use full-serve all the time - I didn't really care how much it cost. Now my grandmother with arthritis is forced to drive across town to one of the few remaining full-serve stations.

04 Jan 2003 | ek said...

I'm one of those who really dislikes full-service stations. For me it's not the cost savings, I just don't like having people wait on me. Just like fancy rest rooms with attendants -- that just seems really weird to me.

On the Speedpass, what is the appeal? Is it that much faster than using a credit card? All the stations I've gone to have slots for credit cards and they seem to process orders quite quickly. Just curious because I've never tried Speedpass or seen anyone use it. Also, is it credit based or debit based (i.e. do you have to "pre-fill" your account with money)?

I like pinder's idea, though, very useful and practical.

04 Jan 2003 | ~bc said...

still doesn't take Interac

Steve, what's Interac? I've only been north of the border once, don't remember hearing what that was but I do know that Tim Horton's is a doughnut shop.

04 Jan 2003 | JF said...

Re: Full service...

I believe New Jersey and Oregon are the only two states that ban self-service stations. Full service is the only option. Weird, isn't it?

04 Jan 2003 | Steven Garrity said...

ek: The appeal for the SpeedPass is the speed and convenience. It is apparently quite a bit faster than using the credit card (both processing faster, and more convenience in that it is on your car keys and doesn't have to be removed from your wallet and scanned in a machine - awkward with gloves on).

It apparently works with existing credit cards accounts. So your SpeedPass purchases can be billed to the credit card of your choice. Also, the local Esso has a speedpass receptacle (for lack of a better term) at the cash register inside the store as well - so you can buy items inside in addition to gas and still use the speedpass.

~bc: Interac is a bank card / debit card. My appologies - I had assumed it was known internationally.

04 Jan 2003 | ek said...

Ah, I see. I wonder how they're able to make it process so quickly? I'll have to do some investigating on Mobil's site.

And how weird it is for Jersey and Oregon to require full-service. They must have had some reason for doing that, can't imagine that the gas station lobby is that powerful. ;-) I wonder if it was specifically to address the issue that Steven brought up (accessibility)?

04 Jan 2003 | .sara said...

re: the SpeedPass

i thought they were pretty rockin' when they first came out. mom had a Mobil account, so she got the SpeedPass (they actually sent 3 for the account; probably assuming, correctly, that more than one person in the house had a vehicle). i only used it a couple of times. i just liked watching the big pegasus button light up. (:

i'm not sure i'd want a speedpass for either a visa or MC, though. it's a nice idea, but there's no ID verification required for usage. and since my mom recently had her stolen @ Jiffy Lube (they replaced hers with another they'd stolen) and used for hundreds of dollars in gas and food and such. she only found out about it because Mobil noticed all these charges happening in much higher amounts and in a totally different area than she frequents.

04 Jan 2003 | MM said...

I am also fairly obsessed with looking at objects/experiences and trying to figure out ways to make them better. Sometimes though, not always, I stop and wonder how these "next big things" fit into a larger context and what sort of impact they have in the "greater scheme of things".

So my idea for you, and I know that it might sound a little audacious, but how about this for the next big thing at the gas station? A little less pollution, or cleaner air, or a healthier environment, or a planet that is fit to inhabit for our children? I am not talking about billboard lip service here, I am talking about a concerted effort by the oil companies and automobile manufacturers to design objects/experiences with these things in mind. Since they occupy 10 of the top 15 spots in the Global 500 and generated roughly $1.4 trillion USD in revenues in 2002 I do not think this is terribly unreasonable user requirement.

If there are other obsessed objects/experiences designers out there, it is time that we start putting our heads together and really start thinking about how we can apply the things that we know about user-centered design, experience design, interaction design, etc. to some of the real design problems that we face that have consequences beyond the bottom line.

How Green Is BP? (NYT "free" registration required)

"But its biggest challenge may come years, perhaps decades, from now, when the world turns to other forms of energy -- in part because of dwindling oil supplies but mainly because of the mounting and unimpeachable evidence that we have a profound carbon problem on our hands; that even if we discover billions of new barrels of oil in the ground, we cannot keep burning them -- and pumping vast amounts of carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gases into the atmosphere -- without potentially catastrophic consequences."

