I hate doing that. I tried it once and got the back of my car filthy from the hose running across it.

Now that I fill up mainly at Morrisons, I have found their pumps to have a completely different design. It is extremely hard to stretch it around the car, so I always just use the correct side.

Peter.

In my case, it's generally the other way round.

Even on the larger Carlton estates I've owned, it was still possible to stretch the hose to the filler. You needed to be canny with the parking position, mind.

Ditto. Even my 9000 isn't a problem, get in snug against the side and pull up so the back of the car is level with the pump. Easy.

Of course, I'm not one to worry about a bit of dirt getting on my car. In fact, it tends to wipe a clean spot across the back.

Ford Fiesta - Passenger side.

This is what happens if you try to stretch the pipe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLsGLrl1HvI

Toyota - passenger side.

This used to be the standard but these days, most car manufacturers put it on one side or the other depending on:

- aesthetics
- practicalities/design eg having to fit other components in and around the area.

FWIW mine's on the driver's side.
On the fiesta, it used to be on the passenger's side.

I don’t want scratchy lines all over my car caused by petrol station hose pipes.

just hold the hose away from the car with the other hand.

The other hand has the fuel cap in. I did put it on the car once, but it left a greasy mark and then rolled off. I had to crawl around under the car in my good trousers to retrieve it.

I hated that car. Brand new Vectra, and it was technically about 20 years out of date compared to other modern cars.

How many hands do you have? I struggle filling up with my two hands.

Peter.

My little Ford KA its one the passenger side

My gf's KA has it on the passenger side, which is convenient as I only have to roll down my window and don't have to shout that I want a Mars Bar from the shop pleasethankyouverymuch

You lot are making me laugh.

I have never bothered which side of the car my petrol cap is on, in fact for the purposes of this poll I had to really think about it and luckily I filled up this morning. I pull up to a pump in the same position (slightly ahead of the pump so the back-end is level with the nozzles) as close as possible everytime and then I get out and take off the petrol cap.

I put my petrol cap on top of the pump in that handy little divot they provide for just such a need (only exception being if it's wet) or on the roof where it has enough room to make a full circle. I pull the hose out and I have yet to see a vehicle so wide that a normal petrol hose won't reach around. I've filled up people carriers, hire trucks, and even a minibus once and never had an issue, the hose has never left scratch marks on my paintwork, and in fact sometimes the dirt rubs off my car and onto the hose

I've been filling cars up since before it was considered a "Health & Safety" matter to allow anyone under the age of 16 to operate a petrol pump, are you all a bunch of precious car wussies or what?

It doesn't matter.

A piece of hosepipe and a 5 gallon drum can be used on both sides. And thats all I'm going to say.

Has anyone found any particular reason yet why it varies? Somebody I spoke to suggested it was the opposite side to the exhaust, however I quickly disproved this.

Peter.