A slang term applied to the occasional practice of motorists in seeking to extract a few additional ounces of motor fuel after their purchase transaction has been completed.
Normally, a motorist returns the nozzle to the dispenser when the tank is full or when, according to figures displayed on the dispenser, he or she has obtained all the fuel he or she intends to buy. Sometimes, though, instead of immediately placing the nozzle back in the dispenser, a motorist will turn off the lever that controls operation of the dispenser pump and allow the nozzle to remain in the fill pipe of his of her car. When the pump is turned off, the meter stops running. However, a small amount of product still remains in the hose. By manipulating the hose and holding the nozzle in an open position, the motorist can cause that product to trickle down into his tank. Thus, milking the hose.
When the next motorist operates the same dispenser, the hose must be refilled before product actually begins flowing into his or her tank, resulting in a condition referred to as computer creep.
