Can you explain this one for the rest of the world? You guys have ads at petrol stations?

Yes. Most gas stations in the US are self-serve, with screens and buttons next to them. Some are even switching to touch screens. And now some of those screens display ads while you're fueling your car. Hell, some even have sound and it's set at a rather obnoxious volume.

Second button from the top on the right shuts most of those things up in my experience. If not hit every button, usually one of them will work.

Nice! I'll give it a go next time. Thanks for that.

edit: speedway has gone touchscreen, so I wonder if there are ghost buttons then?

Unfortunately, my local stations are deep enough into the Enshittification Cycle™ that the formerly-functional pump mute buttons have all been disabled. That seems to be the trend among several of the newer gas stations I've visited lately.

That's the line which, when crossed, I immediately boycott and use another gas station indefinitely, but I get the feeling that it's only a matter of time before they all follow suit.

But surely, “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds” that our late-stage capitalism has so benevolently bequeathed us.