I have been riding into the Lanehouse Tesco Petrol station and filling my bike while sat on it since the place opened.

Today however, the pump was not authorised, and the lad in the shop announces over the public address system, that I have to get off before he will.

I try to explain that the tank fills properly with the bike level.

This has no effect, so I go in and explain. He passes me to someone else, who says I am not allowed to fill my bike while sat on it, it's company policy.

So without any valid reason I am being viewed as a potential thief, they presumably think I will ride away without paying, despite the fact that I have a full sized number plate plainly on display to the CCTV?

I rode to the Chesil Beach Motors garage on the Granby industrial estate, a mile or so down the road, incidentally another Esso station, and had no trouble filling my bike while sat on it. The cashier even complimented me on having a nice bike.

So, does this mean that every time someone other than the driver of a car gets out to fill it with petrol, they won't authorise the pump until the driver gets out? Oh no, that is fine, after all car drivers never drive off without paying do they?

Guess who is not using Lanehouse Tesco anymore?

Comforting to know that stereotyping is alive and well and looking different is clearly now a crime at Tesco.

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