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OT: NJ As Lone Holdout Against Self-Service Gas Pumps

RUinPinehurst

All American
Aug 27, 2011
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Oregon soon to allow consumers to pump their own gas, leaving New Jersey as THE only state in the USA that does not allow self-service gas pumps. Someone... please... splain this to me: Why the reluctance to let folks pump their own petrol in NJ?

Full-disclosure, as a HS senior I was employed as a part-time "petroleum transferral engineer" by Shell Oil on Rt 22 in North Plainfield. Regular gas was $.56 a gallon.
 
After moving to FL from NJ, pumping my own gas was initially an uncomfortable feeling. Haha
 
My dad lives in NJ and has had fraud on his credit card 3 times, all at gas stations. There is a downside to having a flunky pump your gas.
 
Full service gas is awful. I used to think it was great not having to get all dirty getting out of the car, but after using self service, I wouldn't go back. Pulling up to the pump, sliding your card, dumping gas in and leaving saves so much time over sitting around waiting for the guy multiple times. For those three days a winter where it's really that cold and nipply, you'll waste days of your life in lost time the rest of the year.

NJ is behind the curve. Kind of funny in a place where everybody is always in a rush to get somewhere.
 
My dad lives in NJ and has had fraud on his credit card 3 times, all at gas stations. There is a downside to having a flunky pump your gas.

Haha, I had my credit card stolen at my apartment at Rutgers and the first and only charge he got before I canceled it was from the gas station around the corner. Shows how high gas prices have been.
 
Full service gas is awful. I used to think it was great not having to get all dirty getting out of the car, but after using self service, I wouldn't go back. Pulling up to the pump, sliding your card, dumping gas in and leaving saves so much time over sitting around waiting for the guy multiple times. For those three days a winter where it's really that cold and nipply, you'll waste days of your life in lost time the rest of the year.

NJ is behind the curve. Kind of funny in a place where everybody is always in a rush to get somewhere.

After living outside NJ to me this is still my biggest pet peeve when it comes to getting gas. Having to wait for an attendant is annoying, and pulling in to a gas station that is already full is even more annoying, because you know the only reason it is backed up is because everyone is waiting for the same 2 attendants to do everything.
 
It takes twice as long to get gas in NJ as anywhere else in the country, it's completely ridiculous and frustrating as hell when you've grown accustomed to what's normal every place else. 100% politics, someone is benefitting from no self-serve in NJ, and believe me it's not you getting to sit in your warm car in the winter. If North Dakota can pump their own gas in the winter, I think NJ can manage.
 
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A brief and certainly incomplete list of the things about which I care more than who pumps my gas:
  1. The price of tea in China
  2. Whether I have matching socks for tomorrow
  3. The fact that my landscaper cut the grass a half inch too long
  4. What's this weird rash?
  5. Did I leave the iron on?
  6. I feel like RUScrew85 may be a little too attached to his cat
  7. Oh, look! Something shiny!
  8. Why do I always put the TV remote on the coffee table before I sit down in my chair? It just means that when I want to change the channel, I have to get up.
  9. I saw guy this morning on the Turnpike, driving a KIA Soul and eating a slice of pizza. At 8:30. I'm thinking he doesn't have a girlfriend.
  10. What kind of name is "Shamong"?
 
UH yes but when the gas attendant is a hot 18 year old female in Daisy May shorts it is a nice delay:D
 
yes, because hot 18 year old girls are drawn to pumping gas for minimum wage

Probably no more or less so than they're drawn to flying halfway around the world to take care of your kids and drink with your friends at football games.

Oh wait...
 
It sure is nice come February when its 5 degrees outside to have someone come fill up the tank. Why bother changing it, your gas prices aren't going to go down much more than a couple pennies per gallon. Its also a good part time jobs for HS and retirees

newell - how do I "like" your avatar? sweet!
 
Oregon soon to allow consumers to pump their own gas, leaving New Jersey as THE only state in the USA that does not allow self-service gas pumps. Someone... please... splain this to me: Why the reluctance to let folks pump their own petrol in NJ?

Full-disclosure, as a HS senior I was employed as a part-time "petroleum transferral engineer" by Shell Oil on Rt 22 in North Plainfield. Regular gas was $.56 a gallon.
I too was a petroleum distribution engineer in high school. I still pump my own gas anyway.
 
Full service gas is awful. I used to think it was great not having to get all dirty getting out of the car, but after using self service, I wouldn't go back. Pulling up to the pump, sliding your card, dumping gas in and leaving saves so much time over sitting around waiting for the guy multiple times. For those three days a winter where it's really that cold and nipply, you'll waste days of your life in lost time the rest of the year.

NJ is behind the curve. Kind of funny in a place where everybody is always in a rush to get somewhere.
On trips out of state a few times I have pulled up to the pump only having to wait 10 minutes for Bubba to pick up his six pack of beer and Slim Jims from the Convenience Store before I could get my gas. Now let some Yahoo up here do the same thing and they may have their car pushed out of the way.
I live in NY and I only buy my gas in NJ. Not only because it's 45 cents a gallon cheaper but because I'm originally from Central Jersey and never had to pump my own gas. I hope NJ keeps the law the same as long as I'm alive.
 
I think New Jersey has it right. If you have ever been to a busy gas station.. and there are many of them in this state.. can you imagine having to wait for the guy in front of you? Sure there are waits for the attendants at time now, but I cannot imagine a Wawa or Costco pumping as much gas as they do now with self-service.
 
