Posted on 10/09/2005 1:04:46 AM PDT by goldstategop
Like many motorists, Albert Menaster has watched with alarm as gasoline prices zoomed past $3 a gallon.
But when he drives his 1998 Ford Windstar into Silverlake 76, Menaster stops at the lone full-serve nozzle, where customers can bark a command heard mostly in old movies: Fill 'er up!
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In a world gone self-serve, Menaster belongs to a pool of full-serve holdouts who pay as much as 50 cents more per gallon than their self-serve brethren. If he pumped his own gas, Menaster could save $4.50 with each fill-up. But he and others say not even the unrelenting rise in gasoline prices can force them to the cheaper, do-it-yourself pumps.
Paying the higher price assures them of an oil check, a clean windshield and some special attention. And in a city where people complain of feeling disconnected, it also provides a human touch.
"Yeah, it costs more," said Menaster, who heads the appellate branch of the Los Angeles County public defender's office. But "Paul, he and I became friends because of it…. Now it's as much a social event as anything."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Ok, figure this out: In Oregon its illegal to pump your own gas. (State law, probably to keep kids employed, I dono...). So they have full service everywhere.
But the gas is way cheaper than California, or Washington where its mostly self serve.
So this cost of service seems a little out of line.
Personally, when its horizontal rain at 34 degrees I'd gladly pay some kid 4.50 to pump gas.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Same with New Jersey. So much cheaper than NY, but so much slower because waiting for the attendant to get to the car.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
I long for the days when there were air and water hoses on the pump islands.
And a little bit of soap in the windshield cleaner water.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Since we moved from Greensboro down here four years ago, the one person I miss the most is Steve at the Amaco station. :-(
I worked briefly at a full service station in the late 80's. It was a better job than I anticipated it would be. 90% of the customers were regulars and we developed a nice rapport.
For folks that don't do regular car maintenance (just checking the oil and tires, etc), an occasional trip to full service would be a good thing.
We have a full serve in town which is either the same price, a penny more, or a penny less than the self serves.
And a little bit of soap in the windshield cleaner water.
and a windshield cleaner that isn't left over from yje eisenhower era.
In the mid 80's, I owned and operated a small grocery store with gas pumps in a very rural small, spot in the road, town.
I told the gasoline dist that I would not sell gas if I could not make at least $0.15 cents per gallon. He whined and cried and said I would never sell any gasoline, but he gave in.
This store was right across from the school and it didn't take long for teachers and other folks from "town" to begin filling their tanks at my store. Why?? Because I washed their windshields and pumped their gac and offered to check under their hood and would add some air to a tire if needed. While i was doing this, they were invited inside to have a free cup of coffee.
Once I got them inside, I had delicious homemade sausage and biscuits and other breakfast sandwiches. The smell of bacon or sausage frying would usually get to them.
What a lot of folks don't realize is that when you mump gas, at least on the older pumps, your hands would smell like gas the rest of the day. Those pump hoses are usually pretty nasty, and if it brushes against your dress or trousers, as the case might be, it will leave a big black mark.
In very short order I was selling twice as much gas as had ever been sold there.
Wow! I got to read those stories. Point me to them, please.
There was a 30 cent disparity between the dealers, but the cheapest, by 3 cents, was a FULL SERVICE guy. He has never changed his business profile, and people continue to line up. He gets a ton of mechanic business, and almost sells more tires than the local Goodyear guys...
Business isn't always price. He usually charges slightly more than the others, but only a few cents. Right now, prices have caught up with him, and apparently others are greedier...
Oh' come on now.
It really isn't that hard to operate a gas pump and just how many motorist are setting themselves on fire?
If they were, believe me Uncle Sammy would mandate for every state to be like NJ.
You know "If we can save one life, it will be worth it" mentality
I do heavy cleaning, painting and repair work, but whenever possible I draw the line at pumping my own gas. You're right. The smell lingers on your hands and clothing. I also feel safer with an attendant who is outside and sees what's going on in vicinity of the pumps.
At the risk of getting whacked, maybe there is good reason this guy has money to burn. Wonder how many self-serve stations are in Hot Springs, AR!
**Paying the higher price assures them of an oil check, a clean windshield and some """special attention""".***
Like a sliced fan belt, punctured waater hose, punctured tire sidewall. Yeah, full service is ok if you DON'T leave the car while the attendant is there!
Try this one.
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