I’m from a US state where we don’t pump our own gas. Since I don’t pump my own gas regularly - only when I’m out of state - I’m not exactly sure when this happened, but all gas pumps seem to play ads now while the pump runs. At least the states adjacent to mine. Like can I not even pump gas in peace? Stop trying to manipulate my purchasing decisions 24/7.

Edit: ok I get it, there’s a mute button. I appreciate the tip, but people are already reporting that it only sometimes works. Knowing there’s a mute button that sometimes functions doesn’t make me less infuriated

  • viking@infosec.pub
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    2 months ago

    There’s one near my house, and it has no mute button whatsoever. No buttons at all, in fact. You tap your card to the reader, then lift the pump of whichever variety you need, and that moment the ads start. With sound on full blast as well.

    I’ve left a negative google review and make sure to update it monthly so that it stays on top, and drive to another station quite a bit further off just to avoid this crapshoot.

  • the_riviera_kid@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Grab a screwdriver and stab the shit out of the speaker, that shuts them up fairly reliably.

    But in all seriousness I refuse to go to a gas station with ads on the pumps because fuck that shit. Old gas stations are the way to go (for now).

  • ggiesen@lemmy.ca
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    2 months ago

    Almost two decades ago, I worked at a network service provider who had as a customer a company that provided the technology for serving those gas pump ads.

    At each gas station they had a VSAT, a router and of course the digital signage boxes on each pump.

    They fed the ads to thousands of pumps via a single T1 to HughesNet in Atlanta. They’d multicast the ads, and have a local cache at each pump that would receive the stream, cache it and serve it.

    It was one of the most elegant setups I’ve ever seen, and should serve as a case study in multicast for efficient bandwidth utilization across an expensive data transmission medium.

  • Vespair@lemm.ee
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    2 months ago

    Lol, imagine thinking you’re allowed a momentary reprieve from advertising in this hellscape of a world we’ve built.

  • BMW_stick@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    You sound tired. You should try Lipton ‘pick me up’ teabags. A refreshing way to soothe the soul. Available now at most retailers. /s

  • marzhall@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Do me a favor, when you’ve got a minute, go by a Wawa and grab an Italian hoagie and enjoy it for me? I miss them every day, man. Gas pump ads, shitty gas station hoagies, it’s rough movin across the Sheetz/Wawa line

      • Mose13@lemmy.worldOP
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        2 months ago

        What’s youtube? Signed, a Nebula user.

        ps. Ik ik tell me I should use PeerTube.

    • Global_Liberty@lemmy.ml
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      2 months ago

      Used electric cars are some of the cheapest you can buy with the lowest total cost of ownership. If you have to drive, at least spare yourself the awful experience, cost, and pollution of gas stations.

        • 🍄🌵Psychonaut1969🌵🍄 @lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          If you can’t boycott, maybe some noise canceling headphones to wear while you pump, and Instead of looking at the screen, wash your windows, and dump all your car trash into their bins.

        • xtr0n@sh.itjust.works
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          2 months ago

          I default to having a meltdown, smashing the screen, yelling “where is the goddamn mute button”.

          Is this unhinged, yes. But if we all did it, they would eventually get the message.

          Really though, I mostly get gas at Costco cuz it’s cheaper and they don’t do that shit.

  • MikeyU@lemmy.today
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    2 months ago

    I could almost stomach the ads if they weren’t blasted at max volume; it’s like being assaulted at the pump. I feel sorry for anyone who lives in proximity of those stations and have to hear this crap at all hours.

    • Joeffect@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Most have a mute option it’s hidden but every one I have seen has a mute button… You might have to press some random button… Pro tip have a sharpie so you can label said mute button

      • possumparty@lemm.ee
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        2 months ago

        They used to, not so much anymore. Most of them I’ve been to (I travel A LOT for work) no longer mute at all no matter which button you press.

        • xtr0n@sh.itjust.works
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          2 months ago

          I wonder if that could be considered an ADA violation since some autistic folks may be overwhelmed by the super sudden and loud noise?