NJ the only state having full service on gas? (school, prices)
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In 30 years of driving I had never pumped my own gas until I moved to Florida. When I move back to NY, I will very happily go back to FULL SERVICE. I don't like pumping gas.
It's extremely hot in Florida during the summer, so nobody wants to go up and sweat in the heat to pump their gas
So what happens if you pull up to a gas station in New Jersey or Oregon and just get out and pump your own darn gas? Do you get arrested? Do you get thrown out of the gas station?
Was in Portland, OR on biz trip few years back [beautiful between there and the coast... ], and as being an out of towner, had no idea that this was the law - so when this goofy independent hillbilly pulls up, gets out, and tries to start pumping his own durn gas, yea, it was a slight scene Guy had to get manager to help explain that it was an actual law, a real state passed approved law, that only attendants could pump gas. Silly people, not letting us pump our own fuel
I recently visited a friend in Portland, Oregon. He worked a few days while I was there so I took his car and went sight-seeing. He told me, "Whatever you do, don't fill up my car. People at the gas stations will do it for you." I asked what happened if I did it myself and he just shrugged his soldiers, but said "don't do it."
When I filled up his car, it didn't take that long, but the attendant person was helping someone else when I was done - but had to wait to get the hose out of the gas tank. And gas was about 40 cents more expensive in Oregon than Abq!
People filling up your own car with gas...How lazy can people be lol jk....In NM, there aren't any full-service stations that I know of. But my parents said they were all over the place when they were growing up.
I bet these full-service gas stations have less people trying to 'steal' gas from them though - especially when gas topped 4 dollars a gallon.
I live in Oregon where self-serve gas does not exist. There are people who PREFER self-service (and their reasons why never make sense to me). But I love that we can provide gas-attendant jobs, and many of the workers are happy to do it.
And NO! It is NOT cheaper to self-serve! Yes, gasoline here is high, but every time we go to California ~ and pay even higher, sometimes absurdedly higher ~ we wonder "how" its cheaper for them. Probably more taxes tacked to theirs, but nevertheless it comes out of the pocket.
Actually, the self serve stations on LI tended to be MORE expensive than the service ones. I suppose that is because the pumps cost more with the debit/credit/receipt features.
Besides, I went to the same station mostly and it was a pleasant experience seeing the same attendant all the time. We chatted while he pumped.
My opinion on why NJ has full service in gas stations...
At one time, there were issues with safety, payment (drive-offs) that would have made self-service dangerous and costly (due to drive-offs/stealing). So it made perfect sense to enforce mandatory full-service.
Fast-forward to today. Today, self-service has been proven to be relatively safe in 48 other states, and the issue of stealing/drive-offs is addressed thru credit-card-operated pumps or forcing cash customers to pay first. We really don't NEED to keep everything mandatory full service anymore, we COULD be like the other states (except Oregon) and get by w/ self-service. So then why don't we???
The way I see it - New Jerseyans, for various reasons, don't see a need for eliminating it. Some of us even see reasons for keeping full-service-mandatory gas pumping. The reasons are mostly different from past reasons, but the end result of wanting to keep full-service-only is the same. What reasons? Comfort, convenience, habit (people are used to this) come right to mind. What else? I know my mom, in her 70's, would not want to pump her own gas. I know that I often buy gas during the work day, and I don't want to smell like gas, so I don't even want to risk a mistake - like the time I was in Cincinnati, pumped gas on my way to work, and when I pulled the nozzle out, even after trying to shake every drop out, a little gas dripped from the nozzle, a sudden breeze caught several drops and blew them onto my dress slacks. I went to work smelling like gas, I had spots on my slacks, and I got a headache from the smell. Also, there's weather - people often don't want to get sweaty on a hot day, or soaked on a rainy day, or freeze on a cold day.
So why would people in NJ ever push for self-service? Full service is generally preferred.
Another reason I can think of for keeping full service is for handicapped and elderly people who can't pump their own gas. What I hear from people who push for self-service is "Well, all self-serve stations have a full-service option, if you need it." Yeah, in theory it sounds great. In reality, it's unfair at best, and doesn't work, at worst.
My friend is in a wheelchair. She lives in NY State, near the border of NJ. She only buys gas in NJ. Many NY'ers do, because it's so much cheaper. But she one time explained to me that it's not the price. In her chair, she is unable to pump her own gas, she needs full service. She says that even though gas stations are supposed to be optional full-service in NY, they might as well not be. The attendants sit in their little convenience stores, they'd rather sell cigs and sodas to people than go out into the elements and pump gas. So, my friend usually has to open her door, pull out the wheelchair, get into it, wheel into the store, wait on line, and then ask for someone to come out. She told me she would rather just pump her own, but she's physically unable to; but it's more work trying to get someone to come out. On top of that, she has to pay 20 to 40 cents more per gallon for this "full service". There are times when she has had to drive off because she couldn't even find an attendant or couldn't afford to wait any longer.
In any case, I think NJ doesn't have self-service gas stations because we have no need to overturn the laws, even if they are antiquated.
It's like the blue laws in Bergen County which dictate that most businesses must close on Sundays. The original reason was due to the religious beliefs of the majority of the population a long time ago. Nowadays, the majority of people here don't have religious convictions against Sunday business/shopping. But we still have the blue laws...WHY?? Because who wants to overturn those laws?? Almost nobody. People may not have religious reasons but they have other reasons for keeping the blue laws. It's calmer and quieter on a Sunday in our county. The Blue Laws have been changed slightly over time to allow for selling certain things, like groceries, gas, food, etc. so people are content with the way it is. Who cares if the reason NOW is different from the original reason? Either way, people want the same law enforced.
Same with gas in NJ. Yes, we don't have the same reasons we originally had for mandatory full-serve gas stations. But, we have different reasons. We see no real need for forcing a change, so why change?
The only benefit I see to self-service is that it can be faster. But it's only slightly faster - maybe 30 seconds or so - most of the time. I try to go for gas when I see that a station is not crowded and I'd say 9 out of 10 times the attendant has the gas nozzle in the tank more quickly than I would have, if I had to get out, swipe my card, enter my zip code, etc... The time saved usually is lost waiting for him to put back the cap and take my cash, but that always feels like it's taking much longer than it actually does.
So why should we change - why would we change to self-service?
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], and as being an out of towner, had no idea that this was the law - so when this goofy independent hillbilly pulls up, gets out, and tries to start pumping his own durn gas, yea, it was a slight scene 
Guy had to get manager to help explain that it was an actual law, a real state passed approved law, that only attendants could pump gas. 
Silly people, not letting us pump our own fuel 