"BP may show greater sensitivity to environmental concerns than any other company in its industry, it may also be impossible for any company that derives well over 90 percent of its revenue from fossil fuels to claim to be part of the solution. Despite its new sunburst logo and ''Beyond Petroleum'' slogan, BP still invests $12 billion, or 25 times more, on oil and gas than on its wind and solar division for the simple fact that, right now, there's a huge market for oil and almost none for solar panels."

A question beyond the comment: At what point do/are designers of objects/experiences held responsible for the things that we create?

04 Jan 2003 | ek said...

A question beyond the comment: At what point do/are designers of objects/experiences held responsible for the things that we create?

If you're looking for a place to point the finger how about the mirror (I don't mean you specifically, but us collectively).

Designers and corporations can come up with concepts up the wazoo, but if no one buys them they're screwed. GM made a really valiant effort with their EV1 Electric Car, but no one bought it. What are people buying these days; SUVs, SUVs, and more SUVs.

How about pointing the finger at ourselves (by this I mean Americans, since we're the worst offenders on this front)? We're the ones buying the cars and we're sending a very clear message to automakers that we don't give a damn about fuel economy.

04 Jan 2003 | ek said...

Oops, that first line was supposed to be in italics since it was a quote from MM's post. Have to get used to using the em tag.

05 Jan 2003 | alisha said...

Actually gas companies trying to become more sustainable is very in. Sustainability is the next big thing. So far BP and Shell are in the lead and have actually become the darlings of the sustainable buisness industry because of thier efforts around, and reports about sustainability/ethics. Shell has won awards for thier reports. MM is right on by saying that gas companies need to be more aware; consumers are very selective- they "punish" those who have bad reps and "reward" those who do good. These campaigns absolutely affect thier business. And they know this. BP is a british company and the brits are very eco/social- oriented. theres massive pressure over there on companies to be "good". In America that wave is just now catching on. I dont know if the average American is aware of BPs efforts; are they?
---
If there are other obsessed objects/experiences designers out there, it is time that we start putting our heads together and really start thinking about how we can apply the things that we know about user-centered design, experience design, interaction design, etc. to some of the real design problems that we face that have consequences beyond the bottom line.
---
I have been involved with a group of people for the past year in helping companies to develop values that stregthen thier sustainable and ethical behavior and incorporate those into thier everyday business practices. Ive found that the internet plays a very crucial role and weve often advised clients to focus on strengthening that medium as part of thier reporting and dialog with stakeholders. I agree, we need more pioneers out there - there are some very good sustainability/"triple-bottom-line" conferences in the US and Europe, but they do tend to be expensive. You can also go to the websites of companies who are in the lead and see what theyre doing.
---
A question beyond the comment: At what point do/are designers of objects/experiences held responsible for the things that we create?
---
I feel very strongly about it. Its not realistic to say say that I have the luxury of choosing only sustainable clients. I take on many types of jobs but I do think Its our job to try to convince the client that ethical behavior is neccessary for business. You have to show them the financial benefits first. But because its such a complicated process, you need a team of people who cover each base; a real consultancy.
---
How about pointing the finger at ourselves (by this I mean Americans, since we're the worst offenders on this front)? We're the ones buying the cars and we're sending a very clear message to automakers that we don't give a damn about fuel economy.
---
So what do you propose? what programs do you suggest? In Europe, where everything is ultra-regulated, its easier to implement new eco-programs. But in the US, there are very few regulations and its hard to convince a company to invest in such programs/campaigns when theyre not required to do so by law. Often, the only way to convince them is to show them what will happen if they dont.

But in answer to JFs question, I think gas companies can better differentiate themselves by concentrating on whats inside the stores and what enviroment they provide rather than faster gas pumps. I think the value of the "one-stop for everytrhing" concept is still king. Its been proven that people are willing to pay money to save time.

05 Jan 2003 | Steven Garrity said...

Sorry to continue on a tangent, but picking up on the idea that designers are responsible for their creations - absolutely. I think objects can be created with a bias. Right now, cars are designed on the assuption that gas is cheap and easy to get (which it is).

