At the gas pump, seeing is believing.
That’s why local activist Wellington Sharpe is urging legislation compelling gas stations citywide to install pumps with a glass component in them so that consumers can see the color, consistency and grade of gasoline they purchase.
“Only this way can we be assured that consumers are getting what they paid for,” he said.
With gas prices fast approaching a staggering $5 a gallon, now is as good a time as any to lobby the oil companies to enact change, Sharpe said.
Sharpe, a candidate for City Council, said the idea springs from personal experience.
He said he found that when he was filling up at the pump, he wasn’t always getting the correct amount.
“I noticed the gauge was not where it was supposed to be, based on what I purchased,” he said.
Sharpe, the owner and operator of the Nelrak Childhood Development Center on Fulton Street, took his concerns to oil giant ExxonMobil, drafting a letter explaining the problem.
“They thought it was a good idea,” he said.
The company has since decided to install the pumps at a station located at 6000 Shore Parkway near Kings Plaza. The partially see-through pump was installed about two weeks ago.
Next, Sharpe said, he plans to urge gas companies to color code their gasoline, making the varying grades easily identifiable. For example, using red for regular, green for high octane, he suggested.
“This way, people know what they’re buying and can see what they’re paying for.”
Eventually, the hope is that gas stations across the city and state adopt his recommendations.
