Pumping gas? (Detroit: unemployment, high school, minimum wage)

[gnab gib]

Originally Posted by gnab gib

Why can't you pump your own gas in Oregon?

Originally Posted by mahzeltoffee

Because we do not want to

Just rediscovered this post after getting a rep point for something I said earlier. I never saw the exchange above, but I find it incredibly presumptuous for someone to speak for an entire state. How do you know every single Oregonian does not want the choice to pump his or her own gas?

This, in fact, is one of a handful of reasons why we are no longer looking at Oregon as a place to relocate. It's not the inability to pump my own gas, per se, but rather the underlying attitude behind it. If a state government takes away my choice to do something that I can freely do in 48 other states around the country, what else is it going to tell me what I can't do? It's the principle of the matter. I don't WANT to be told I have to sit in my car and wait 10 minutes for some minimum-wage pump jockey to stick a nozzle in my tank. I'm kinda partial to that whole "freedom of choice" thing that some of us still embrace in this country. This self-serve ban in Oregon smacks of backwards-thinking, bureaucratic protectionism -- the same kind that's allowing the unions to slowly kill off the auto industry in Detroit.

Just give people the choice. That doesn't seem to be so much to ask.

[davefr]

Originally Posted by gnab gib

It's not the inability to pump my own gas, per se, but rather the underlying attitude behind it. If a state government takes away my choice ...

Just give people the choice. That doesn't seem to be so much to ask.

The choice was never taken away. It was never there in the first place. (at least for multiple decades).

People have the choice. But whenever a legislator tries to change the law there's a public outcry against self serve. That's the people's choice in action!!

Maybe you go to the wrong gas stations. I've never waited 10 minutes.

If you want to pump your own gas, then get a farm tank or sign up at a fleet fueling service.

[transientemotion]

I was originally from California and Nevada so I have pumped my own gas my entire life until I moved to Oregon. It was really strange to me that I couldn't pump my own gas. I remember my first time i said, "don't worry about it I can pump it" and the guy tells me im not allowed to pump gas into my car wtf? I guess I enjoy getting out of the vehicle and doing it myself. It does give a ton of jobs to the lower class though. I wouldn't mind having the choice of self service.

[subsound]

I remember my first visit to Oregon, I pulled into the filling station and got out to get some gas. When I grabbed the handle a guy comes running out waving his arms shouting "What are you doing!?"...I reply "What do you think, my car needs gas so I thought a gas station might be the place to go". He describes that Oregon you can't pump your own gas, I wondered out loud if I suddenly got too stupid to pump my own gas when I crossed state lines...but he just shrugged and said it's the law.

[davefr]

Originally Posted by transientemotion

I wouldn't mind having the choice of self service.

Me neither but instead of getting to choose self service at a few cents cheaper then current prices, the gas stations would either eliminate full service all together or charge a huge price premium for full service while making current full serve price the new self serve prices.

At least that's one of the arguments against changing the law.

[woodworkingmenace]

Being disabled, I would rather someone else pump my gas, then me try to get out of my car, and walk painfully to put in the gas myself. Its why I make sure that my Wife or kids are in the car, so 'they' can pump it and run and pay for the gas!

May the LORD Bless each of you.

I wish you well...

Jesse

[vette-dude]

Originally Posted by Chinolala

Wow, I never knew that there were states that didn't allow customers to pump their own gas. Sounds heavenly! I wish we had that here, especially in the winter

Need to get out more often..

[tablemtn]

This, in fact, is one of a handful of reasons why we are no longer looking at Oregon as a place to relocate.

I would worry more about the lack of jobs.

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by gnab gib

Just rediscovered this post after getting a rep point for something I said earlier. I never saw the exchange above, but I find it incredibly presumptuous for someone to speak for an entire state. How do you know every single Oregonian does not want the choice to pump his or her own gas?

This, in fact, is one of a handful of reasons why we are no longer looking at Oregon as a place to relocate. It's not the inability to pump my own gas, per se, but rather the underlying attitude behind it. If a state government takes away my choice to do something that I can freely do in 48 other states around the country, what else is it going to tell me what I can't do? It's the principle of the matter. I don't WANT to be told I have to sit in my car and wait 10 minutes for some minimum-wage pump jockey to stick a nozzle in my tank. I'm kinda partial to that whole "freedom of choice" thing that some of us still embrace in this country. This self-serve ban in Oregon smacks of backwards-thinking, bureaucratic protectionism -- the same kind that's allowing the unions to slowly kill off the auto industry in Detroit.

Just give people the choice. That doesn't seem to be so much to ask.

The state of Oregon is actually pretty big on personal freedom, so long as you're not harming the environment too much. The no self-serve law isn't about freedom of choice and should not make Oregon appear as a nanny state government. Look at California. They can pump their own gas, but it's a TOTAL nanny state that practically tells you when you can and can't go to the bathroom. And they even tuck you in for your afternoon nap. And they weigh visitors when they enter and leave so they can tax them on their water consumption during their stay in CA. Not the case in Oregon. The people have spoken multiple times. We don't want to pump our own gas! I sure as hell don't! Our government doesn't really care either way I don't think.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

As a lifelong resident of Oregon, I will respond in the typical Oregonian fashion. If you don't like not being able to pump your gas, don't buy your gas here. Problem solved. Buy it somewhere else where you can pump it yourself. No one is making you buy gas in Oregon. You might think it's stupid, but obviously we like it or it would not be that way.
I'm not trying to be rude, but that's the way it is here. If we didn't like it we would have changed it. And BTW nothing galls a true Oregonian more than someone telling them how much better it is where they came from.

God Bless Tom McCall.