Maybe it's a bit of a stretch, but here's an example of what I mean: the developers on Mitch Kapor's open-source mail/PIM client are debating the possibility of "zero-UI encryption". The idea is that all email be encrypted with complete transparency to the user (you don't have to turn the option on - everything you send gets encrypted automatically and everything you recieve is automatically decrypted).

A design descision like this (if they pull it off - which will be challengin) will lead users who might not care about security to help build a more secure interenet. The more people using encrypted email, the more we can trust email. Eventually, these users could unwittingly have helped create an internet where it is assumed that email is safe.

The idea is still vague in my head, but I think this concept can be abstracted to design objects/experiences that have a bias towards "good" (whether it be environmental, safety, freedom, etc.). Am I making any sense?

05 Jan 2003 | SU said...

On the subject of the original post, this site has a usability analysis of the NYC Metrocard machine.

05 Jan 2003 | Steve said...

Back to JF's original comment, speed of pumps could be a factor. Last night, I filled up at an Arco station that was moving at a snail's pace. It was doing like a gallon every 30-40 seconds. Eventually I said screw it and went to a (more expensive) Mobil down the street. I wasn't going about to spend seven or eight minutes standing there filling my tank.

05 Jan 2003 | sasha said...

Ever since I moved to Ontario from Nebraska, I can't stand pumping gas. If you've ever noticed the inside of the pump handles, there are 3 ridges on an unfinished metal strip. There's a reason for those. There's supposed to be a trigger that will prop up against those ridges that will pump the gas for you while you sit in your car. Once the gas tank is full of gas, the trigger will automatically "pop" off of the ridge it was propped against, so the tank doesn't overfill.

Every single gas station I've been to in this province has had those triggers ripped out of the pump handles, forcing me to stand there and hold the stupid pump in the freezing cold. If I could find one gas company in this province that doesn't have the automatic pumping triggers ripped out, I'd buy gas exclusively from them.

05 Jan 2003 | misanthropyst said...

Many of the new BP stations here in Raleigh, NC play commercials on 5"x5" LCD video screens on the pump, while you pump. It's gruesome...

05 Jan 2003 | fajalar said...

A question beyond the comment: At what point do/are designers of objects/experiences held responsible for the things that we create?

A declaration

Comments in general...

~I like pinder's idea, too.

~Having lived in Oregon I can say it is a major hassle being told "politely" to stay in my car. I vaguely remember that you can be fined for pumping your own gas. The creation of jobs in a state that contunuously struggles to do so.

~How about, unless you have a commercial licence, you can't pump more than 10 gallons at a time.

05 Jan 2003 | ek said...

Oh, so it's a jobs creation thing. Is gas a lot more expensive out there?

05 Jan 2003 | fajalar said...

I was out there in November and it was ranging (depending on the location of course) between 5-10 cents more expensive than here in central Illinois. Putting 92 octane at about 1.65 (ish) in Oregon.

And, man, did they get huffy when I tried to do it myself. Not that the Alaska licence plates might have implied I wasn't from around there... :S

05 Jan 2003 | pb said...

I cannot for the life of me figure out the appeal of Mobil's SpeedPass. It seems to me completely superfluous. Surely you cannot be serious that 5 seconds of time savings is a major benefit! And carrying around and possibly losing yet another little junket is more convenient? I can't stand having so little feedback on a financial transaction and having an oil company process a financial account. I think the SpeedPass is just plain dumb and am very surprised at how many of them are in use.

I also don't think better rounding is very useful considering that we'll all be using credit cards for gas very soon (can't even remember the last time I post-paid with cash).

I think a gas company could tell a pretty good story if there pumps truly pumped quite a bit faster.

One thing that I wonder is whether or not having credit card swipes at the pump decreases gas station snack sales (since s trip into the mini-mart isn't required). My guess is that credit card acceptance at the pump is so over-whelming favored by customers that not offering it would actually drive customers to competitors.

05 Jan 2003 | fajalar said...

Doesn't the toll way around Chicago have something that frequent users can put on their windshild that gets read by a machine so they only have to slow down some to pass the toll gate?

That might be nice. Coupled with the automatic insertion of the pump nozzle. You'd never have to leave your car. Americans would love it.

