Maryam Rashidi dies from injuries sustained in Calgary gas-and-dash

They still don't have a pay before you pump law in Alberta? In BC it's called Grant's law, after a young guy who was dragged 2km by an asshole underage FN who got a slap on the wrist.

Without this law, you get scum gas station owners who pay minimum wage, then make the employee responsible for any thefts. Just not worth dying for. Let's hope with a progressive government in Alberta now they get on enacting this law. Too bad it takes a death to do so.

Here's the asshole that killed DePatie:

No, we make it so that employees are not responsible for theft. If we could predict the price of gas from day to day, then we'd know how much it takes to fill up a tank, and then could pre-pay for it.

She should not have been trying to stop a thief. It's not worth a life.

Pay before you pump works with no problem in BC, and was in place in many stations in the states when I worked there in the '90's. You can't really "make it so employees are not responsible for theft". You can pass all the laws you want, the owner will still make it clear to the employee they pay for stolen gas or it's their job - too easy to circumvent. I can't see this women going to such extreme measures unless she feared for her job.

Colorado was tough, tho. I accidentally did a pump and dash at the station I usually filled up at, and within 30 minutes had the cops at my door asking me if I had the money to pay and then following me to the station to make sure I did. I can't see the cops here bothering with that sort of response.

Yes, you can. It's part of the Employment Standards Code in Alberta that employees are not responsible for customers stealing things from their employer, whether they are a gas station or a bank. They also can't be fired for it, unless it represents an ongoing trend on the employee's part or as a criminal matter such as embezzlement.

I'm saying you can't enforce that law very well. The owner will find some other way to fire the employee. I'm sure we had the same laws on the books when Grant DePatie got killed.

That is true for any employer. But in Alberta, employees are not responsible for 'shrinkage'. She did not have to step in front of that truck any more than the driver had to run her over.

all of which would have been absolutely prevented by pay before you pump. If you're really bent on paying cash, get to know your vehicle so you can leave the approximate amount with the attendant. Or just use the credit card you would have used anyway, swipe and pump and away you go.

Or just treat your customers like they are the honest people they have always been, and record license plates like has always been done for the ones that aren't so honest. Like I said, if the price of gas were stable in any way, I could prepay cash for a fill up. But since it isn't, and the amount my tank holds can run from $90 - $120 in a single month . . .

'Pay at the pump' has one major drawback, the money they 'authorize' isn't always returned at the end of the transaction. Sometimes, not for days.

Didn't know that, never been a problem for me. I always select the lowest authorization I think will fill the tank. I always keep the tank half full and have a small car, so its never very much.

Too many dishonest people out there. BC hasn't collapses since they switched, as I said, in the US they've been doing it for decades. Best way to solve this problem.

I work at a gas station anf here, we only pre-authorize. The only amount taken out of your account is the amount you actually use. No holds, no putting back on cards.

Most stations here in the US are like that also. Another thing you can do is if you think your tank will take about $35 to fill up you can pay $40 cash then once done pumping go back in and get your change.

There are many options instead of pump then pay that it is irresponsible of companies to operate this way.

I had that happen to me the last time I went to BC.

I don't know about Costco in BC, but here you can swipe your credit or debit card and put in as much or as little as you need.

I had that happen to me the last time I went to BC.

I don't know about Costco in BC, but here you can swipe your credit or debit card and put in as much or as little as you need.

Costco is good for that. Husky too. I have a friend that works cash at the one in Acheson, and they still have the 'pay afterward' philosophy on some pumps so that makes it easier to fill 'er up.