Posted on 01/07/2018 7:04:33 AM PST by Kaslin
The Great State of Oregon is not at DEFCON ONE. Nor are Beaver State residents gnashing their teeth — or gnawing down their neighbors’ small backyard trees — over a new law that went into effect last week.
Nonetheless, numerous news outfits have proclaimed:
“People in Oregon are freaking out about the thought of pumping their own gas under a new law.” “A brand new law went into effect . . . for the Beaver State. And it’s sending shock waves across all 98,000-plus square miles and all 4 million residents as we speak.” “Some Oregonians may have to pump their own gas and people are losing their minds”
Don’t believe everything you read. And, for goodness sake, hang onto your mind.
For starters, Oregon’s new law doesn’t actually require anyone to do anything new. It is the old law, which forced all gas stations throughout the state to provide full service in dispensing gasoline into vehicles. Put down that pump, pilgrim—er, customer.
Moreover — and unfortunately — the new law only allows “retailers in counties with a population of less than 40,000 . . . to have self-service gas pumps.” Most Oregonians, living in cities and suburbs, will continue to be “protected” from the freedom to fill up their own tank . . . and pay less.
So, where did this mockumentary story — “Internet mocks Oregon over new self-service gas law” — come from?
Seems it was triggered by a Facebook post on the page of KTVL CBS 10 News in Medford, Oregon. The TV station took the “freedom to pump” concept an absolutely terrifying step further, asking, “Do you think Oregon should allow self-serve gas stations statewide?”
As George Takei likes to say: oh, my.
The social media post went viral, not surprisingly, because of priceless responses such as this: “I’ve lived in this state all my life and I REFUSE to pump my own gas. I had to do it once in California while visiting my brother and almost died doing it. This [is] a service only qualified people should perform. I will literally park at the pump and wait until someone pumps my gas. I can’t even.”
Across America, after reading such comments, we can’t even . . . either.
Oregon is one of only two states — New Jersey, the other — where gas stations are legally banned from permitting customers to put gas in their own cars. Though New Jersey Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon admitted to the New York Times that he violates the law and grabs the pump when in a hurry. “Someone can come to my door and cuff me if they want.”
The assemblyman has introduced legislation to allow self-service and thinks the current prohibition is indefensible: “The only thing you could argue is that New Jerseyans are more flammable than people in the other 49 states.”
It is 48 states, of course; Assemblyman O’Scanlon forgot about Oregon. But his point is well taken, nonetheless. Folks in the other 48 states have managed, as one Facebooker calmly explained, “to pump gas without spilling the whole tank and triggering a Star Wars-style explosion.”
Yet, in Oregon, politically, the full-service-gas-dispensing-by-law policy has found popular support both in the legislature and on the ballot. Indeed, wealthier people may enjoy the mandated service, which has grown rare to nonexistent in other parts of the country where consumers can choose to pay for it or not. No matter how popular, however, by what right does government deny gas station owners and their customers basic economic freedom?
Not to mention that the law functions as a regressive tax on the working poor, who are required to pay more of their scare dollars and cents to get to and from work and to the market and to drop the kids at school.
Still, if Oregonians so revere this regulatory regime, protecting them from the “smell” and the indignity of direct proximity to automotive re-fueling, why did the legislature change the law even partially?
Well, for economic reasons. Which are also safety reasons. As one might expect, gas stations across rural Oregon were closing at night, because of the labor costs of staying open. Many motorists have been more than merely inconvenienced — being stranded at night in rural Oregon is a high price to pay for not having ever to hold a cold fueling nozzle.
Freer markets offer greater protection for real people . . . those not too perplexed by the prospect of pumping their own petrol.
It used to be that no matter what state you were in or where
you were at an attendant would pump your gas plus do other things like wash the wind sheild, check the tires and even
Make minor repairs.
And much of the time very cheap and some times nothing at all.
Working in a service station did not pay high wages but you could get by and you could learn a lot, it would be an ideal
Job for young people just starting out.
I have no idea of the hundreds of thousands of jobs lost
Because of self service gas stations, not mention the Hassel
some one has to go through just to get a fan belt put on
or tire changed.
I’m sure that will be a part of the Cuomo Economic Development strategery this year...
Yes, but that was close to 7 decades ago and there were no supermarkets in my hometown, where the meats and cold cuts and cheeses were prepacked. A Butcher market was like a deli.
For the heck of it? I don't think so. You try to put a burning cigarette out in a puddle of gas or throw it in the puddle of gas.
I wish you good luck!!!
A few years ago I was in Oregon and started to pump gas into my vehicle. A dude comes running up telling me I can not do this. I was not aware of the law as I am from the free state of Texas. I asked why not? He said, ‘it is the law.”
Um, I pumped gas for years in high school. My boss was smoking around a gas pump and I said something. He said look and flicked his cigarette into a puddle of gas. Nothing happened. Nothing at all. It has to be an “open flame”.
Oregon ping
Gasoline is an Oregonian’s mortal enemy because snowflakes melt immediately on contact.
Pump their own gas? OMG.
These are the same people who don’t know how to start a lawnmower, or spackle a nail hole before painting.
“Back in the day full service was a way to sell a quart of oil and check out the miniskirts.”
One of my first jobs. Actually got paid commission on oil, hoses, belts, tires and the like. And yes, mini-skirts. We used to argue over who was going to work the car wash for that very reason.
The hotter the chick the cleaner the windshield. LOL
L
Had a friend that worked at a station. Used to visit and ‘help out’ when he was alone at night as his station was the first one coming back to town from the beach.
The station used to give out these scratch-off tickets. He showed me that the edges were marked! Showed up when the tickets were stacked. The girls in the bikinis always managed to get the winning tickets! Of course (even though not required) we told the girls that we had to have their names, addresses and phone numbers ‘for the record’.
I did it.
During the first Gulf War, we disposed of our trash by dumping it into a pit the engineers had dug out with a backhoe. (They “built” our scud-shelter trenches the same way.) Then we would pour two or three cans of MOGAS onto it and touch it off.
The first time I was on trash detail, I tried the cig-butt-in-a-puddle trick. Went out like it was a puddle of water.
Dipped the end of a broom handle in the puddle, lit that with the zippo, and lit off the trash with the flaming handle end.
FOOM! —and my inner nine-year-old went Yay!
Nearby loose sand took care of the flaming broom.
“The station used to give out these scratch-off tickets.”
My mom won a car from those. A 1967 Mustang Fastback IIRC. It was brown. She wrapped it around a phone pole about 6 months later. A bit too much car for her and not really practical for a mom with 5 boys.
L
It occurs to me that nobody 'pumps' gas I had a friend who worked at a service station. When a customer pulled out, he drained what was left in the pump hose into a bucket. The next customer would unknowingly refill the hose line before gas got into his tank. When he left, the hose got drained again. My friend never had to buy gas. Oh, and he ended up working for the FBI. [snort]
Back in the 80’s when I worked at an Amoco in VA I told a fire marshal from NJ (after he rambled on loudly about how absurdly dangerous pumping your own gas was) that they must have that law in NJ because people there are to stupid to pump their own gas. I thought he was going to have a stroke there on the lot.
At the general store I worked at in northern VA you could pump or we would give full service, your choice, no price difference.
The price at the murphy oil station at sam’s club is cheap. But if you are an old lady club member, the attendant will come help.
If you would like more information about what's happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me.
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