05 Jan 2003 | Steven Garrity said...

As for the speed of pumps - I remember there being a story in the local news here last year (or maybe it was the national news - I don't remember) about the speed of pumps. I can't find the story anywhere, but I think the basic idea was that customers like faster pumps for the sake of convencience, but they are regulated due to safety and environmental (apparently faster pumps cause more spilling) concerns.

pb: I'm picky about what I carry around with my all the time - my pocket space is precious. I even had some locks on my house changed to use common keys to lighten up my keychain! I don't have a SpeedPass for this very reason - I dont' see the need to carry something around that I use once every two weeks. However, if it was something I used all of the time, then it would make sense.

As for the 5 seconds it might save - it certainly isn't essential, but it just makes sense. Why swipe a card that you have to take out of your wallet when you can wave a widget.

Also, remember, this isn't about us wishing we had another free 5 seconds in our lives. Rather, it's about a company trying to make me that much more likely to pull in for some Ring-o-los. It's all about removing bariers. Frictionless, baby!

06 Jan 2003 | marylynn said...

I'm trying to find a link to it but I know I've seen commercials for faster pumps by one gas company - I want to say Shell. Their prices seem to be much higher than other companies so I don't use them often, but the station nearest my house is Shell and there's a substantial difference in how fast it takes to fill my tank. The old Arco stations are the worst.

06 Jan 2003 | Eric said...

The pump speed is also limited by the narrowness and twistyness of the pipe leading from your gas cap to your gas tank... if you try to force liquid in too fast it will just backup and splash everywhere.

Of course, slow pumps are not a conspiracy to let your passengers spend more time in the station buying overpriced groceries. Oh no, not at all.

06 Jan 2003 | Mephisto said...

I have been in the gas station business for years (and usability); pumps go faster because the management changes the pump filter often - that is the only difference.

As for full-service gas stations, I think only lazy a-holes need them. Now if an old lady comes in the gas station and cannot pump gas then maybe she should not be driving in the first place.

And I think the next major breakthrough in gas station tech will be the employee-less stations. There have been experimental gas stations were the whole store is high-tech vending machines. You got to understand that cost of employees (plus employee theft) is the biggest problem for gas station proprietors.

06 Jan 2003 | steve said...

Shell test-marketed a robotic gas pump in the Indianapolis area nearly 3 years ago. The technology exists, and seems to work, but how many of you have actually encountered one of these bad boys?

As for the Speedpass, don't knock it until you've tried it. I've been using the keychain version for the past few years and it's decidedly easier than getting out my wallet and swiping a credit card each time. There's even a rear window-mount version that's sensed when you pull up to the pump.

06 Jan 2003 | kyle said...

Sasha, I usually just stick the unscrewed gas cap under the handle to keep it pumping. I don't think it'll stop automatically, but if I know it takes 30 dollars to fill my tank, I can take it out at $28.00 and use my hand for the last 2 dollars.

06 Jan 2003 | Don Schenck said...

RE: Full Service Stations

Mephisto, you may make great shoes (I have a pair!), but you're mistaken.

"Physically-challenged" people need full service. I don't think self-serve was _banned_ in New Jersey, they just had the good sense to make it equal for all people; that is, they made it illegal to charge more for full service, since that discriminates against physically challenged folks.

Also, I don't like to use self-serve because it makes my driving gloves or hands small like gasoline, and that's not the impression I want to make when visiting a client or potential client.

06 Jan 2003 | paul said...

shell does a better job than anyone else because they give me a fastpay keychain thing, so i don't even need my wallet or to go into the pay area. i just swipe my keychain, fill up, drive away.

06 Jan 2003 | Darrel said...

We seem to be talking about what's best for the person that needs to fill their tank. That's fine, but that's only one perspective.

How could gas stations be designed to encourage more responsible use of our natural resources?

06 Jan 2003 | JF said...

How could gas stations be designed to encourage more responsible use of our natural resources?

WTF does this mean? Why should gas stations be designed to encourage more responsible use of our natural resources? Gas stations are there to fill up your tank so YOU can drive around town and pollute. YOU pollute and ruin the environment, not the gas station.

