Gas station attendants with poor work ethic. Time to repeal self pump ban (credit card, high school)

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

Yes - I would. This is not valuable work.
Give me a break.

You might as well ask if the hobo standing at my intersection holding a sign asking for money is working?

You mean like investment bankers, stock brokers, and currency speculators? Since they don't actually produce anything, they're just as worthless to society.

[Nell Plotts]

With regards to safety I have known self serve customers to forget to take the nozzle out of the car and drive off, my father was one of those. He came darn close to starting a fire!!!

Look, Oregon voters have voted against self service gas several times. We like it, if you don't fill up in Washington, Idaho or California.

[ccjarider]

Jesus - cry me a river Hamellr.
You really have drunk the koolaid haven't you?

Some of the folks you mention have helped me obtain financing for various company projects which in turn, have created real job opportuniites for people. Certainly, some brokers have made me a sh**load of $ and I could care less how much they made in the process.

Back to the issue, sitting in a gas line in Oregon waiting for these goofs, when I can easily, safely and quickly do this simple task myself is assinine. There is no argument you can make to that will change this.

The longer I live here, the easier it is to see why Oregon has a second rate business climate.

[Nell Plotts]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

The longer I live here, ...

So why don't you change your "Location:" on the Forum so we can follow you to your new heaven?

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by hamellr

You mean like investment bankers, stock brokers, and currency speculators? Since they don't actually produce anything, they're just as worthless to society.

Or musicians, manicurists, models and maitre d's. Who needs anyone not trained to deliver life saving medical services? We don't need teachers, tax preparers, toll booth operators or truffle makers. I don't know what ccjarider does for a living but in all likelihood society doesn't need it. Where I come from, you sometimes hear the phrase: don't hate a playa. Sometimes the syntax is inverted thus: don't be a playa hata. Or still more simply: don't b h8tn'. You know... if it were true that certain types of work were "worth" more than other types you would only have lawyers, doctors and soldiers in communist dictatorships. Everyone else would be rounded up and killed. So lets not judge the worth of another's employment choice. We'd all be hedge-fund managers if we could but, of course, we cannot all be. Some of us have to be baristas, barbers, bee keepers and bathroom attendants (in very upscale mens clubs).

H

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

With regards to safety I have known self serve customers to forget to take the nozzle out of the car and drive off, my father was one of those. He came darn close to starting a fire!!!

Yeah, but people still do that in Oregon too when they assume that the gas attendant already took the pump out. Seen and heard about it plenty of times when my friend used to work at a gas station.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

Or musicians, manicurists, models and maitre d's. Who needs anyone not trained to deliver life saving medical services? We don't need teachers, tax preparers, toll booth operators or truffle makers. I don't know what ccjarider does for a living but in all likelihood society doesn't need it. Where I come from, you sometimes hear the phrase: don't hate a playa. Sometimes the syntax is inverted thus: don't be a playa hata. Or still more simply: don't b h8tn'. You know... if it were true that certain types of work were "worth" more than other types you would only have lawyers, doctors and soldiers in communist dictatorships. Everyone else would be rounded up and killed. So lets not judge the worth of another's employment choice. We'd all be hedge-fund managers if we could but, of course, we cannot all be. Some of us have to be baristas, barbers, bee keepers and bathroom attendants (in very upscale mens clubs).

H

You are correct in that no one needs my products and services. Unlike gas station attendants however I do not require the power of government to create an artifical need. I am forced through competitive pressures to create products that the public desires, is willing to pay for and hopefully allow my company to make a profit.

To your next point, I WILL judge the worth of another's employement when I am FORCED to utilize and pay for a service that I neither desire nor value.

Look at your examples. Every one of those positions listed requires that someone else place value and desire for the product or service. If there is no demand, there would be nonoe of these positions.

In the case of the gas guys, this is an artifical position. The vast majority of the public would not miss them if they went away. I have heard this first hand from folks bitching in the gas lines on a Sat. morning!

Someone earlier claimed unemployement in Oregon would go to 14-20% without this "make work" requirement, that is preposterous.

I don't hate it here, it is just that there are a few crazy thought processes embedded into some folks here that make no sense.
That and the fact that it is hard to find qualifed people for the dept. I was brought here to build up.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

I don't hate it here, it is just that there are a few crazy thought processes embedded into some folks here that make no sense.
That and the fact that it is hard to find qualifed people for the dept. I was brought here to build up.

