JakeTheSnake wrote:One thing I do is circle around the pumps and get a eye for who may be loitering around, vehicles parked away from the store.
Don't just pull into the first available pump, especially in a unfamiliar area. If it looks shady, try a different station.
I do this as well. I usually buy gas only at familiar and relatively safe locations, but it's really useful when you are traveling through an unfamiliar area. I pulled out of (the only) Chevron in Texarkana last month, after circling and seeing multiple obvious panhandler types and other shady characters loitering there, while passing through on a road trip. I probably could have just sent them away verbally, but the best conflict is the one you avoid. We went for lunch at a predetermined spot and then hit a different gas station on our way out of town. I didn't get to use my Tom Thumb 20 cent/gallon gas discount that day...