I tend to fuel up my bike every 300-400 kms, mostly at bunks with card facility and have consumed more than 3000+ litres on the current journey, having refueled at almost every major town, city and state. Almost 90% of the pumps are either flawed, dispense adulterered petrol, or have some or the other system in place to con people.
Mentioning some basics and a couple of funny experiences here, hope everyone reading benefits:
#1 I use Indian Oil pumps to maximum
I tend to only use Indian Oil pumps to maximum, owing to their strict vigilance policies and/or card, toilet and water facilities at almost all outlets.HP comes second in priority while BPCL is waste.
#2 MANDATORY Facilities to offer at IOC pumps
All Indian Oil pumps are supposed to offer these facilities MANDATORILY – Drinking water, Toilet, complaint book, first aid kit, display licence, registration and contact number of petrol pump manager and Indian Oil sales officer of the region (appellate authority). During a refuel at Karimnagar, I requested for drinking water and they never had. Called up the manager and he said we don’t provide water, I called the regional sales officer and he said that you’ll receive water immediately. The sales officer took pump manager on conference and the pump manager instructed his officials to buy me a bisleri bottle and I was offered one -:) Quite an exercise of one’s rights but the whole scene took some 30 minutes, hence not worth the time and efforts.
I don’t do it anymore but you can always DEMAND water if it’s not there. Just like a college doesn’t get affiliation until it has a certain facilities in place, a pump never gets operational until it satisfies all the criteria laid down in the citizen charter of IOC. Only over a period of time, they keep sprucing up the facilities as no one complains. This goes for water, not sure how this would work for no toilets 
#3 Electronic Billing Printer
Along with this, all petrol machines having electronic billing printer are supposed to print bills and offer it to the customer if requested. Most of the printing machines (installed on the pump itself) either lie dead or are out of paper since no one requests printed bills. Hand bills are unreliable! And if there is an outlet which has a printing and automated system installed and still gives hand bills, there is something fishy! I once fueled for 350 and asked for printed bill but was denied saying there is no paper. Again called up the pump manager and he said he’ll send paper in 15 minutes. Paper roll was brought, inserted and the resulting bill came out to be of Rs 289!
Most of the screen displays can be fiddled with easily, hence always ask for electronic receipts. Machine not working, paper not there or giving a bill from somewhere inside is just a rattrap! One outlet had even purchased an electronic machine often used in canteens for food coupons to deliver petrol bills! They used to enter the amount and petrol quantity manually and print the token! Lol. The bill strictly had to be from the nozzle where you have taken the petrol from.
#4 Testing Rights at Petrol Pumps in India
There are also some testing rights each customer has got and it can be authoritatively exercised despite the rush at the petrol pump or whatsoever reason the officials give you. Every pump needs to have a filter paper, all you need to do is to ask for a filter paper, put a drop of petrol and wait for it to evaporate. If it leaves a stain, the petrol is adultered! If it evaporates leaving nothing behind and the filter paper is all fresh, everything is good. Not having filter paper can land any pump owner in trouble if the matter goes to appellate sales officer.
Apart from this a 5 liter can certified by the Indian Bureau of standards is supposed to be present at every pump.If you think the petrol is dispensed way less than what is showing on the screen, ask for a 5 liter check. Two precautions here are needed. Keep the eyes glued to the reading screen and keypad on the side of the pump because the attendant either will reset the power or will dial random numbers on the keypad to free the error while diverting your attention continuously by asking questions like which 5 liter can? Who will take the petrol that we put for test in 5liter can etc? Fact of matter is that no one needs to buy that petrol, if you want it’s okay, if not they need to put it back in the tank without even asking you to buy, forget about insisting.
The 5 liter can will be filled up to the brim, it should not fill up at 4.7, 4.8, 5.2 or 5.3. 5 is 5 uptown the brim. Even if it’s dispensing more petrol, not to be happy, it’s the inverted precision and it’s flawed! Also that the 5 liter can need to be certified and stamped every year, check for the docs if they are more than a year old.
#5 Power cut during refueling – be cautious
Apart from these, if the power goes off while refueling, it’s a joke. You are being conned again! If the attendant resets the meter to zero using any keys or buttons, again a fraud. It’s supposed to be reset only by putting the nozzle back in its place and then taking it out. If the attendant refills half or a portion of fuel and stops, confirms what amount you asked for, you’re in for a few rupees of loot again. If there is even a little hesitation regarding filter paper test, 5 liter test etc, glue your eyes to the meter and ask them to do a check right then. See that they don’t press any numbers on the keypad, it’s just a game of few clicks.
My recent experience you should know about
Day before yesterday, I did a tank full near dharmavaram, paid 700 and moved on. A little later I realized that the fuel indicator was showing one unit less although it was a full tank I requested! I returned back and asked him to produce me an automated bill which he said he can’t because machine cannot print bills of sales which have been reset. I had a doubt. I asked him to print me a bill of 100 rs which he was filling in someone else’s bike. Now he said machine is not working. I said I know how to check the machine to which he responded by saying the machine is okay but paper roll is finished. I asked him for a 5 liter check immediately and he suddenly pressed the power reset button and the machine started restarting. I asked him the reason for doing so and he said the power might have went off, but the other nozzles of diesel were working! He got trapped.
I asked him for managers number since it was not written anywhere, he said it was written on the wall but the wall was painted and hence its not there. The person who reset the meter, and the one I clicked the photo of were dispatched from duty and sent home immediately. He asked me where I was from. I blatantly told him that your owner knows me. Finally I got the number of the owner from him, and he came over straight away. I was trying to be Sherlock and Steve Jobs at the same time. I emphatically told him that the pump is flawed. Immediately a 5 liter test was done and it was full in 4.9 liters only! I said I’ll report all these irregularities right away to the officials. He asked me what exactly was my problem? I said I have been dispensed wrong liters of petrol and that the tank wasn’t full even in 700 although the every time it’s full for 550-600.
He then humbly asks the attendant to return me rs 150 back and said the next time you come you’ll find all tests, working numbers and details of pump in display prominently and that he’ll recheck to see if there is some error somewhere and that customer satisfaction is prior. I was all good to take back a refund although I never requested and never had the wildest thought that I could get a refund from a petrol pump, but since I really was dispensed less petrol, I accepted it and went on.
While just a few kms ahead, I noticed the petrol indicator was showing full! I opened the cap and checked (which I should’ve done earlier rather than merely believing the indicator) and the petrol was really upto the brim! Maybe some battery issue?
I got the battery checked today, got it charged, there was a cable assembly that was loose, replaced it, got a bill of Rs 138. Paid from the 150 I received, got an 8 rs internet pack to post this, still have 4 rs left. The parle G has unfortunately is for 5 now. What options do I have?
