It used to be that filling up the car meant pulling into a servo and an attendant would rush out to top up your tank, check the oil and tyres, and send you on your way. This was a good thing because servos were grimy places that only mechanics could feel at home in. The oily rag, the ripped overalls were enough to deter all but the most mechanically minded. Yet it didn’t matter to Mrs Housewife or Mr Businessman, because back in the sixties, they drove off happy and clean.
Times change, servos became Seven Elevens, driveway service went the way of the dodo. It became self serve all the way. The pay-off was a sparkling new air-conditioned shop instead of the grimy mechanic’s office to pay your bill, yet somehow the grime never left this new age petrol station.
Rather than spark plugs and jumper leads on display, all you now see are pics of pneumatic women, the word SEX blaring out from the magazine stands, and flashed boobs to make sure you get the point. This is fine by me, I’m a single man, it’s aesthetically pleasing, I suppose. But surely it’s not for the women, mothers, grandmothers who venture into a Seven Eleven to pay their bill.
Should they be subjected to this affront of male lust every time they buy petrol or a bottle of milk? Worse still, should children be confronted with these images every time Mum or Dad buys petrol?
Why do children need to be bombarded with blatant sexual images wherever they go? Some people don’t think that they should.
This isn’t wowserism, it’s common decency. By all means sell that stuff at the Seven Eleven to adults, but display it on the back wall, not at a child’s eye level as they enter and leave the shop. Sometimes the pendulum swings too far. While decrying the Nanny State, it would help if we stood up for the society we want, rather than accepting the one that is being foisted upon us
The trouble is, we live in Animal Farm.
1 rule is on the wall when we go to sleep, then when we wake up, it looks almost the same, but it isn’t quite, we think. But then those in power tell us we are being silly, “Of course it’s the same!” and we believe them. Or rather, we convince ourselves that they are right.
Personally, I could live without half naked women being shoved in my face. And for that matter, half naked men too. Keep your clothes on, or stay out of sight. The only exception to that rule being the beach in summer. I don’t go to the beach, so I don’t care.
And bring back full-service servos. Once upon a time, full-service meant you paid slightly more, and self-service meant you paid less. Now they all charge the same, and as a rule, the service sucks.
I do not expect some poor pump jockey, in a nasty part of town (or anywhere in this one), to come out of the building to pump petrol after 7 at night, that would be suicide, but I do expect SOME service, even if it’s just at the register. Yet another reason I am glad I don’t drive, the shite service, along with the faking -it-all-the-way naked people, would drive me crazier.
I agree Gig, these mags should be at the back of the shop, away from kids. Beats me why these mags are still available. You can get all the cleavage you want from the internet, for free. Or so I’m told……………..
I agree Gigdiary about the mags, they should be invisible at least to kids, love to have a servo that pour petrol in my car like the good old days, i like a good service, congrats, you have ben busy with your blog, good on you, love ooxx
I read this post and loved it! Now I’ve come to comment and have found some familiar friends. This is nice
Anyway, back to my comment -> I agree with you about the magazines. As if there isn’t enough visual saturation for us to handle.
Thanks for stopping by….