It's your choice of car, driving habits, etc -- not the design of the gas station -- that needs to change first.

06 Jan 2003 | RR said...

The gas nozzle should have an ultrasonic sensor on it that measures the amount of gas in the gas tank (tells the level somehow). If needed, could be combined with a video camera that recognizes the car type, so know the exact configuration of the tank. With this information, can tailor automatically the flow of the gas into the vehicle for maximum speed and reduction in overfilling and spillage. Assume different type cars and levels will be able to sustain different type fill speeds.

Wonder if I could patent this ;-)

RR

06 Jan 2003 | fajalar said...

Darrel's comment got me thinking. The gas stations should be designed for easy razing. There's a station that just closed recently and it's just sitting there. I don't think it will be reopened.

There's another one that is on the site where the "Children's Discovery Museum" (interactive science stuff) is going to be built, but development is at a standstill until they can raise enough money to decontaminate the site.

Also seems like the ground around the pumps should be able to clean up gas spills.

06 Jan 2003 | pinder said...

some pay at the the pump screens are badly designed. for example, at one shell station, after swiping my card, i had to first select yes/no if i had an air miles card, then i had to select yes/no if i wanted a car wash voucher, and then finally it asked me to select an octane level.

a good use of the beep is when the receipt is finished printing to remind you to grab it. a lot of times i've forgotten about the receipt while putting the gas cap back on. even though the receipt partially asterix's out your credit card number, i still don't like the idea of someone else seeing it.

another example i've even seen is one station taking advantage of the placement of the octane buttons. they are usually placed lowest to highest octane level from left to right. but this station had switched some of the buttons around by putting the highest octane one first to the left and the lowest in the middle. if you weren't paying attention, you might have automatically hit the first button.

06 Jan 2003 | JF said...

I can't stand how most of the pump buttons are flat. It's difficult to know if you've pressed them or not. Very little response. A real drag. They're probably like that to make the machines more all-weather, but a bit more "padding" behind the sealed button wouldn't affect the all-weather aspect.

06 Jan 2003 | pb said...

I've used the SpeedPass and concluded they are idiotic. And unfortunately, since some consumers have inexplicably found some utility in them, lame companies like Mobil will continue to foist silly things like this on us.

06 Jan 2003 | pb said...

It's almost like Amazon one-click. Does anyone actually *use* one-click shopping? Is it really any better than teo-click shopping where you get to see how much you're actually paying and when and where everything will be shipped? Has Amazon ever released the percentage of its sales going through one-click? My guess is low single digits.

06 Jan 2003 | hurley said...

How could gas stations be designed to encourage more responsible use of our natural resources?

Pay-at-the-pump car insurance is one way. I think some states have experimented with this or at least floated the idea in legislation. People who drive 20,000 miles per year should pay more for car insurance than people who drive 5,000 miles per year. Designing a system that's effective and fair is complicated (you don't necessarily want to penalize people who have to drive for a living, like taxi drivers).

06 Jan 2003 | Steve said...

I think the SpeedPass is just plain dumb and am very surprised at how many of them are in use.

I don't remember when Speed Pass came out. I wonder if it predates the widespread use of pay-at-the-pump card readers. That would make some sense. Now, it just seems stupid. Is it really that much easier than swiping your card? No.

One thing that I wonder is whether or not having credit card swipes at the pump decreases gas station snack sales (since s trip into the mini-mart isn't required).

I've wondered the same thing. These places don't make a lot of money on gas. They make it on soda, on ciagarettes, on chips and candy bars. The pay-at-the-pump thing removes the impulse purchase opportunity.

My guess is that credit card acceptance at the pump is so over-whelming favored by customers that not offering it would actually drive customers to competitors.

I know that I've gone to a different gas station when I one I pulled into didn't have pay-at-the-pump.

And I think the next major breakthrough in gas station tech will be the employee-less stations.

Costco is already close to that. The only thing you can do is pay at the pump. There's one employee there for assistance and safety in case something goes wrong (he's the guy who's supposed to hit the emergency cutoff switch if there's a spill). I'm guessing that for safety reasons you won't ever be able to go to a purely employeeless situation.

