Posted on 05/03/2006 8:47:10 AM PDT by genefromjersey
Online Democracy : Surprise ! It Works !!
Last week, recently elected NJ Governor Jon Corzine decided he had to DO something about gasoline prices ; so he consulted with his advisors – good Democrats all – then announced he was planning to lower the state speed limit to 55 , and permit “self-service” gasoline sales.
I’m sure the environmentalists were pleased with the idea of lowering the speed limit – but the People were not !
For one thing , New Jersey roads are easily the most heavily traveled in the nation – which means residents spend 75 to 80 % of their driving time struggling through gas–guzzling “stop and go” traffic ; which means actual fuel savings would be virtually non-existent.
For another thing , New Jersey motorists had to fight Governors and State Legislators for more than a decade before the powers-that-be grudgingly ( oh,so grudgingly !) raised the speed limit to a safer, more realistic 65 mph ; and the thought of going back to the hated “ double nicklels” was infuriating !
Self-service gasoline was another idea that didn’t make sense. Most New Jersey drivers do a lot of out-of-state traveling (often to the distress of motorists in other states-but that’s another story !) and they know quite well New Jersey has always had “full-service” gasoline – AND – the lowest gas prices in America.
The gas station owners were also opposed to the idea : mainly because installing self-service pumps would entail additional expense – AND – they would still have to maintain full-service pumps, and hire people to service the customers.
Prices would not go down at the self-service pumps : they would go up for the full-service customers : resulting in torrents of complaints , abuse ,and litigation .
Thanks to the Internet , the voice of the People – in all their fury – was heard .
Swamped with tens of thousands of angy emails , Governor Corzine executed an “about face” that would have made his old Drill Instructor proud !
“ E-mocracy” can be an important part of Democracy . We’d do well to keep this object lesson in mind !
Self serve gas in Jersey??? Will wonders never cease, even just the thought of self serve, to this Jersey (former) girl, just floors me
You want to save gas in Jersey? Eliminate the proliferation of gas-guzzling stop-and-go toll booths, and outlaw frequent speed limit changes through municipalities through ridiculously low speed limits imposed for the sole purpose of boosting ticketable violations.
LOL! Yep, and this Jersey Girl is glad that it's staying that way! WTG, fellow New Jerseyians! Too bad some of the same idiots voted for Corslime!:)
LOL! On Rt 80 during rush hour gridlock, your glad if you reach 30 mph!
Thats a laugh!! I talk to my parents in NJ often enough about the gas prices to know they are at least 10-20 cents higher than what I pay in Georgia. And I know that South Carolina is even cheaper than Georgia.
Actually, it was Corzine's wife who told him if she had to start pumping her own gas that his sex would soon be self serve as well.
I lived in Jersey for 6 years, but I never did understand the state-wide obession with self-serve. In fact, I'd rather pump it myself, many of the gas-pumpers were downright creepy.
I was there for the Florio revolution, did you participate in that march in Trenton over the toilet paper tax?
Self serve? No thanks. I'll let the creepy guy pump my gas when it's 10 degrees F outside with a nice brisk 20mph wind, or when it's 98 degrees outside I'll stay in my air conditioned cabin, thank you very much! Plus those pump handles are filthy and germ ridden. Again, no thank you.
Hmmm...I guess living in Philthydelphia has made me immune to concerns about filthy,germ-ridden objects. On my trips to NJ, even when I let the turban-man pump the gas, I get out of the car to watch, out of habit.
Now here's one I REALLY don't get...on a trip out to Arizona a few years back, you had to pump the gas (self-serve) before you paid...it totally weirded me out that they would trust people like that..but I guess that there was really nowhere to hide if you just drove off..ah, diversity! :)
You're right...but the only reason they want to go to self serve is to make it SEEM like gas is cheaper...they'll push the price right back where it was before OR the state will increase the gas tax to maintain the difference. That's why people don't want to give full serve up...it won't save money!
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