Oregonians lose it when they realize they might have to start pumping their own gas

sfgate ^ | 01/02/2018 | Alix Martichoux

[DFG]

Of all the new laws going into effect Monday (legal cannabis in California, higher minimum wages in several states, and many more), you may be surprised about which one drew the most backlash online. It appears to be Oregon House Bill 2482, which allows people who live in counties with 40,000 residents or less to pump their own gas.

Oregonians aired their frustrations on Facebook over the new law. And just about everyone else in the country made fun of them.

New California laws going into effect in 2018 New era opens in California with first sales of recreational marijuana "I don't even know HOW to pump gas and I am 62, native Oregonian.....I say NO THANKS!" said Sandy Franklin on Facebook, in response to a post by local news station KTVL that asked for viewers' opinions on the new law.

[SaveFerris]

I can’t believe what’s happened to my nation. It boggles the mind.

We used to spill gas filling the lawnmower or our little minicycles when I was a kid. We didn’t bathe in it of course, LOL.

[gibsonguy]

“ It says you are allowed to pump your own gas. “

Wow, you’re allowed to. I swear Oregon is as far gone as CA. F both of em.

[Mears]

Some people love to whine——they are not being FORCED to pump their own gas.

A full service station near me (MA) does a booming business.

[SaveFerris]

This will sound silly but I used to enjoy going to the gas station in the 60’s with my parents and you’d see tires wrapped in gold, blue, and red foil. I always thought that was kind of a cool marketing thing to get you to look as you drove by.

[Milton Miteybad]

Vacationing in Oregon some years ago, I needed some gas on several occasions. Didn't think anything about hopping out and pumping my own, like I had been doing since 1975 or so. Each time I was met by a gas station attendant, apparently emerging from some mid-20th century time warp, furiously running up to the fuel island to handle the gas-pumping chores for me.

I just backed off and let them do the job. I got the impression that they got a lot of self-serve motorists from out of state passing through, and they had to politely ask these self-service savages to step off quite often.

One thing the citizens of Oregon don't seem to realize is that this antiquated statute adds about 5 to 10 cents/gallon to the price of gas, which is one of the reasons gasoline in Oregon is relatively expensive compared to that found in neighboring states. That, and the fact that Oregon is pretty much at the end of the gasoline supply chain, hence bearing the highest levels of distribution and transportation cost.

[moovova]

We were in Oregon last year and an attendant filled our tank. I was talking with the guy and he said it was all about the income tax the 16,000 statewide attendants paid. Government didn’t want to give that up. (I think he said 16,000...I remember it being a yuge number.)

[GailA]

ROFLOL

We have been pumping our own gas for over a decade.

[Flick Lives]

The proper response to any Oregonian asking, “Why do I have to pump my own gas”, is “Why do you have a fossil-fuel burning car? Don’t you car about Global Warming?”

[HotHunt]

The lady doesn't want to smell like gas? Has washing her hands afterwards ever crossed her mind? Or don't they do that self-serve in Oregon either?

The guy says he filled his car with gas once while visiting his brother in California and it almost killed him? What was he doing, smoking a cigarette while pumping gasoline? Or did he fall and hit his head on the pump from smelling the gas vapors? Or was he mugged at gunpoint while he had the hose in his hand? Almost killed him? WTF?

I lived in Oregon for a few years back in the late 70s. It is chocked full of liberals and weirdos (but then I repeat myself) who's ideas generate tons of unintended consequences in their state. One fellow told me to never paint my house because the county would raise my property taxes. In the meantime your house sits there and rots? Synapses aren't firing on all cylinders in that brain.

Weird folks I tell you. Weird.

[PIF]

It must come as quite a culture shock when an Oregonian leaves the State and has to find a gas station that has attendants. Perhaps the highways around the state of Oregon are littered with cars abandoned when they ran out of gas?

[3boysdad]

LOL! So true!

[originalbuckeye]

I was really surprised by the fact I couldn’t pump my own gas in Oregon. My Lib sister said it was so that kids in Oregon would have part-time jobs to do. So, what has changed??

[Mears]

“What was he doing, smoking a cigarette while pumping gasoline? Or did he fall and hit his head on the pump from smelling the gas vapors? Or was he mugged at gunpoint while he had the hose in his hand? Almost killed him? WTF? “

---

Static electricity has been known to cause fires.

.

[null and void]

Couldn’t find the gas cap so he lit a match.

My Bonnie looked into the gas tank
It's contents more clearly to see,
she li-it a match to assist her.
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me
Bring back
Bring back
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Unbelievable. Having laws requiring workers to pump your gas for you is arrogant and condescending. What sheep!

End-of-Nanny-State-In-Oregon PING!

(That is, if rural Oregonians are actually smarter than we think they are.)

[Incorrigible]

In New Jersey, we pump fists not gas!!

.

[Lurker]

“Though I do remember the days when attendants would pump the gas, clean your windows and check your oil as a routine thing.”

I did that as a kid. Not a bad first job.

L

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Why, what did he do? Point the nozzle at himself and pull the trigger?

Idiot.

[SaveFerris]

I would like to seem them out in the desert, 40 miles from nowhere, out of gas almost and the only station is one of those unattended ones with a couple rows of 6 or 8 pumps.

Could make for hilarious video.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

First time I was in Oregon in 2007, I automatically started pumping my own gas, even though I had read about the stupid law beforehand. This was south of Portland, and the attendant came running up to me, IIRC, probably with similar exhortations. I don’t remember exactly what he said.