Gas Station

I’ve used this one at gas stations with some success. Occasionally, while you’re fuelingup your car, you’ll see a rather attractive woman doing so nearby. If this is the situation, I’ll see how much she’s spending on gas. If it looks like she’s filling up her tank, I’llusually call out:

“Hey, you know, you should never let your gas gauge fall below 1/4 of a tank. All sorts of dirt and grime accumulate at the bottom of your gas tank, and if you go past the 1/4 mark, you are putting all that dirt and grime into your engine. It’ll save you lots of money in the longrun on car repairs. Do you know a lot about cars?”

This is actually good advice when it comes to vehicle maintenance, and most women don’t know this little trick. If you notice, I take a read on the situation, offer this advice, and then engage the girl by asking her about her knowledge of cars. Most of the time, women won’t know a lot about the subject. But this gives you the opportunity to segue into something they do know a lot about and BOOM! You’ve got a conversation going.

But also notice that this piece of advice is also something the woman can realistically do, so it’s not worthless advice. That’s the real key to making Advice Openers work.

- Gas Station Opener by Joseph Mathews (Thundercat)

When to use it

Use it in the daytime at a busy, well-lit station, when a woman is filling up and not in a hurry. Keep your distance and do not block her car. Avoid late evenings or empty stations, where a stranger's approach can feel threatening. Skip it if she is on the phone or about to drive off.

Follow-up

After the tip, ask a real question: "Do you know much about cars?" If she says no, answer "Neither do I, that's the only tip I know" and ask what she drives or where she is headed. Introduce yourself and keep it to a couple of minutes. If she thanks you and leaves, let her go. Mechanics disagree about how much the quarter-tank rule matters, so use a tip that you really trust.

Why it works

A useful tip is a favour, not a line, so there is no agenda she has to defend herself against. It gives her something to react to, and a question about her car is an easy topic. Once she asks you something back, she is past the hook point.