This Jersey Girl pumped her own gas today!!

[PeterPan09]

Former Jersey Girl here who had to learn to pump her own gas! I hardly ever did it until I moved to Florida!

Now that I do it all the time I actually prefer it-it's faster.

 

[marthachick]

DMIL refuses to pump her own gas. Born and raised in NC and is 70 years old. When DFIL was in the hospital I told DH to take her & "teach" her how to pump gas. She refused. I told him next time "I" will take her & we will sit there til she learns how to do it. If she was out on her own & about to run out, she would need to know how to do this. Unless you live in NJ or Oregon & it's against the law to do so, I think every one who drives should know how to pump gas. No, it's not my favorite thing to do when it's cold (or cold to us ) but I know how to do it.

Oh and to OP - Congrats on a successful first pump!

 

[sue1013]

What I find so odd is that people would be content to have their state government tell them that they cannot pump their own gas even with they and the service station are OK with it. How odd. I prefer the freedom to choose. Here in Texas, we have the choice, although so few people choose to pay the extra cost that it really is hard to find full service stations these days.

I have seen other odd regional differences. Someone told me that where they are from, they don't sack your groceries for you at the grocery store.

NJ gas is cheaper than the surrouding states if it doesn't cost you more then why would not being able to pump your own bother you. Someone does it for you it doesn't take anymore time, it keeps you out of the bad weather.

 

[ZachnElli]

It's been years since I have had an attendant clean my windshield or check the oil. Do you tip cashiers at a grocery store?

I think the difference is that several posters probably remember tipping or seeing our parents tip gas station attendants back in the day. But cashiers at grocery stores have never been a tipping position. I very clearly remember my dad tipping gas station attendants, but since I've been driving, I've always had to pump my own gas.

 

[brerrabbit]

Lobbiests for organized labor is the reason that you don't have to pump your own gas in NJ. They have blocked any changes for many years. The station owners are actually very much in favor of self serve because it would cut their labor costs significantly and enable them to be more profitable. In Oregon which is a very liberal and very green state they think that pumping your own gas in a hazard to the environment and don't trust the average Joe to do it in a non hazardous way. Again station owners there would really like to do awya with it and allow self serve. The added benifit of self serve is because you are already out of your car you are more likely to go inside for a drink or snack. Studies have shown that full service sites generate less traffic in the C stores where operators profit margins run about 30%. They would much rather sell you twinkies, coffee, and fountain cokes at high margin than gas at the pump.

I know these things because I work in the industry.

 

[bballmom56]

Lobbiests for organized labor is the reason that you don't have to pump your own gas in NJ. They have blocked any changes for many years.

But these are not unionized jobs.

 

[SandrA9810]

Only on a rare occasion these days in Florida can you find a full serve station. I remember growing up there were a lot more full serve stations than there are today.

That must be a pretty easy job to have, just pump gas. Although I wonder if they get sick from the fumes.

 

[KramBerries]

I find it an odd thing to get outraged over. I can stay in my car in the extreme hot and extreme cold. It gives people jobs. Like we really need more unemployed right now just so I can pump my own gas? If our gas prices were much higher, then yes we would be complaining, but they are cheaper than the surrounding states, so who cares?

NJ gas is cheaper than the surrouding states if it doesn't cost you more then why would not being able to pump your own bother you. Someone does it for you it doesn't take anymore time, it keeps you out of the bad weather.

I'm certainly not outraged over it as I haven't driven in either New Jersey or Oregon and have no plans to do so any time soon. I just find it odd and somewhat selfish.

The price difference between gas in NJ and the surrounding states is effected by many variables. One is that transportation costs are lower as NJ has its own refineries. Another reason is that gasoline taxes vary considerably. NJ has gas taxes that are 30 cents a gallon cheaper than NY. No matter how you slice it, full service gasoline in NJ is more expensive than self service gasoline would be in NJ if it was legal to offer it.

I'm not against full service at all. For some people it is not just a convenience, it is a necessity. My objection, if I lived there, would be to being forced to buy full service rather than having the option. In states where there is an option, the vast majority of people find the effort of pumping their own gas to be worth the cost savings. Why do NJ and OR force people to spend the extra money?

As for help jobs, it strikes me as a terrible solution. If the logic was good, we could apply it all over the place - don't allow people to prepare their own meals; don't allow people to mow their own lawns; don't allow parent's to cut their kid's hair or men to shave their own faces. All of these things would increase the number of jobs. They would all also raise costs. As a society, we would be worse off by not having the choice.

Texas passed an interesting law years ago about full service that I think was a big mistake. In an attempt to help the disabled, they passed a law requiring that all stations that offered both self service and full service gas isles provide full service to the disabled at the self service price. It certainly sounds like a noble and good idea. The problem is that the disabled make up a large percentage of full service customers. That makes offering self and full service much less profitable, so most stations either eliminated full service or self service so that they could charge a competitive rate for full service. Rather than trying to be charitable with the profits of gasoline stations, it would have been better if the state set up a fund to reimburse station owners for the cost difference when they provided full service to the disabled.

