Comments on: Why Can’t You Pump Your Own Gas in Oregon and New Jersey?

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:10:46 +0000

My business keeps me on the road all day, every day. So I pump my own gas about 2-3 times a week.
The only time I’ve seen incompetent gas-pumping was that of a careless employee at the Vince Lombardi service station in northern NJ. The fellow didn’t position the nozzle properly and a huge puddle of gasoline quickly formed underneath the car.
The day was blazing hot, and with all of that volatile fuel on the ground, I decided to immediately leave – no trips to the burn center for me!
I carefully backed up to give myself some maneuvering room (earning me a vigorous honking from the *^&* behind me – after all it’s Jersey, right?), and left.

By: Yoda

Yoda — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:25:53 +0000

It seems to me that any inherent static-shock or whatever risk would be balanced out by the added danger of the attendant having to puzzle out the individual quirks of hundreds of different vehicle models’ gas fillers.

By: Spag Hoops

Spag Hoops — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:43:51 +0000

with the number of times I’ve driven through New Jersey I must have refilled there once, and I don’t remember any incident with any attendant getting in my face about me pumping my own petrol … being British I’d have had no idea what was going on anyway, since i’ve never heard of the idea of someone else doing your pumping for you :-o Do they have huge signs warning you to stay in your car and wait for service? I don’t remember those either.

By: tselea

tselea — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:33:06 +0000

I’ve lived in Oregon my whole life and rather like the idea of being able to stay in my car while it’s being filled, or only having to get out briefly to swipe my card. It is strange going to visit family in other states and not having an attendant!

By: goody-goody

goody-goody — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:09:24 +0000

When I moved from Oregon to Washington several years ago, I had no idea how to pump gas! It took a good year to figure out how to pay and when because all the stations were different! Now, when I visit my home-state, I wonder if I ought to tip the attendant!

By: rs

rs — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:02:52 +0000

down side of full serve in jersey. a few month’s ago, attendant put the nozzle in sideways, went to take care of other cars, gallons of gas overflowing out of tank. (he said it was just a few drops – raining heavy, so huge puddles were water not gas) yesterday, pull away after fill up, gas cap door flapping against car. attendant denied he broke hinge of door. i’d rather pump my own with the quality of people pumping gas in the past few years.

By: da

da — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:07:47 +0000

it is nanny state foolishness. somehow it is too dangerous to allow me to pump my own gas, but the minimum wage high school dropout can do it? what a crock.

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:57:23 +0000

Here is how I see it: Oregon and New Jersey give people a job that pays at least minimum wage.

But many would object that this would cause gas prices to go up to be able to pay the workers. That’s a good argument, but the astonshing truth is that gas prices are roughly the same, even lower, than in the other 48 states, meaning prices are largely independent of labor costs.

By: steve

steve — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:31:39 +0000

i visited oregon once for more than a few days. i loved it. the service stations recognized that if they wanted consistent business, they would have to be on top of service. the stations would hire more employees than they do in other states too.

on cold days, i could stay inside my car while it got filled up.

By: carol Neilson

carol Neilson — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:40:42 +0000

People in NJ pay less to have an attendant pump their gas than I do to pump my own gas here in tax-happy CA. When I go on vacation back home to NJ, I LOVE having someone else pump my gas. I hate dirtying my hands on the pump. No telling what diseases are spread thru that thing.