NJ & OR : Pumping Gas, Best Left to Trained Professionals?

Bob Hubbard

Bob Hubbard

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http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=114630&title=pump-my-ride

The guy who made the absurd remarks about self-serve being a public safety hazard was actually a lobbyist for the NJ Gas Retailers Association. Here's his quote:

"If people were trained from infancy to pump gas, maybe they could make intelligent decisions when it comes to doing that particular chore."


I've been doing this for 20 years....haven't blown up yet. Someone please tell me, this is a joke.

It is.....right?
 
I wish it were. That's the standard line that gets trotted out whenever Oregonians say "Let us fer crissake pump our own gas."

That and "fire safety".
 
tellner said:
I wish it were. That's the standard line that gets trotted out whenever Oregonians say "Let us fer crissake pump our own gas."

That and "fire safety".
Click to expand...

I think I'm confused.

Are you saying that in Oregon, you can't pump your own gas? At all? Really? Cause I've been pumping my own gas since I was a teenager. It really isn't all that difficult, or dangerous.

Maybe everyone from Oregon should emigrate briefly to one of the other states and just hang out at a gas station for a few days to get the hang of it.

We'd be happy to teach you how. It's not so scary once you've done it a few times. Promise.


-Rob
 
In the UK, no one, ever, as far as I've experienced pumps petrol for you. I've always, always done it, and see it as odd when someone else does it for me. I've been driving for 13 years. The only time I get this is when I go abroad. Odd though, to claim that it's more dangerous, or it's for fire safety? What about driving a one ton lump of metal at 60 mph, perhaps that's dangerous (potentially) too? What a load of bull. :D
 
Hagakure said:
In the UK, no one, ever, as far as I've experienced pumps petrol for you. I've always, always done it, and see it as odd when someone else does it for me. I've been driving for 13 years. The only time I get this is when I go abroad. Odd though, to claim that it's more dangerous, or it's for fire safety? What about driving a one ton lump of metal at 60 mph, perhaps that's dangerous (potentially) too? What a load of bull. :D
Click to expand...

When I was little and my dad got his first car, a Ford Prefect, they used to put the petrol in for you because there weren't that many cars around lol so it was part of the service. I haven't seen anything other than self service for decades now!



My dad's one was black and it brings back so many memories lol!
 
I worked at various gas stations growing up, pumping gas back when regular had lead in it, and many gas stations were just beginning to experiment with 'self-serve'. Some liked self-serve because it saved a few cents per gallon, some would rather not get their hands dirty and were willing to pay to have someone else (me) do it.

I used to travel for a living, so I knew that NJ doesn't let you pump your own gas (I did not know about Oregon). I have noticed that NJ doesn't seem to have grossly inflated prices compared to neighboring states. And you don't get your hands dirty. And it goes pretty quickly, they move you in and out of there pretty quickly.

And although gasoline in general is a lot safer than many things, I have seen people standing at the gas pump talking on their cell phones (illegal in many states, due to demonstrated spark hazard), and even smoking cigarettes. That always makes me a tad nervous when I see some bozo standing a whole 3 feet from his monster SUV, smoking away like somehow three feet makes all the bloody difference.

Hey, it keeps people employed - I'm not sure how they make a living doing that, but more power to 'em. So what the heck?

Of course, I also am old enough to remember the last of the 'elevator operators' who were union guys in Chicago and had cradle-to-grave jobs pressing the buttons and calling out the floors.

I'm not terribly upset over it. But it is kind of silly.
 
The first time I tried to pump gas in NJ they had to explain this to me three times before I understood it.

It's just a tax--a full-employment-at-minimum-wage act.
 
That's exactly right, Thesemindz. In Oregon you cannot pump your own gas at all unless you're at a special business fleet card-lock station.
 
**Makes notes to avoid OR and NJ***

Especially NJ since they also aren't able to handle that whole "Turn Left" thing either.
 
Bob Hubbard said:
**Makes notes to avoid OR and NJ***

Especially NJ since they also aren't able to handle that whole "Turn Left" thing either.
Click to expand...

Michigan has funky traffic weirdness too. When I moved here, I nearly got killed trying to figure out that a flashing RED ARROW means go ahead and turn. WHAT?
 
In Ontario, a flashing green means ok to turn.

But just flashing is still illegal.

Or so the officer said when he clarified the matter..........I miss that trench coat. ;)
 
The reason behind Oregon's law is that a father 15 years back or more filled up gas tanks and tried to burn his son to death in a motel room. Yeah weird that one circumstance changed the laws.
But I have a funny story as well. I'm 19 and in need of gas. Me and a friend pull up and the attendant puts like $5 dollars in. Comes to me for the cash. Thing is most of it is in change. As I reach out over my window the change falls to the ground. Accident really. He said " you think thats funny"! I was like I'm sorry and vroom drove off. I was't going to even offer to get out and help. maybe not so funny but back in the day. Whooo.
 
kempo-vjj said:
The reason behind Oregon's law is that a father 15 years back or more filled up gas tanks and tried to burn his son to death in a motel room. Yeah weird that one circumstance changed the laws.
Click to expand...

No, that's not the reason. According to this article, the law was passed in 1951. You can find some of the "justifications" for this garbage here. In reality, this is just more government intrusion into private business transactions. There is no real justification for this, it is simple state oppression.

Period.


-Rob
 
Well. I just learned something new. Thats just plain silly.
 
Yeah, I alwys feel silly when I travel out of state -- I always end up sitting in my truck for a minute when I first stop for gas. People are probably sitting in the office taking bets on how long I'll sit there when they see the OR plates.

What's really hilarious is trying to fill a motorcycle in Oregon. Apparently enough bikers objected to minimum-wage high schoolers dripping gas in thier tanks that they let you do it yourself. (Either that or the Bikers didn't like someone else pumping the gas between their legs.)

But they are required to start the pump for you. (Like that's the dangerous part.)
 
Hagakure said:
In the UK, no one, ever, as far as I've experienced pumps petrol for you. I've always, always done it, and see it as odd when someone else does it for me.
Click to expand...

It used to be the way things were done when I was young.

One of my 'summer' jobs used to be working the pumps at a local garage. Looking back on it, it was actually not bad experience at handling money (and (rarely) credit cards), dealing with customers, balancing the books at the end of the day ... all of this was done manually of course (no tills or calculators).

Any shortfall between what should be in the cash box and what actually was came out of my wages, so that was a pretty good incentive to do the job right :D.
 
Last edited:
tellner said:
I wish it were. That's the standard line that gets trotted out whenever Oregonians say "Let us fer crissake pump our own gas."

That and "fire safety".
Click to expand...

Whatever do the good people of New Jersey and Oregon do when traveling cross-country?
 
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