“Refuel anxiety”: Survey suggests Gen Z is scared to pump their own gas, but the internet can’t agree if it’s actually true
Older generations express shock at a survey revealing that Gen Z may be hesitant to fill up their own car with gas. However, some suspect that ragebait—not "refuel anxiety"—is the real issue.
Is Gen Z scared to pump gas?
An article published by The Independent covers recent results from a survey of 2000 Gen Zers.
The survey by car retailer Cazoo suggests that up to 65% of Gen Z have what they call "refuel anxiety." The symptoms of refueling anxiety include fearing that they will select the wrong fuel, park too far from the pump, or that the pump is unhygienic.
The article suggests that some Gen Z drivers let their car's tank empty just to avoid the gas station.
One millennial TikToker @newspeakmedia reacts to the article, saying, "If you are one of the 6 out of 10 Gen Z drivers who are afraid to fill up gas because you don't feel like you can operate the pump properly, I am begging you to never drive a car."
Other Gen Zers share their own anxiety at the pump in viral videos, adding fuel to the assumption that the generation can't put gas in their own cars. One woman shares the moment she learned how to pump her own gas at 26 years old.
@gretalouisetome You learn something new every day
However, some drivers have a good reason to not know how to operate a pump. For example, one TikToker shows herself teaching her roommate from New Jersey how to pump gas.
In New Jersey, gas station attendants fuel cars for drivers. In fact, it's illegal for drivers to pump their own gas there, according to CNN.
@miaspams1214 Her face says it all #hpu ♬ Original Sound - Unknown
Older viewers call "refuel anxiety" unacceptable, throwing jabs at Gen Z in the comments of the TikToks.
"I was nervous the first time, too. But I just… did it. No one’s coming to save you kids, buckle up," one writes.
"Young people soon will never leave their homes. Why should they? They have everything they need at their fingertips. Except a life," another suggests.
Is the survey just ragebait?
An opinion piece for 9Honey pushes back at the survey, suggesting that its intentions aren't pure.
"The whole survey to me seemed like a source for hate clicks because, as we know, nothing unites a society faster than a common enemy," journalist Chantelle Bozicevic writes.
Bozicevic suggests that the survey should be examined for potential bias. She notes that the company could have offered a gift card incentive to get Gen Z to overhype their anxiety at the pump.
"There was probably a gift card or some kind of payment on offer, and like most Gen Zs struggling in this economy, I, too, would say I'm scared of a fuel pump for $100."
So, it's hard to say how many Gen Zers actually let their car run on empty just to avoid embarrassment at the pump.
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