(As a tangent, I'm amazed that most parking facilities in teh States still have manned payment booths. In Europe, pretty much every car park is automated: just put your card/ticket in the machine, pay your fee with cash or a credit card, and insert the card/ticket to exit. I saw a couple of these when I was living in Chicago, but given how much US businesses like to cut costs and employees, I'm surprised the concept hasn't caught on like wildfire here.)

06 Jan 2003 | Urbanchords said...

06 Jan 2003 | Darrel said...

"WTF does this mean? Why should gas stations be designed to encourage more responsible use of our natural resources? Gas stations are there to fill up your tank so YOU can drive around town and pollute. YOU pollute and ruin the environment, not the gas station."

I'm not accusing anyone of anything. I just thought it would be an interesting design problem.

While it's entertaining to think of ways 'how can I save precious seconds of my day when I'm pumping' it's a rather low-importance goal. But still, it's an entertaining discussion.

I suppose the easiest way to lessen your time pumping is to drive a higher-mpg car. ;o)

Fajaler's concern is a good design problem. All Gas stations are pretty much useless once closed. A toxic dump. There must be better ways to design that.

Hurley's pay-at-the-pump idea isn't a bad idea either. I like that.

But, to get back on topic, the one thing that frustrates me to no end is the pumps that require me to hit some sort of 'start' button. There's usually a home-made sticker made by the station affixed to it to make it even more obvious, but that tends to fail too. Do they not user-test gas pumps?

And, out of curiosity, who actually cares what the price of gas is? My parents and inlaws constantly like to bring up 'gas station X has gas 4 cents cheaper this week!' while myself and people I know are of the mindset 'hey...I need gas, I'll stop here' mentality.

I actually never compare prices for gas. Are other people like that?

06 Jan 2003 | Cade Roux said...

Speedpass is easier than CC - it remembers your preferences for a receipt and saves you finding your wallet (it's always on your keys). I used to use CC, but switched to SpeedPass.

06 Jan 2003 | ek said...

Hey cade, maybe you can answer this since you've actually used it. Does the Speedpass system actually process your order info (ala the way that credit card transactions are processed, require a minute or so of wait time) or is it based on the assumption that your credit card vendor will approve your purchase?

I did some searching on Mobil's Speedpass site and, aside from saying that you can link your Speedpass account to your credit card, it doesn't actually explain how the system works.

06 Jan 2003 | Britt said...

Oregon's full-service only system has continually been supported by the state's voters. I found it a bit odd at first, but after a near disaster at a California gas station where I sprayed gas all over the place (the trigger lock was engaged and the pump activated before I could get it in my gas tank), I'm content to sit in my car. I have been frustrated by waiting minutes for an attendant to get to my car.

06 Jan 2003 | Richard said...

One thing I noticed where I am is a couple of Shell stations have been advertising their fuels as MTBE free. One I can specifically remember is on Lincoln Blvd. in in Santa Monica, perfect place for this enviromental advertising. MTBE is one of many "oxygenative" additives to gasoline required by the EPA to reduce pollution emmissions, ethanol is another. MTBE, however, is a suspected carcinogen and drinking water contaminant which does not seem to break down in the enviroment. Advertising their fuel as "MTBE Free" is good enough for me to often make the longer trip to the Santa Monica Shell station.

06 Jan 2003 | Steve said...

The irony, though, Richard is that California has banned MTBE, so the Shell station isn't doing anything special. I think the new formulation went into effect Jan. 1. I've noticed down here in Orange County that many of the stations say MTBE-free as well.

07 Jan 2003 | alisha said...

you can also go to stations where they reduce damgerous fumes with those vaccum thingies around the nozzle that prevent the fumes from escaping in the first place. I think they are required by law here in DE.

07 Jan 2003 | extinct said...

the next big thing at gas stations? frustrated at the lack of service at gas stations? sigh.

let's continue to inflame the middle east a little bit more in the name of faster, cheaper, and easier fuel. try reading "left behind" by tim ahaye and jerry jenkins and you won't worry so much about your speed pass...

[sorry, just really hit a nerve]

07 Jan 2003 | fajalar said...

Extreme tangent... does anyone design anything that people's lives depend on/could kill someone?