Ahh... see now we're getting to the root of the issue and your hatred against the noble profession of Gas Pump Attendant.

Here's an idea for you. Offer to pay one of these petrol purveyors to go back to school, in a field that you'd be willing to hire from, in return for a ten year exclusive contract to work for you and you only.

Failing that, Lobby the State of Oregon to increase taxes and dedicate the revenue exclusively to Education in the State with an eye to 100% high school graduation rates across the state, along with significantly cheap or free college education. Be sure to have a rider that says the funding can't be touched for any other reason because those Congress People can get a little gun ho about short term "job creating" projects in their districts that benefit their brother's wife's father's company.

In 20-40 years you'll be seen as a hero and a "visionary thinker," and you'll single handedly have turned the State's economy around. You'll go down in history as one of Oregon's favorite citizens, right up there with Meek, Packwood, and McCall.

Or... you can join the Republican party and their golden goose economic policies.

[wanderbygrace]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

You are correct in that no one needs my products and services. Unlike gas station attendants however I do not require the power of government to create an artifical need. I am forced through competitive pressures to create products that the public desires, is willing to pay for and hopefully allow my company to make a profit.

To your next point, I WILL judge the worth of another's employement when I am FORCED to utilize and pay for a service that I neither desire nor value.

Look at your examples. Every one of those positions listed requires that someone else place value and desire for the product or service. If there is no demand, there would be nonoe of these positions.

In the case of the gas guys, this is an artifical position. The vast majority of the public would not miss them if they went away. I have heard this first hand from folks bitching in the gas lines on a Sat. morning!

Someone earlier claimed unemployement in Oregon would go to 14-20% without this "make work" requirement, that is preposterous.

I don't hate it here, it is just that there are a few crazy thought processes embedded into some folks here that make no sense.
That and the fact that it is hard to find qualifed people for the dept. I was brought here to build up.

Having spent all of my driving life in a self-serve state (Ohio) prior to this summer, I still find it very odd when someone pumps my gas. And since my goal is to get in and get out of the station as quickly as possible, I get a little annoyed when I have to wait for someone else to do something that I could very easily do myself (and have done a couple thousand of times). Now mind you, I haven't experienced an Oregon winter yet (granted they are much more mild than Ohio's), so I'll probably like this service when it's rainy & raw in January.

That all said - I do see a flaw in your argument in this post. You mention that the vast majority would not miss them if they went away. However, it's been stated that this very law has gone before the people at least a couple of times and won each time. Thus, it seems the majority (of voters) do value this service.

You and I might not have an issue seeing this service eliminated, but it'd appear we're in the minority.

[TechmanOR]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

Or musicians, manicurists, models and maitre d's. Who needs anyone not trained to deliver life saving medical services? We don't need teachers, tax preparers, toll booth operators or truffle makers. I don't know what ccjarider does for a living but in all likelihood society doesn't need it.

You completely misunderstood. Nobody said anything about outlawing stations from having attendants nor did anyone say about passing a mandate that prohibits DIY manicuring.

In 48 states the law concerning gas station attendant is the same as other occupations you named above. There is neither prohibition nor mandate.

There is no law in Oregon that prohibits patrons from helping himself to paper towel and that it must be done by a bathroom attendant.

Originally Posted by wanderbygrace

so I'll probably like this service when it's rainy & raw in January.

There is no law that says Taco Bell needs to stay open past 12AM, but many stay open until 2AM or later and as do their competitors. Some people enjoy access to fast food after 12AM. The stores remain open in response to demand or anticipated demand. Sure some people would like the ones that close at 2AM to stay open around the clock. Does that mean we should impose a state law that they must remain open 24/7?

Thus, it seems the majority (of voters) do value this service.

You and I might not have an issue seeing this service eliminated, but it'd appear we're in the minority.

Don't look at what voters say. over 16 but under 18, out-of-state visitors, foreign nationals are those who drive yet not able to vote on Oregon law yet they represent fuel purchasing population.

The law of supply & demand says if there is demand by majority of people, supply will develop to fill the void. In the case of Oregon, the supply far exceeds demand. What we have is a government mandate, not a natural demand.The attendants won't go away even if the State of Oregon lifted the ban on self-pump if they're supported by real demand.

Station owners in other states would be using attendants if competitors did it and see them getting more customers for the convenience.

Just because gas costs similar in OR and WA doesn't mean the attendants pay roll rains from the sky.