Beware the truck pumps in LeClerc or really glad we carry more than one card (1 Viewer)

[jongood]

Sunday we called in to LeClercs at Nonancourt, just off the N154. All we wanted was a top up to get us home. The car side was fullish but the truck side was empty and as we are fairly big its sometimes easier to use the truck pumps if they re quiet. 24/7 so in goes the Revolut card - refused. OK I put in my zero card also refused. Having encountered a situation at a Super U on the Friday where they couldnt take payments from foreign cards because of a server issue I assumed it was related - afterall very little gets done in France over the weekend.

Next thing was a text from Santander fraud dept notifying me of a transaction of 2000 euros, this I deduced was amount LeClerc tried to put on my card before turning the pumps on, as there was insufficent credit on my Revolut card, that had failed and is still blocked at the moment and Santander which had plenty of balance available decided it could be fraud as I don't often use it.

I've no idea whether this is a new policy, I ve previously used the truck pumps in other LeClercs and not had this problem but thought it was worth mentioning as it could be a big problem if it happened to someone who only had one card

 

[Riverbankannie]

Always been wise to take more than one card even before the current practice of pumps putting a holding charge on. I found Revolt did not work at an unmanned 24/7 Total pump. It had plenty of euros on to cover the 2 150 euro holding charges put on - I tried it in the pump twice.
We always go with 3 debit cards and 2 credit cards

 

[AJM2]

I had a similar situation this summer with my Santander card. Santander had blocked the payment because it looked suspicious. Quickly sorted with a phone call but a hassle nevertheless when stood at the pumps.

 

[Neil S]

We use Halifax Clarity never had a single refusal either at automated pumps or peages

 

[zac]

The key to this is they tried to put a hold on 2k euros which for trucks i am assuming is ok but for our vehicles is way OTT, most pumps will put a small hold but not 2k that's def one to watch out for when using truck pumps.

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[L' Hobo]

It might be a system to discourage smaller vehicles from using the truck pump unless there is sufficient funds to fill a trucks tanks?
I can imagine the reaction from a queue of French truckers waiting to fill up behind car owners!

When I was trucking over there, we used to have special trucking discount cards.

 

[ManTheVan]

No issue with a Chase card either, but then we haven’t ever tried to fill at a truck pump. They tend to pump fuel far too fast for a smaller vehicle’s tanks to cope with, so risk an overflow spill. We stick to the ordinary pumps.

 

[Steve and Denise]

We had a similar thing happen to us at one of these French pumps a typically bad system but hey it’s French

 

[PP Bear]

Filled up with £57 squiddlies of fuel on the A3 Southbound and went to pay by my Santander Debit Card and the cashier said its been refused. Tried again and no luck, with the cashier saying that Santander or whoever, had instructed him to confiscate the card. He didn’t and luckily I had £60 squiddlies in my wallet.

A call to Santander and was informed that 3 minutes before I had put my card in the machine, someone had paid for a hotel and train tickets in Italy.

Got my money refunded, but takes time and is a proverbial pain in the . The card details had apparently been taken from a motorbike shop and passed on to whomever the in scrupulous people were.

Then, using a phone in the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess in Güterslöh Germany that required a card to be swiped before it would allow the call to be made, also collected my details and spent on my card, which again, Santander sorted for me.

 

[jongood]

We use Halifax Clarity never had a single refusal either at automated pumps or peages

I hadnt before this, been doing it for years

It might be a system to discourage smaller vehicles from using the truck pump unless there is sufficient funds to fill a trucks tanks?
I can imagine the reaction from a queue of French truckers waiting to fill up behind car owners!

When I was trucking over there, we used to have special trucking discount cards.

I agree with this, but we can't always get into the car ones 3.4m high. I've used truck pumps quite a few times because the speed is also good for me and its particularly handy if I want to fill both tanks ( 150litres each side) I can be quite a while on some car pumps.

Just a note I drive a truck myself, I try my hardest not to make a nuisance of myself for people who have got schedules to meet.

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[Coastal Cruiser.]

A lot of pay at pump places I have found especially in Belgium seem to have a €100 maximum
Bit of a pain having to have 3 goes

 

[gus-lopez]

I've no idea whether this is a new policy, I ve previously used the truck pumps in other LeClercs and not had this problem but thought it was worth mentioning as it could be a big problem if it happened to someone who only had one card

pay at pump truck pumps ring fence 2k. Attended service I have never been allowed to use a truck pump.

that's def one to watch out for when using truck pumps.

On the peage in France I have never been allowed to fill without first going in & depositing either a credit, debit card or driving licence against payment before the pump will be turned on.

 

[DT]

Le Clerc pumps today refused my Revolut and HSBC global card both of which had over €100 credit. Carrefour accepted Revolut a few days ago no issue.

 

[zac]

On the peage in France I have never been allowed to fill without first going in & depositing either a credit, debit card or driving licence against payment before the pump will be turned on.