One of my HCI mentor/teachers got started designing helicopter cockpits and helicopter/tank gun sights. extinct's comment about the middle east made me think about everything that has been designer for the purposes of war.

It would be strange (for me) to work on a project where a usability objective is user must be able to sight, fire, blow the crap out of target, and reload in 10 seconds or less with no errors and no need of help.

Right... get back to work designing metadata site for... insurance.

07 Jan 2003 | alisha said...

It would be strange (for me) to work on a project where a usability objective is user must be able to sight, fire, blow the crap out of target, and reload in 10 seconds or less with no errors and no need of help.
---
I would rather design prono websites for over-50 swinger clubs in Nevada...or flyers for K-mart blue light specials in Farmington, Utah...or suck rancid tuna salad... -ok ill stop here.

07 Jan 2003 | Darrel said...

Fajalar:

I'm sure most graphic designers have designed something that affects people in a not-so-good-way...it just may not have been as overt as a gun.

Extinct:

When's the end of the world coming?

07 Jan 2003 | fajalar said...

Darrel, I meant designers in a general way (like interface, information, etc.), but you are probably right on the overt point.

A graphic designer may make the cardboard cutouts of people look realisticto the training environment so that soldiers training in urban combat settings practice killing the right targets.

I guess my thought kind of comes from the idea put forth in the beginning of this thread. How responsible are we for our creations? I guess I am glad that I don't design things that can kill people.

Make them collapse from utter disgust, oh yes. ;)

07 Jan 2003 | Benjy said...

Know what would make me run out and get a SpeedPass? if you could use them to pay for parking meters! I can't tell you how many times I've (miraculously) found a spot on the streets of Chicago near where I needed to go, only to be short of quarters. Then it's the debate among: trying to find an unmetered spot, finding a place to get change, risk getting a ticket...

And they could also charge by the minute with a SpeedPass payment system. Wave once clock starts, wave again clock stops--no more unused minutes or expired meters.

07 Jan 2003 | pb said...

What if parking meters had credit card readers?

07 Jan 2003 | jay said...

Some sort of automatic payment for parking meters would be great. Wave your speedpass or tolltag, and you're automatically covered for however long you're parked. I'd defintely pay a premium to never again get a parking ticket.

07 Jan 2003 | jay said...

does anyone design anything that people's lives depend on/could kill someone?

I work for a big defense contractor. I'd never work on a weapon, I'd have to examine any military project very carefully before deciding to work on it, and I very nearly didn't take the job at all just because of the association. I work on a system designed to make flying safer and more efficient. Our project has to stay profitable or we get cancelled -- we can't get propped up by any of the defense money. Even so, I lost friends when I started getting paychecks from a company that builds missiles, and I don't feel entirely good about it, either. The main reason I came to work on this project is humanitarian, but my retirement fund gets a boost whenever it looks like war. Are any of us truely clean?

07 Jan 2003 | ek said...

Parking meters have a finite time limit for a reason -- they're meant to provide short term parking in congested urban areas. Adding a system that allows parkers to overide that aspect of their design would defeat their central purpose.

07 Jan 2003 | ek said...

Aren't all of us Web designers working as a result of a project funded almost entirely by the military?

07 Jan 2003 | Benjy said...

There's no reason the parking meters couldn't have a max time limit. Return after the time limit, and not only does a wave of the SpeedPass does the clock stop for the parking charges, but you're also billed for the ticket for staying over the limit.

07 Jan 2003 | ek said...

That's true, though I think people would hate such a system because there would be zero tolerance (1 sec. over your time and you'd get ticketed).

07 Jan 2003 | ek said...

Which begs the question; is it better?

07 Jan 2003 | Darrel said...

As for graphic designers hurting people...it's a huge grey area.

Working on a campaign for McD's may lead to as many long-term deaths as creating a gun.

As for parking meters, here's my story:

Our city a year or two ago revamped all of the downtown meters to electronic meters that would accept the new 'meter cards' that you could purchase. Great!, I thought. Since I park downtown a lot, and never have quarters, these meter cards will be great.

So, I went about getting one.

Hmm...no info online.

I'll start calling.