 

[GJM]

The added benifit of self serve is because you are already out of your car you are more likely to go inside for a drink or snack

But in NJ a lot of the gas stations are that just gas stations no stores attached to them or near them to go buy a snack or drink. The stations I went to that is all they had was gas.

Out of my 43 years of living in NJ I never heard anyone complain of having their gas pumped for them!

 

[KramBerries]

But in NJ a lot of the gas stations are that just gas stations no stores attached to them or near them to go buy a snack or drink. The stations I went to that is all they had was gas.

Out of my 43 years of living in NJ I never heard anyone complain of having their gas pumped for them!

That seems strange. If people love it so much, why not give people a choice? Why make it illegal for business to provide cheaper gas for those that don't want to pay the extra for full service?

 

[kacaju]

That seems strange. If people love it so much, why not give people a choice? Why make it illegal for business to provide cheaper gas for those that don't want to pay the extra for full service?

Do you REALLY believe our gas stations will make our gas cheaper if they offer self serve.
I highly doubt it

 

[KramBerries]

Do you REALLY believe our gas stations will make our gas cheaper if they offer self serve.
I highly doubt it

Yes, I do. I saw it happen here when they started self service. Gas retail is an extremely competitive business. That's why I've worked in upstream and refining. That's where the good money is.

 

[phragmipedium]

I'm not against full service at all. For some people it is not just a convenience, it is a necessity. My objection, if I lived there, would be to being forced to buy full service rather than having the option. In states where there is an option, the vast majority of people find the effort of pumping their own gas to be worth the cost savings. Why do NJ and OR force people to spend the extra money?

I can't speak for NJ, but it's been this way in Oregon for a long time. Oregon voters have been offered an opportunity to repeal the ban on pumping your own gasoline, and the measure did not pass. I'm pretty ambivalent about it and don't care much either way, but honestly I personally would prefer my state government worry about (what I would consider) more important things right now than repealing the ban - plus, with unemployment at our current rates, I suspect it would be very difficult to get Oregonians to vote it down right now.

From wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filling_station

All stations in New Jersey and Oregon offer only full service and mini service; attendants are required to pump gas because customers are barred by statutes in both states from pumping their own gas. New Jersey banned self-service gasoline in 1949 after lobbying by service station owners. Proponents of the ban cite safety and jobs as reasons to keep the ban.[8] Likewise, the Oregon statute banning self-service gasoline lists seventeen different justifications, including the inflammability of gas, the risk of crime from customers leaving their car, the toxic fumes emitted by gasoline, and the jobs created by requiring mini service.[9] In addition, the ban on self-service gasoline is seen as part of Oregonian culture. One commentator noted, “The joke is when babies are born in Oregon, the doctor slaps their bottom, ‘No self-serve and no sales tax’ [. . .] It’s as much a cultural issue as an economic issue. It’s a way of life.”[10] In 1982, Oregon voters rejected a ballot measure sponsored by the service station owners, which would have legalized self-service gas.[11]

The town of Huntington, New York bans self-service to save jobs. The ban went in effect in the early 1970s during a recession.

The constitutionality of the self-service bans has been disputed. The Oregon statute was brought into court in 1989 by ARCO, and the New Jersey statute was challenged in court in 1950 by a small independent service station, Rein Motors. Both failed.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I can't speak for NJ, but it's been this way in Oregon for a long time. Oregon voters have been offered an opportunity to repeal the ban on pumping your own gasoline, and the measure did not pass. I'm pretty ambivalent about it and don't care much either way, but honestly I personally would prefer my state government worry about (what I would consider) more important things right now than repealing the ban - plus, with unemployment at our current rates, I suspect it would be very difficult to get Oregonians to vote it down right now.

From wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filling_station

All stations in New Jersey and Oregon offer only full service and mini service; attendants are required to pump gas because customers are barred by statutes in both states from pumping their own gas. New Jersey banned self-service gasoline in 1949 after lobbying by service station owners. Proponents of the ban cite safety and jobs as reasons to keep the ban.[8] Likewise, the Oregon statute banning self-service gasoline lists seventeen different justifications, including the inflammability of gas, the risk of crime from customers leaving their car, the toxic fumes emitted by gasoline, and the jobs created by requiring mini service.[9] In addition, the ban on self-service gasoline is seen as part of Oregonian culture. One commentator noted, “The joke is when babies are born in Oregon, the doctor slaps their bottom, ‘No self-serve and no sales tax’ [. . .] It’s as much a cultural issue as an economic issue. It’s a way of life.”[10] In 1982, Oregon voters rejected a ballot measure sponsored by the service station owners, which would have legalized self-service gas.[11]

The town of Huntington, New York bans self-service to save jobs. The ban went in effect in the early 1970s during a recession.

