Snake oil at East St Louis Pilot (exit 4 i70 illinois)

Discussion in 'Truck Stops' started by phroziac, Jun 12, 2010.

  1. phroziac

    phroziac Road Train Member

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    Jun 16, 2009
    Gary, IN
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    I'm at the Pilot at East St Louis, I think I just had a local bum try to sell me genuine snake oil. It was a polish that he says works on aluminum, chrome, even paint, and even removes grafitti. I let him demonstrate it on my truck, and it did shine my aluminum, and it did turn black, like it was actually polishing.

    He said that it has no grit in it, and he demonstrated using an incredibly light polishing action with a very small amount of folded paper towel. He says the paper towel provides all the abrasiveness it needs.

    Here's the problem. He wanted $40 for the bottle, but he was going to cut me a great deal and sell it to me for $20. But it's a milky white water thin liquid in a water bottle. It smells just like diesel, and it has a label obviously printed himself taped on the bottle. It also dries white, but only if you stop rubbing.

    Why do i get the feeling that this guy is trying to sell me a water bottle full of diesel with a tiny amount of real aluminum polish in it?

    Just a couple of hours ago I had a guy trying to sell me a gold chain. My response? I only wear silver! He said..OK and smiled. Hahahahaha. In hindsight, I am surprised he didnt whip out a silver chain to offer me...

    Hell, last night I parked at the TA in Effingham, IL and a $5 lot lizard came knocking on my door while I was..well, nevermind what I was doing at the time... ;)

    Good gawd, what the hell?

    This reminds me of a while back at the Pilot in Dallas, I had a guy trying to sell me Lucas SlickMist for $20 a bottle ($5 inside..). He offered it to me for $10 after i said no, but i just said no again.


    What the hell!
     
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  3. CondoCruiser

    CondoCruiser The Legend

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    Did the guy in E. St. Louis ride a bicycle with a basket on the front?

    I still have shiny spots on my truck after a year of his demonstrations. :)
     
  4. Powell-Peralta

    Powell-Peralta Road Train Member

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    1) My concern is why don't/can't the managers man or woman up and chase these losers off the property?

    a) You never see these types outside at operas or fancy restaurants. Why do suppose this is?


    2) What can be done to combat this problem?
     
  5. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    That stuff is usually starting fluid... and is a scam. You don't get the bottle he is using.
     
  6. Scarecrow03

    Scarecrow03 Road Train Member

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    Who's that guy from Effingham that used to advertise on the CB all the time until the FCC came down on him?

    His polish was pretty similar, but it actually did work. I never bought any of it, but I knew a guy who did and it'd shine the hell outta some chrome/aluminum.
     
  7. phroziac

    phroziac Road Train Member

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    Jun 16, 2009
    Gary, IN
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    No, he just walked around with a backpack. At first i thought he was the driver of the truck next to me. His bike may have been stolen for all i know. He was white, older, and told me he wasn't coming back and if i want it i had to get it now. It was Uncle Mac's polish...

    You answered your own questions right there. Problem is that the only truckstop i ever went to where the manager manned up noticably, did it so overzealously and left a very bad taste in my mouth and made me want to suggest my company remove it from our fuel stop list. Some drivers were parked there and polishing their own wheels, manager was driving around in a car in the lot and saw them and told them they had to leave, they were trespassing, blah blah, and actually forced them to leave. Nice job there. it was the flying J in Baytown, TX...

    Oh, and now im hiding in my sleeper from the bums. What the hell.

    It sure smelled like diesel, but diesel is a lot cheaper than starting fluid, so maybe it was watered down with diesel. I could tell it was a scam, it just..didnt seem right. At all.
     
  8. jb12288

    jb12288 Light Load Member

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    Rome, GA
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    Excuse my ignorance, but what is snake oil?
     
  9. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    Next time you see a rattlesnake pick him up and squeeze his oil gland behind his rattles and you will see it...:biggrin_25523:
     
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  10. jb12288

    jb12288 Light Load Member

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    HAHA couldnt catch me near a wild snake, lol
     
  11. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    See,,, that is why ya don't know what snake oil is...:biggrin_2559:
     
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