A few calls later I find out that there is one (yes, ONE!) parking card vending machine. Where is it? At the main DMV about 20 mintues away.

oh...and I can only use it during business hours.

Arrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

07 Jan 2003 | fajalar said...

Aren't all of us Web designers working as a result of a project funded almost entirely by the military?

Yup. Although I don't think it is used for primarily military purposes at this point. Or is it? Conspiracy theorists chime in.

But how about designers that make a more attractive cigarette campaign? Or ...

Eh, whatever. Long day at work.

07 Jan 2003 | ek said...

Did you end up getting one? If so, was it useful?

07 Jan 2003 | Cade Roux said...

ek: It's quick, but the credit card at the ExxonMobil pump is just as quick too, in my experience (with the CC, you have to choose credit/debit options and choose to get a receipt, etc.). Anyway, they are both card-present transactions (with the speedpass being a proxy accepted by Mobil) and should work the same way as paper/carbon - they don't actually need to really authorize. Mobil accepts the risk. You can also use them in the store by waving them over the CC reader base.

07 Jan 2003 | Benjy said...

I wonder if there's any savings for Mobil, etc. by going to a fob in regards to maintanance/ repairs to terminals since there are no openings. I can imaging that the credit card slots are often jammed up with gum, etc. which would render the pump useless (at least in regards to pay at the pump--and really, who's going to make the effort to walk inside to pay?) and lead to costly maintanance calls.

Posible benefit to similar systems for parking meters, too. I have often found them to be jammed up with gum, foreign coins, etc. But if everything's confines withing a sealed case it'd be harder to tamper with.

07 Jan 2003 | jay said...

The parking meters in LA already refuse to add more time if you try to go over the limit. Parking enforcement comes incredibly close to nailing 8:00 am on the dot, though they move west to east in my hood. I don't park at meters overnight any more.

07 Jan 2003 | pb said...

First, I've *never* been to a pump where the credit card slot was jammed.

Second, you've got to be kidding me that you would leave the station and not just pay inside if the slot truly did have some gum in it.

Thirdly, a payment system created by a gas company is much more likely to have problems than a system created by a payments company.

07 Jan 2003 | jonah said...

Some of the parking meters in LA accept Cash Keys, and it looks like alot of other people do the same:

sites from google

It looks like a key but holds credits that can be debited when you insert it in the meter.

08 Jan 2003 | Benjy said...

Now why couldn't Chicago roll out the Cash Key, or something like it, on it's meters?

08 Jan 2003 | pb said...

Ironically, switching from coins to cash keys isn't much of a benefit to parkers but it's a big benefit to the meter operators.

09 Jan 2003 | Don Schenck said...

The local do-it-yourself car wash should accept credit cards. You swipe the card and wash your car and it bills your card. As is, you need a boatload of quarters.

RE: Designing weapons. I'll do it. I guess it depends on your perspective. I see that stuff as sadly-needed self defense.

13 Jan 2003 | Scott said...

To the person that complained about hte small trigger (the one that allows you to fill without holding onto the pump the entire time and clicks off when the tank is full). I noticed they are always broken off too. that's why I stuff my gas cap into the handle. it does the same thing, i know it's sort of offtopic but thought it might help those that aren't legally forced to sit in their car.

14 Jan 2003 | Cindy said...

Some people have questioned the point of the Speedpass:

The Speedpass was developed because Mobil uses strategic marketing. They identified their various customer groups, and a significant portion of their customers are young, in a hurry, and frequently use the station as a place to buy drinks & snacks. The Speedpass appeals to this group because they don't need cash and they get in and out of the station more quickly. After developing the Speedpass, Mobil saw a significant sales increase. Not because it appeals to everyone, but because it appeals to a target market.

22 Feb 2003 | pissed said...

Here in Canada. I have just found out.. IF you use that STUPID SPEEDPASS KEY, the Esso company holds your money hostage. 75$ every time you use the key pass..connected to YOUR credit card. They hold YOUR money hostage for 5 business days. Dont make sense to me! You spend 25$ worth of gas, and they hold 50$ extra... I am crushing , burning, pouring acid, running my car over that STUPID FAST PASS KEY , then sending it back to Esso.
Has anyone had this trouble?