The constitutionality of the self-service bans has been disputed. The Oregon statute was brought into court in 1989 by ARCO, and the New Jersey statute was challenged in court in 1950 by a small independent service station, Rein Motors. Both failed.

I know I would vote for that to NOT be repealed.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

OK, this thread is ridiculous!

1. Who the hell cares? I don't care that you have to pump your own gas in your state, why do you care that someone else does it for me in my state?

2. You can have your pride in pumping your gas. Let me have my pride in not pumping my gas. If you want to get out of your car to pump and have to go into the store to pay... good for you. I have to do neither of those things... well worth the extra change imo. And still Oregon gas is, on average, usually cheaper than it's time zone fellows.

3. SELFISH??? Are you bleeping kidding me? Me not wanting to get out of my car makes me selfish? So I pay extra to allow the gas station to employ people who otherwise may or may not have a job and this is selfish?
OK....

4. For those of you who live in NJ or OR, do you ever see those guys who actually get out of their car to watch the gas station attendant pump the gas? I always feel so bad for that person, it must feel pretty degrading to have someone not trust you enough to pump the gas correctly... so much so they have to get out and watch.

 

[portocall]

I have been pumping gas since I was 10 for my parents, before they made it mandatory that the pumper hold an actual drivers licence. I have never even been to a place that had a gas attendent. I promise you for years, I thought the movie industry made that up, until my grandpa set me straight. That said, there are days where I wouldn't mind sitting in my car while the gas was pumped for me. I haven't gone in to pay for gas for the last five years since we can swipe the card at the machine, and that is heaven that I don't have to drag little kids into the station with all the junk food and soft drinks for them to beg and plead for (and leave with them crying since those requests were seldom granted)

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Strange discussion.

 

[KramBerries]

OK, this thread is ridiculous!

1. Who the hell cares? I don't care that you have to pump your own gas in your state, why do you care that someone else does it for me in my state?

2. You can have your pride in pumping your gas. Let me have my pride in not pumping my gas. If you want to get out of your car to pump and have to go into the store to pay... good for you. I have to do neither of those things... well worth the extra change imo. And still Oregon gas is, on average, usually cheaper than it's time zone fellows.

3. SELFISH??? Are you bleeping kidding me? Me not wanting to get out of my car makes me selfish? So I pay extra to allow the gas station to employ people who otherwise may or may not have a job and this is selfish?
OK....

I believe that you misunderstand my point. I am not suggesting that you pump your own gas. In all 48 "free to choose" states, you have the choice of pumping your own gas or going to a full service station that will pump it for you. What surprises me is that, having decided that you want to pay someone to pump your gas, you support a law that requires everyone else to make the same choice that you make.

As for "selfish", well, yes. If you simply wanted to pump your own gas, I wouldn't dream of saying that. When people demand, under penalty of law, that everyone else in their state pay for full service, I call that selfish. Paying to have someone pump gas should be a luxury. To demand that even the poorest, most cash strapped drivers on the road pay for the luxury just seems selfish to me.

I guess it is just a difference in philosophy. I'm not asking that anyone pump their own gas against their will. I'm only suggesting that the courteous thing to do would be to give people the choice. I the freedom to make my own choices. Its a good thing.

 

[mjkacmom]

But in NJ a lot of the gas stations are that just gas stations no stores attached to them or near them to go buy a snack or drink. The stations I went to that is all they had was gas.

Out of my 43 years of living in NJ I never heard anyone complain of having their gas pumped for them!

Most of our stations here in NJ are attached to garages, not retail stores. If they went to self serve, most of our stations would probably close. They'd have to retro-fit the stations. I'm going to say at least 1/2 of the stations in our town have closed down as it is, and the property sits their vacant, because of the tanks.

 

[LoraJ]

I believe that you misunderstand my point. I am not suggesting that you pump your own gas. In all 48 "free to choose" states, you have the choice of pumping your own gas or going to a full service station that will pump it for you. What surprises me is that, having decided that you want to pay someone to pump your gas, you support a law that requires everyone else to make the same choice that you make.

As for "selfish", well, yes. If you simply wanted to pump your own gas, I wouldn't dream of saying that. When people demand, under penalty of law, that everyone else in their state pay for full service, I call that selfish. Paying to have someone pump gas should be a luxury. To demand that even the poorest, most cash strapped drivers on the road pay for the luxury just seems selfish to me.

I guess it is just a difference in philosophy. I'm not asking that anyone pump their own gas against their will. I'm only suggesting that the courteous thing to do would be to give people the choice. I the freedom to make my own choices. Its a good thing.

But once again, I don't know anyone who cares. I have have co-workers who live in NY and they all fill up in NJ. There's a choice right there. I live close enough to NY to fill up there if I want self-service, but once again, it is much cheaper here so I fill up here. It's not a choice that has to do with my body or my well-being. It just isn't a huge deal and it's odd to me that you are getting so bent out of shape about it like my freedoms are limited or something.