Remember the good old days when you would pull up to the pump at any gas station, pump your gas and then pay for it?  Or if you are even older, like I am, you remember full service stations, where you never have to leave your car to pump or pay.  In America, those days are long past.  In Canada, the tradition of pumping your gas, then going into the station to pay is still alive and well.

While technology played a part in the change of how American’s get their gas, it isn’t the primary reason.  Guess what is?  I am sure you guessed correctly – theft.  You see, Americans were driving up, filling their tank and driving off – without paying.  Hmmh, was pre-paying a good idea?  That of course is a rhetorical question!

It seems the Alberta Police Department is tired of chasing down so many gas thieves.  They claim they have better things to do than chase down these thieves.  They are heavily lobbying the government to make it mandatory to pre-pay for gasoline.  And local residents are not too happy about it.  What are police for after all - to catch criminals?  Aren’t gas thieves criminals?

These poor Canadians don’t know how good life is going to get once they can use the automated stations.  It is going to streamline their fuel purchasing experience.  I mean, who really wants to have to go into the station to pay after filling up?