A biker was banned from using a petrol station because she refused to remove her motorcycle helmet.
Leanne Wright (26), of Mariner Road, Camelon, put £5 of petrol into her Yamaha motorcycle at the forecourt of Camelon’s recently opened Tesco store just before noon last Friday.
She said: “I walked in with my helmet on and my visor up, with the exact cash in my hand.
‘‘I tried to hand it to the woman behind the counter but she said she wouldn’t serve me until I took my helmet off.
“I had been in there the day before when I did remove my helmet – so the woman knew me – but this time I was in too much of a rush.
‘‘She said: ‘You took your helmet off yesterday, why not today?’”
When Leanne still refused, the member of staff called store security.
“Twenty minutes later they finally agreed to take my money and I rode off,’’ added Leanne.
‘‘But they told me I was now banned from the petrol station.”
Leanne, who has been riding as a learner for nine months and is about to take her test, said she knew the store probably had safety guidelines to follow in order to protect staff and prevent crime, but felt the member of staff had taken things too far.
“It’s the only Tesco garage I have been in where they wouldn’t serve me when I was wearing my helmet,’’ she said.
‘‘I regularly go to the one on Camelon Road without any problem.”
Tesco had still not commented on the matter as The Falkirk Herald went to press.
Online biking forum ‘Right to Ride’ advises bikers like Leanne not to become abusive with employees at the petrol station, who are just following orders, but instead ask to see the boss and find out if the store has a written policy on removal of helmets.
A spokesman said: “A petrol station has cash and products that can be stolen in store and operators need to protect their staff and livelihood. There appears to be an ad hoc policy suggested to petrol stations by security advisers that motorcyclists must remove helmets, either before filling up on the forecourt or before they enter the petrol station shop.”
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