Louisiana – Right or Rude to Leave a Car Parked by the Gas Pumps?

Louisiana motorists like several million of their "closest friends" across the country will be taking to the roadways this weekend and especially next week. The reason? Going home for Christmas. The American Automobile Association is predicting that some 115.2 million Americans will hit the road between December 23rd and New Year's Day. About 90% of those folks traveling will be doing so by car.

Incidentally, if that's you that is going to be a part of the "90%" you might want to consider staggering your travel plans if you can. According to Triple-A the worst time for travelers to be on the road, as far as traffic congestion is concerned is on December 23rd. Traffic will be especially heavy in the afternoon and early evening hours.

Naturally, with so many people on the road at the same time that is going to lead to some congestion at roadside gas stations and convenience stores. If you're heading east on I-10 into Lower Alabama I wouldn't even consider making a stop at the Buc-ee's there. Nothing against Buc-ee's but the traffic flow in and around that facility leaves a lot to be desired. Okay, we won't say "Don't go" We'll just say "Plan on it taking about 45 minutes longer" than your normal gas station stop.

One of the reasons that even big gas stations such as Buc-ee's whose locations boast multiple gas pump bays encounter such congestion is the way people perceive "parking by the pump" to fill up their vehicles. Once they pump their gas, they then go into the store for the restroom or to shop and effectively block the pump for the next customer.

Are You Violating Any Laws If You Leave Your Car Parked at the Gas Pump While You Go in the Store?

The answer to that query is this, no. You are not in any violation of civil or criminal code if you pump your fuel and then go inside for a few minutes.

Is It Rude to Leave Your Car Parked at the Gas Pump While You Go in the Store?

In most cases, the answer to that query is, yes. In fact, even Miss Manners says you shouldn't do it. But there is a "but" to this question. But it's not considered to be rude if you leave your car at the pump because you need to go inside to pay or you're having an issue with the pump.

The quantify the question even more we found a Buc-ee's Facebook Group that addressed that very question and as you might have guessed reaction was mixed. Most people did find the practice to be rude, especially if the facility was very busy.

However, there were more than a few commenters on the Facebook Page that said a place like Buc-ee's that has so many pumps is the only place they'd consider doing that.

The majority of commenters on the website Reddit agreed with Miss Manners, you shouldn't leave your car parked at the pump just to go in to use the restroom or buy stuff. However, there did seem to be some leniency among the commenters on that page suggesting the practice was acceptable if the facility was not busy.

Which side of the debate are you on?