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Post by silverstreak on Apr 2, 2018 6:46:40 GMT -5
Well, I used the MSL today to update a station temporarily closed for re-construction near me. Several app users had been posting prices even though the station was closed and it seems the best they can do is mark it out of power, yet prices still get posted.
I had some difficulty making the change as the GB site seemed sluggish to non responsive at times, but did finally manage to get it updated.
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rodking3
All Star Member
It's not mine either.
Posts: 13,541
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Post by rodking3 on Apr 2, 2018 7:19:02 GMT -5
Some of the app posters will post anything for points. And TPTB let them.
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Post by sneakers (Metro Houston) on Apr 2, 2018 20:51:13 GMT -5
Some of the app posters will post anything for points. And TPTB let them. It's the "full site" that will let you sit with a laptop on the French Riviera and update prices for anywhere in North America.
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rodking3
All Star Member
It's not mine either.
Posts: 13,541
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Post by rodking3 on Apr 2, 2018 22:58:13 GMT -5
Yes, I'm sure that could happen.
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Post by Suzzoom on Apr 3, 2018 13:13:28 GMT -5
Some of the app posters will post anything for points. And TPTB let them. The purpose of posting prices is to get accurate real-time information to users of that app, some of whom may be just visiting your fair city. There's one person in my area who for a long time has posted prices when the station is closed, even when the pumps have been dismantled. From time to time, he no longer appears on the leaderboard, although he (or she) does post prices during that "suspension." I've learned simply to pull into each station when I post (can't get a texting while driving ticket that way) and actually look at the pump. Sometimes a person inadvertently mis-taps a number; I've done that. No harm, no foul. Buy hey, friends, in the grand scheme of things, this is small potatoes.
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reb
Champion Member
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Posts: 2,242
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Post by reb on Apr 3, 2018 20:33:53 GMT -5
It's the "full site" that will let you sit with a laptop on the French Riviera and update prices for anywhere in North America.
Actually, There are a few posters that are posting prices that I am pretty sure are using the app and changing their gps position and posting prices.
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reb
Champion Member
To opt out of Link tracking - go to : https://www.viglink.com/opt-out/non
Posts: 2,242
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Post by reb on Apr 3, 2018 20:34:57 GMT -5
Some of the app posters will post anything for points. And TPTB let them. It's the "full site" that will let you sit with a laptop on the French Riviera and update prices for anywhere in North America.
I'm pretty sure there are users using the app (on phone or on computer with an emulator (IOS or Android) and changing their gps... I see mass entries being made by some users and pretty sure using app since they are on app leader board for my area.
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Post by DavisSta on Apr 4, 2018 19:59:28 GMT -5
You're referring to situations where the station's Name field doesn't match the Fuel Brand field, right? It certainly feels like there is something broken there. Instances where the Fuel Brand should not match the Name should be rather rare, so a first step towards correcting the problem could be for them to run a query setting the Fuel Brand to match the name. I've still seen no action with my Help Center request on this item from December. I resubmitted it in March, but haven't seen any action on that request either. My experience has been similar. In terms of ease and effectiveness, making changes on the website seems to work best, provided the station is not in the GasBuddy Verified program (Shell, Pilot, Flying J, etc.). Suggesting changes in the app is easy, but the suggestions seem to languish for months without being implemented. Requesting changes through the Help Center is time consuming. Sometimes the changes requested that way are implemented the next business day but sometimes they languish with no reply or only off-target automated replies. I completely agree. (On the one hand I can see that they want to protect against bogus changes, but they don't seem to have found an effective way of doing that without impeding members from keeping the records up to date.)
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Post by Almtnman (Alabama) on Apr 5, 2018 9:08:31 GMT -5
I tried changing brand name on station that I post prices regularly from a Shell station to Sunoco. That was over a month ago. It still hasn't changed and can't be changed from the MSL. I finally gave up on that and just let people find out at the pump.
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Post by MadFueler on Apr 7, 2018 5:11:01 GMT -5
Okay, here's a situation I'd like some opinions on: A station is listed as closed but is in fact open; however, they don't advertise prices on the street and only offer full service. While it is a place that actually sells gasoline for vehicles, the situation isn't conducive to regular reporting. Would you mark it open, or leave it alone?
Oh - and it's a small station whose main business is a repair shop.
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Post by DavisSta on Apr 8, 2018 3:03:20 GMT -5
Interesting situation, MadFueler. I guess my inclination would be to mark it as open, since that seems to be the truth. As a practical matter, it sounds like the prices will be reported so rarely that it won't make a big difference one way or the other.
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Post by DavisSta on Apr 8, 2018 3:26:04 GMT -5
On Friday I had a telephone interview with Melanie Lehrer of the GasBuddy organization. Some of you may have signed up for these interviews, too. She had a set list of questions to go through with time for my general input at the end. She seemed to be taking extensive notes throughout the 25-minute long-interview. One thing they seemed particularly interested in is how much I use the website versus the app. Perhaps they're trying to decide whether to invest effort in maintaining the website. At least they're seeking members' input (unlike in past instances, such as when they unilaterally shut down portions of the website), but we'll have to see how much weight they ultimately give to members' opinions.
One thing I raised was that the GasBuddy Verified program doesn't seem to be working as intended, inasmuch as the Verified companies aren't keeping the MSL entries for their stations up to date, and the locking of those records hinders members from doing so. I got the impression that this was something Melanie had been unaware of. Let's hope the feedback has some effect.
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Post by silverstreak on Apr 8, 2018 6:56:58 GMT -5
Okay, here's a situation I'd like some opinions on: A station is listed as closed but is in fact open; however, they don't advertise prices on the street and only offer full service. While it is a place that actually sells gasoline for vehicles, the situation isn't conducive to regular reporting. Would you mark it open, or leave it alone? Oh - and it's a small station whose main business is a repair shop. I would mark it open - as it is.
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Post by lightbulb1 on Apr 8, 2018 16:58:57 GMT -5
give it time Rome wasn't built in a day...
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Post by BullDozer50 on Apr 9, 2018 12:21:31 GMT -5
On Friday I had a telephone interview with Melanie Lehrer of the GasBuddy organization. Some of you may have signed up for these interviews, too. She had a set list of questions to go through with time for my general input at the end. She seemed to be taking extensive notes throughout the 25-minute long-interview. One thing they seemed particularly interested in is how much I use the website versus the app. Perhaps they're trying to decide whether to invest effort in maintaining the website. At least they're seeking members' input (unlike in past instances, such as when they unilaterally shut down portions of the website), but we'll have to see how much weight they ultimately give to members' opinions. One thing I raised was that the GasBuddy Verified program doesn't seem to be working as intended, inasmuch as the Verified companies aren't keeping the MSL entries for their stations up to date, and the locking of those records hinders members from doing so. I got the impression that this was something Melanie had been unaware of. Let's hope the feedback has some effect. Even though I have had the app on my phone for several years, I very seldom use it to post prices and even less to locate the lowest prices in my "home" area. Post prices most times using the website. If I am going on a trip outside of my home area, I will use the map from the website to find the best prices. When I stop, if prices are out of date (or wrong) I will correct them via the app. On the "locked GasBuddy Verified" stations, it would be nice if they could let some of us, like MadFueler on the NC site, to update some of these "locked" entries.
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