As well publicized as those closures were, it would seem unlikely that other stations in the state would risk being caught doing the same thing so soon afterwards. In point of fact, according to a report on Snopes.com, all the pumps at the above-mentioned BP station in Cartersville were tested by state inspectors in November 2007 and again in May 2008, and found to be accurate.
Gas pumps can indeed be rigged to cheat customers, but they can also simply malfunction, which is why most if not all states conduct routine inspections. As often as not, inspectors say, malfunctioning pumps err to the benefit of consumers. Of the 119,012 pumps inspected in Georgia last year (2007), slightly less than 5% were found to be inaccurate, according to Commissioner Irvin, and at least half of those were delivering more gas than customers paid for — not that the idea of playing gas pump roulette will provide much consolation to consumers in this era of ever-rising gasoline prices.
The simple method described in the email for verifying the volume-to-price ratio — often called the "Times 10 Rule" — is one way consumers can try to catch possible cheats or malfunctions. It's not infallible, however. Just because a pump displays the correct total in dollars per the amount it says was pumped, that's no guarantee that the volume itself was measured accurately.
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Sources and further reading:
Gas Pumps Shut at 2 Stations
Florida Times-Union, 13 February 2008Gas Station Owner Accused of Cheating People at Pump
Savannah Morning News, 6 March 2008Cheating at Gas Pumps
Snopes.com, 8 May 2008Faulty Gas Pumps Might Cheat You
Associated Press, 25 April 2008
Last updated: 04/20/12
