[kjo]

Sorry, my point still stands. Exxon and Shell should be competing for my business. They aren't. I am just old enough to remember a time when my Dad would drive into a Texaco and four men would RUN out to greet him, wash his windows, check his oil, tire pressure, and put in four dollars of regular, which would fill the tank.

Something has changed, and I think somebody should be investigating just what that is.

[stockstrader]

They DO compete for your business. GEEEZ.

Each company decides WHERE they put stations, how many stations are located in a specific location,,,and in case you haven't noticed, they now ALSO compete with Russion oil companies (LUKOIL is opening stations in many, many cities), British oil companies (ever heard of BP)?

No offense, but I suggest you stick with the pizza business.

[HawaiianGecko]

Something has changed, and I think somebody should be investigating just what that is.

Yeah, and I can remember when bread and milk were delivered to my doorstep by different drivers. I also remember my doctor making house calls. 

The reason four guys no longer come out to fill your tank, wash your windows, check your tires and check you oil is become some other guy they were competing against decided he could sell gas cheaper if you did all that yourself instead of him making a payroll, unemployment payments, liability insurance, worker's compensation and 7.65% employer side FICA and Medicare expenses.

The competition you are screaming about is exactly what did happen.

 

[FreedomCalls]

I am just old enough to remember a time when my Dad would drive into a Texaco and four men would RUN out to greet him, wash his windows, check his oil, tire pressure, and put in four dollars of regular, which would fill the tank. Something has changed, and I think somebody should be investigating just what that is.

Minimum wage laws. If the minimum wage was $1.50 an hour, you betcha the service stations would hire a bunch of teenagers to do all that again.