Less indictable solution: be there to turn it off or be watching cameras remotely and have automation installed such that you can turn them off from your phone.
There's a guy here who gives double time after $5 is deposited. He put a loop sensor in the floor so when the car moves it kills any remaining time. It's both to keep customers from leaving the pump running and to stop people from trying to wash multiple cars on one startup.
I hate the "What am I supposed to do?" crap. You're supposed to use common sense, not break the law, at minimum use Google to find out how to deal with it. People who have asked me that over the years were spraying paint out of their bed or back of SUV, pouring oil in the pit, had backed up to the dumpster, one idiot wanted to vacuum spilled gasoline out of his trunk. One lady called me an a$$hole because the county landfill charges to take her 20 bags of trash and I wouldn't let her use our dumpster for free. Then it was "Fine, I'll put them in the garbage cans." She had already called me an a$$hole so I said "No, you'll get the f*** off this property and never come back."
Do you have any sign up? Not that these stupid muthaf×#÷$=s will read them just was curious.
No signs yet, and even when they can read they pretend they didn't see them. And the guy who wanted to vacuum gasoline out of his trunk practically ran over my pushbroom as I was sweeping to ask me, then sat there on top of my pile of dirt griping that he didn't know how to clean it up without a vacuum. And there is a notice on the vacuum about not picking up flammables or hazardous stuff, but he wouldn't have seen or read it anyway.
I totally agree
Post the videos and pics on your site and put up a big sign. Not to stop them. To shame them. So many people in a town will watch to see if they know anyone being bad.
My pump room is VERY SMALL, and shaped like an L. If I'm out of sight, I lock the door for safety. Most of the time, I'm outside the pump room, cleaning / sweeping / emptying the garbage / talking with customers / making change / pulling weeds / doing small maintenance. I prefer to be on-site when it's busy, so I can quickly manage traffic flows, discourage bucket washers, answer customer's questions. I designed happy signs that discourage "hand-washing, hand-drying and hand-waxing while customers are waiting" and have them posted in each bay. It's very helpful on a busy Saturday. All I have to do is point out the sign, and encourage them *nicely* to hurry up. I remind them that I'm open 24 hours, and they can come back during the week, or another time when no one is waiting. I always "thank them" for their cooperation, then walk away and don't give them an audience in case they protest. I try to make it a win-win and accommodate everyone. I don't want to be strict and tell people ABSOLUTELY no bucket washing. I use only gentle hogs-hair brushes. Some customers bucket-wash because their vehicle has been scratched by using another wash's nylon brushes. By talking to them, I'm able to teach them about my soft brushes. I treat all my customers with respect, with boundaries, and I feel they treat me and my car wash with the same respect. I know that others are watching to see and hear how I handle these awkward situations. I have learned "to catch more flies with honey than vinegar!" It's paying off nicely for me. My car wash is busier than ever, it's the nicest one within 15 miles, and I have happy customers!!
Of course I know what the saying means, but you can actually catch more flies with vinegar than with honey.
