- "Fare il pieno, per favore".
- Are you sure I should say that?
- Errrr...I guess so. I don't speak Italian!

This is the usual conversation we had at gas stations in Italy. Because you see, in Italy they still have manned gas stations. You will not find many self-service gas stations, that's for sure. So there I was, trying to think how to say 'I want a full tank' in Italian. And not only that. There's the protocol. What are you supposed to do? Get out of the car? Open the tank? Leave also that to the assistant? I tried to recall how it was when I was a child. A long queue of cars at the gas station. When it's our turn, Dad gets out of the car. Mom and children stay in. Dad hands car keys to the assistant and asks for the exact amount (in pesetas, at that time). While the assistant fills up the tank, Dad makes small talk with him. Then Dad pays (in cash!) the gas assistant and that's it. You were loyal to your local gas station and would always fill up the tank before a long trip instead of using the gas stations at the motorway. They were more expensive, anyway. That's what Dad said. Mind you, long trips when I was a child were a 100 kilometre distance!

So is it the same nowadays in Italy? Not really. There is a long queue of cars, that's the same. There are not many assistants and even if a gas pump is free, they want you to wait for the assistant! The driver can stay in the car and hand the car keys to the assistant, who will fill up the tank. We all get full tanks, nowadays. Then the driver gets out of the car and follows the assistant to the booth to make the payment. Sometimes the assistant cleans your windscreen while filling up. That's nice. But, frankly, it is slow. When I was a child, there was no other option. Things were slower, then. But now I don't want to wait for an assistant if I am perfectly able to fill the tank for myself and I see free pumps. If the same pump accepts crredit cards, much better. Fill up and get out of there as quickly as possible. Oh yes. We have lost the 'humanity'. The small talk with the assistant. But, frankly, I always thought my dad looked bored to death while talking about the weather and the raise in fuel prices to the gas assistant. So give me self-service stations and let the good times roll (fast, faster, please!). Oh and let me add, while on this topic : I do really hate the smell of gas.


- "Fare il pieno, per favore".
- Seguro que tengo que decir eso?
- Errrr...Supongo. Si yo no hablo italiano!

Esta es la conversacion tipica que hemos mantenido al llegar a todas las gasolineras en Italia. Porque, vereis... en Italia aun tienen gasolineras con servicio. No encontrareis muchas gasolineras de self-service en Italia, eso es seguro. Asi que ahi me teneis, pensando como decir 'Lleneme el deposito, por favor' en italiano. Y no solo eso. Tambien tenemos el protocolo. Que se supone que tienes que hacer? Salir del coche? Abrir el deposito? Dejar que lo haga el 'gasolinero'? Me puse a recordar como eran las cosas en mi niniez. Habia una cola larguisima de coches en la gasolinera. Cuando nos tocaba a nosotros, Papa salia del coche. Mama y los ninios se quedaban dentro. Papa daba las llaves del deposito al gasolinero y pedia el importe exacto (en pesetas, por aquel entonces). Mientras el gasolinero llenaba el deposito, Papa le daba conversacion. Despues Papa pagaba (en efectivo!)al gasolinero y finalizaba el ritual. Se era leal a la gasolinera de tu barrio y se llenaba siempre el deposito antes de iniciar un largo viaje. Las gasolineras de la autopista eran muy caras. O, al menos, eso es lo que decia Papa. Claro que, por aquel entonces, un largo viaje eran unos 100 kilometros, mas o menos!

Asi que..es lo mismo hoy en dia en Italia? No del todo. Hay una cola larguisima de coches, porque, aunque haya mangueras libres, quieren que esperes a que te atienda el gasolinero. El conductor puede quedarse dentro del coche y dar las llaves al gasolinero, quien abrira el deposito y lo llenara. Completo, seguramente. Lo de dar el precio justo ya no lo hace nadie, no? Luego el conductor sale del coche y sigue al gasolinero a la oficina, donde se paga. Normalmente, con tarjeta de crredito. A veces, el gasolinero te limpia el parabrisas. Que amable. Pero, francamente, es lento. Muy lento. En mi niniez, no habia otra opcion. Todo era mas lento, entonces. Hoy en dia no quiero esperar a que me atienda un gasolinero si soy perfectamente capaz de llenar el deposito sin ayuda. Si puedo pagar con tarjeta de creedito en el mismo lugar, con una maquina y sin pasar por caja, mucho mejor. Ah si. Hemos perdido la 'humanidad' de la transaccion. La charla con el gasolinero. Pero la verdad, siempre me dio la impresion de que mi padre se moria de aburrimiento hablando del tiempo y del aumento del precio de la gasolina con el gasolinero. Asi que dadme gasolineras self-service y dejadme salir volando (rapido, mas rapido!). Ah, es que ademas no soporto el olor a gasolina, ya que estamos en el tema.


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
18C
UV Index: 3 Moderate
Wind: From the West Northwest at 15 mph
Dew Point: 9C
Humidity: 56%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,019.6 mb