May drop the price cheaper with self serve. Agree, Jersey has some lowest gas prices. Pissed at the fact Jersey seemed to be the first to hike premium above the 10 cent and 30 cent level. Also charging more for credit card purchase unless you went to Hess. Also, seemed to me all the attenedants were Arab decent with little to no people skills
 
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Gas_Pump_Girls.jpg
 
Here's the reason:Prior to 1949,you could pump your own gas here-at least there was no prohibition of it.

What happened was a guy owned a station on Route 46 with many pumps,giving a discount to those who did pump their own gas.This cut business to the one pump stations,which were in the majority.

The other pump owners asked him to cease and desist.He said no.They tried violence.Still no dice.

Then,they went to the mob in Trenton.Problem solved.Perhaps there was a Dean Wormer honorarium involved.
 
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I hate buying gas out of state. At so many stations, you either have to pay a surcharge to use your credit card, or if you pay cash you have to stand in some long convenience store line waiting for everyone to buy their cigarettes and lottery tickets.

In NJ, if I'm feel that I'm waiting to long for an attendant, I just drive away. That happens maybe 2 or 3 times per year.
 
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Lol. Some of you guys make it seem like its a hassle to sit in your car and do virtually nothing for 2-3 minutes.

95% of the time I pull up to the station and get quick service right away wherever I am in NJ. Waiting for other people to pump their own gas at a crowded station is 3x worse than having attendants to take care of it.
 
I hate buying gas out of state. At so many stations, you either have to pay a surcharge to use your credit card, or if you pay cash you have to stand in some long convenience store line waiting for everyone to buy their cigarettes and lottery tickets.

I was stuck behind a very slow line of cigarette customers in an Orlando 7-11 this March. It sucked.


The worst things about full-serve gas are when there's one pumper working 10 vehicles and it takes too long, when the machine wastes paper and prints out a credit card reciept when you don't want one, or when they try rounding up the total price to a round dollar and accidentally go over (so it ends up at $18.01 or so).
 
Full service gas is awful. I used to think it was great not having to get all dirty getting out of the car, but after using self service, I wouldn't go back. Pulling up to the pump, sliding your card, dumping gas in and leaving saves so much time over sitting around waiting for the guy multiple times. For those three days a winter where it's really that cold and nipply....
Didn't read the rest due to technical difficulties.
 
The worst things about full-serve gas are when there's one pumper working 10 vehicles

My biggest pet peeve about full service gas are the moron attendants that insist on topping off your tank to the next highest dollar even though you are paying with a credit card. Hey numbskull, "IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHETHER A CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION IS IN ROUND DOLLAR INCREMENTS!!"
 
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Lol. Some of you guys make it seem like its a hassle to sit in your car and do virtually nothing for 2-3 minutes.

95% of the time I pull up to the station and get quick service right away wherever I am in NJ. Waiting for other people to pump their own gas at a crowded station is 3x worse than having attendants to take care of it.

Agreed, its rare that I have to wait more than 1 minute for the gas pumper to come over and service me.
 
My biggest pet peeve about full service gas are the moron attendants that insist on topping off your tank to the next highest dollar even though you are paying with a credit card. Hey numbskull, "IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHETHER A CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION IS IN ROUND DOLLAR INCREMENTS!!"

...and goes over so it ends in .01.
 
I think many of you just don't know how to pump gas. Nothing is worse than driving past a place in New Jersey that is closed when you need gas. That problem doesn't exist anywhere else. I'm not going to schedule my fill ups on someone else's work schedule.
 
I don't think I've ever had to wait more than 2 minutes for the attendant to come over to my car. I don't pay cash too often anymore but screw having to get out of the car, go inside the store, and wait in line just to pay cash
 
Oregon soon to allow consumers to pump their own gas, leaving New Jersey as THE only state in the USA that does not allow self-service gas pumps. Someone... please... splain this to me: Why the reluctance to let folks pump their own petrol in NJ?

Full-disclosure, as a HS senior I was employed as a part-time "petroleum transferral engineer" by Shell Oil on Rt 22 in North Plainfield. Regular gas was $.56 a gallon.




The price of gas will NOT go down if NJ allows self serve gas.
 
Lol. Some of you guys make it seem like its a hassle to sit in your car and do virtually nothing for 2-3 minutes.

95% of the time I pull up to the station and get quick service right away wherever I am in NJ. Waiting for other people to pump their own gas at a crowded station is 3x worse than having attendants to take care of it.

It is once you get used to not doing it. I've literally never waited for someone else to pump his own gas in nearly 10 years of living out of state. Probably because those people don't have to stand around waiting for an attendant eating his lunch. Also never encountered a credit card surcharge - pay at the pump, no surcharge.

I guess experience vary.
 
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Haha, threw some classic Clark Griswold in to see who was paying attention. Should have known it would be the king of the inane and whimsical.
I "liked" your post, of course. You are moving up in the standings, my friend. Keep up the good work.
 
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whats the big deal waiting for a minute or two. Id rather sit in the car and let someone else do the work. Hopefully Jersey never changes its ways
 
My dad lives in NJ and has had fraud on his credit card 3 times, all at gas stations. There is a downside to having a flunky pump your gas.

That can still happen, even if you pump your own gas. Somebody just has to put a card sniffer on it and they have your number.
 
I got gas recently at a place near the Delaware bay bridge I SJ. No lie, I had to wait for the attendant to change his clothes (in full public view) before he came over to pump my gas.
 
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