Interesting as when we drove back in January from Spain to Calais we filled up several times on the peage fuel stations and always filled up then inside to pay, never the other way around. Not seen that method for a very long time, i guess it depends where you are by the sounds of it.

 

[Lenny HB]

We use Halifax Clarity never had a single refusal either at automated pumps or peages

Same here.
I tend not to use the truck pumps as the fill can be bit fast & sometimes you can end up with diesel all over your feet & legs.

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[jongood]

I used the truck pumps loads of times and never been aware of a 2K block before.

tbf I'm filling directly into truck tanks (MAN truck based MH) so if I get the two sided fillers I can be in and out very quickly.

 

[jongood]

Interesting as when we drove back in January from Spain to Calais we filled up several times on the peage fuel stations and always filled up then inside to pay, never the other way around. Not seen that method for a very long time, i guess it depends where you are by the sounds of it.

I dont think you would be filling on the peage at present, mostly over 2 euros, highest one at 2.35/litre
LeClerc was 1.80 hence I thought I would have some. previous fill was at Roses 1.56.

 

[jongood]

Just checked my Revolut card and the amount blocked by LeClerc is still blocked, according to Revolut help pages its up to the retailer to either charge or release it. If they do neither by 31st October then the transaction will be automatically cancelled.

Luckily I'm home now.

 

[dosser]

We use Halifax Clarity never had a single refusal either at automated pumps or peages

I've had problems with debit and preloaded cards in the past blocking money till it clears. Always use my Halifax Credit card or Tesco one for fuel now.

 

[jongood]

I've had problems with debit and preloaded cards in the past blocking money till it clears. Always use my Halifax Credit card or Tesco one for fuel now.

in Uk or France?

I was forced to use my Tesco Credit Card ( in another petrol station) and the rate was E1.125, compared to the E15.5 current on my Zero Card and E1.16 that I pre bought on the Revolut.

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[dosser]

in Uk or France?

I was forced to use my Tesco Credit Card ( in another petrol station) and the rate was E1.125, compared to the E15.5 current on my Zero Card and E1.16 that I pre bought on the Revolut.

France.

 

[dosser]

in Uk or France?

I was forced to use my Tesco Credit Card ( in another petrol station) and the rate was E1.125, compared to the E15.5 current on my Zero Card and E1.16 that I pre bought on the Revolut.

Still would use the credit card personal preference and less hassle.

 

[DerfelUK]

A lot of pay at pump places I have found especially in Belgium seem to have a €100 maximum
Bit of a pain having to have 3 goes

Travelling up out of Italy this year, as fuel prices were rapidly rising, found that many stations were blocking €120

 

[Mike Rivers]

I had issues with Revolut last year where it preauthorises card and then declines. In the end I used my Halifax Clarity card with no problems (same pump). In every other respect - paying site fees, food shopping, restaurants and bar bills I swear by Revolut as you’re paying in Euros or whatever locsl currency you’ve loaded. This year, in light of last years debacle, our strategy was use Clarity for fuel and Revolut for everything else. Worked fine.

 

[gus-lopez]

Interesting as when we drove back in January from Spain to Calais we filled up several times on the peage fuel stations and always filled up then inside to pay, never the other way around. Not seen that method for a very long time, i guess it depends where you are by the sounds of it.

This was a few years back & from La Jonquera travelling up to cross in to Germany at Mulhouse.

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[jongood]

Travelling up out of Italy this year, as fuel prices were rapidly rising, found that many stations were blocking €120

There is so much variance , pumps stopping at anywhere between E100 and E200, I think it would be helpful if the operators put a sign on the pumps saying what their limits are. If I want a full fill it can take me 6 or 7 times.

 

[jongood]

Still would use the credit card personal preference and less hassle.

A quick calculation shows it would have cost me about £150 more to use Tesco card for everything and then I still need some cash.

 

[Platelet]

On the peage in France I have never been allowed to fill without first going in & depositing either a credit, debit card or driving licence against payment before the pump will be turned on.

That’s normal practice on the UK motorway HGV pumps.

 

[gus-lopez]

That’s normal practice on the UK motorway HGV pumps.

This was just an mpv.

Another thing I noticed that came to me on my return journey the same way was that most of the fuel stations had been completely altered from "drive in off peage , on to pump,fill ,drive out i" in the direction you are travelling to " drive off the peage, turn right 180º into the fuel station to get on the pump facing the opposite way to direction of travel, exit station by having to cross the incoming traffic from the peage exit" The only thing we concluded is that it was yet another way to stop "drive offs"? But as i have asked before how can you have drive offs on a toll road & how can you be robbed on a toll road without anyone being trapped between the exit booths? especially considering there are usually dozens of gendarmes dossing around toll exits.

 

[Ducatian]

We had issues on the Peage with truck pumps not accepting our cards, so resorted to the car pumps which worked fine. Only problem there was on three sites, there was nowhere to park the 8meter and no way to get to the truck parking from the car parking, so we could not stop there for a cuppa or a bite to eat.
Ended up doing separate fuel and nibble stops.

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