With Google Maps, I also look at the surrounding streets and the houses. The more adults riding bicycles and walking, the more likely safety is an issue. It holds true locally, so I just make the same assumptions in unknow areas.
I only do gas stations in general when they are bonused, good or bad locations. It doesn't really bother me when I'm local because I know what I'm what I'm getting into, but when I'm outside the area, I'm a little more hesitant. Either way, I try to figure out why the job is bonused to avoid the reason prior shoppers didn't complete it. I would have done it for $100.
If there is one in a small town nearby that is done the night window, I assume they close early like 8 or 9. I call the locations to confirm their hours and make sure I start those as soon as the window starts. One location says they close about 8:45...about??
My favorite prop is a clip board. Some of the shops have high turnover and the cashiers are frequently new and don't want to let you do the audit without talking to their manager. While the cashier was on the phone, she says, "(he/she) has a clipboard and everything." I had to be legit if I had a clipboard. I still chuckle at that to this day.
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There are several gas stations where I live that have had shootings. The manager at one of the locations showed me the video of the dead body in his storage room. The person was shot in their store, ran in the back and died. I try to do the less desirable locations before 10am if the window allows. Seems that is the time the ones hanging around the store wake up and are hungry or need to start their drinking for the day.
The worst ones are where the drug dealers hang out and they get angry when you are taking pictures. I start with a lot of canopy and main ID sign photos, so they see me pointing the phone at the signage and gives them time to leave before taking ground level photos. I always have at least one page of the current POP printed in color so that if I'm approached, they can see my paper matches what is present. I also offer to show them the pictures in my phone to let them see they don't include them.
At one station, there was a couple sitting in a car at the only diesel pump the whole time. I was on the other side of the lot. I could hear the man saying something but didn't get the exact words, but I knew what he was saying, lol. He threw a glass bottle, shattering it in around the pumps before finally driving off.
I have my crazy act ready to go. I got threated once with, "they aren't arresting for misdemeanor because of COVID." If I was quicker with a comeback, I would have said, I'll make sure it is a felony. Instead, I just use my tough voice and say, "I know where I'm at, I'm not lost." It makes them wonder how crazy I am.
@sestrahelena wrote:
A gas station in a major city near where I live recently went to $100 on the job board before someone accepted it at an unknown fee. This is a location very convenient to any local shopper but the locals probably knew that someone had just been killed there the week before and it is densely crowded with people who are not getting gas or convenience store items on any regular day. Because Google Maps often erases many of the people that might be identifiable in their pictures, the street views don't always tell the whole story. I just looked up that station and it looks very peaceful and uncrowded on Google.
edit...why don't my writing mistakes show up in gray but as soon as I post, it is obvious when it is in black.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2022 01:19PM by JasperJohnson.