Why Do Minnesota Gas Pumps Make You Freeze Your Fingers?

It's winter in Minnesota, it's freezing cold--and probably even snowing-- so why do gas pumps keep doing this to us?

Has this ever happened to you? Your car's gas tank is hovering on empty, so you pull into your local convenience store to fill up. It's Minnesota and it's February, so, of course, it's cold. And maybe snowy.

And thanks to the pay-at-the-pump technology, if you want to use your check or credit card, it means you now not only have to get out of your warm car into the frigid temps (which we're used to, I mean it IS winter in Minnesota, right?), but you also have to take off your gloves to insert your credit or debit card-- and remove it quickly! (What's the deal with that, btw-- why does do we have to remove those cards so QUICKLY!?!?)  Either way, though, it's NOT fun to do when it's cold and you're not wearing gloves.

But wait, there's more. Depending on which convenience store you're at, you also then have to answer 4 or 5 questions on the pump before you can finally start pumping your gas. Do you want credit or debit? Do you want a car wash? Do you want a receipt? Do you want to buy some cookies?

Okay, gas pump, I'll tell you what I REALLY want-- I want to stop answering questions and make this whole process a lot shorter so I can get out of the cold!

I get that some of those questions are necessary-- and probably helpful in selling things like carwashes and cookies-- but if I were a designing a gas pump that's going to be used in cold weather climates, like here in Minnesota, I'd make one that doesn't ask so many questions and that maybe works faster.

Then, I'd advertise that I have the fastest gas pumps in town-- so you can stay out of the cold. Who's with me?!?

Listen to Curt St. John mornings from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5
and afternoons from 2 to 6 p.m. on 103.9 The Doc