Oregon Gas laws (- Yet another attack on freedom)

CAPITALISTCHICKS.COM ^ | FR Post 12-1-2002 | Debbie Brannigan

[Clinging Bitterly]

Oh, and I wouldn't characterize this as an attack on freedom.
This has been in place here for a very long time, at least since the 1920s. Possibly a reaction to some self-fueling catastrophe somewhere outside of the state (for I know we have had none here), or it may have been an industry recommendation common at the time. History for our state going back that far is kind of fuzzy, because our legislature keeps rewriting it.

I remember when more states did not allow self service, and there's no rule that all the states have to have the same laws. We don't have sales tax either, probably because the legislature can't just enact one, it needs to be approved by the voters. Sometimes I wish our legislature realized that just because other states want to jump off of a cliff, we don't have to.

Dave in Eugene

[Z-28]

You'd really hate California ...
--
Z-28
San Diego

[Rocksalt]

How does this encourage people to stay put in these jobs. I have never once heard someone say they wanted to pump gasoline for any longer then they had to. No one is forcing them to stay at these jobs,and the jobs are available for those that need them.I wouldn't mind having a choice,but most people I talk to don't want self service-they like it the way it is.Who enjoys smelling like gas?

[Parley Baer]

Well now in Taxifornia I have found a station at $1.47 a gallon but most in my area are around $1.53 a gallon. Of course I expect this to go up when the democRATs raise taxes some more. Parley

[FreedomCalls]

And during our long rainy season, it IS nice to not have to pump my own.

Life is full of choices here in Texas: full service or self service, Class III machine gun or semi-auto, propane or charcoal. I couldn't imagine living where a nanny state had already made all my decisions for me.

[Z-28]

$1.47 for unleaded 87 octane here in San Diego (away fromn the beach).

[FreedomCalls]

Imagine my surprise when I went moved to Florida and discovered that I was responsible for pumping my own gas, utterly medieval. I have had no formal training and possess no qualifications that would lead anyone to believe that the public is best served by me pumping my own gas. I resent having to perform this menial labor while dressed in business clothes, furthermore the smell of gasoline clashes with my Givenchy Gentleman Cologne.

Dude! Stop getting your gas at Wal-Mart. If you look for an Exxon or Texaco sign you will find a place that has a full-service pump.

[Ditter]

Wow so much for my theory! I am in Houston (where gas comes from) & I have to pay $1.45 for regular & pump it myself. I might get it cheaper if I shopped around I just don't know.

[Psycho_Bunny]

The regional joke is:

"Who lives in Oregon?"

"Californians who are too stupid to find Washington."

[Z-28]

Kewl website:

http://www.gaspricewatch.com/USGas_index.asp

[FreedomCalls]

I might get it cheaper if I shopped around I just don't know.

The local TV station did a story on this a few months ago. They went to an Exxon on a busy intersection and asked people why they were buying gasoline there when it is 8 cents a gallon across the intersection at a Stop-and-Go store. Most people shrugged and said they never noticed it. Their conclusion was that most people would just pull in where it was easiest rather than cross several lanes of traffic to get to the other side. Most didn't seem to care what the price was.

[FreedomCalls]

"...it is 8 cents a gallon across the intersection...

Oops, I meant "8 cents a gallon cheaper" across the intersection.

[Ditter]

I think that is true. Traffic is so bad here that you take the path of least resistance. What does regular cost in deep west Texas?

[FreedomCalls]

What does regular cost in deep west Texas?

$1.16 at Wal-Mart. But they may be having a gas war with the Albertson's up the street. Capitalism -- ain't it great! It's in the low $1.20's most of the rest of the places.

[BlazingArizona]

Oregon's legislature has been, for way too long, run by the loopies elected by the loopies on the left.

But hasn't the Oregon gas law been re-approved by popular vote - twice? Would some of our Oregonians here care to explain the thinking on this?

[abigkahuna]

This has been posted on FR some months back--This has been the law in OR for maybe 30 years. There are lots of reasons why the law.

It was about 30 years ago full service went by the wayside at many flling stations. More in likely had something to do with cutbacks at owner-operated stations during the first "gas crisis" following the Yom Kippur War.

[abigkahuna]

$1.41 to $1.43 here in Oroville. I imagine its about five cnets cheaper at the Arco in Marysville.
(California)

[Sir_Ed]

Gas at the local Shell is $1.23 a gallon, commensurate with other states, and I love having not to get out in the sleet and cold to pump my gas!

Ed

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Yet Oregon full-serve gasoline costs less per gallon than California self-serve, and your car will run better.

Sure, I'd rather save a few pennies and pump my own, but I'll take coerced pumping over Kalifornistan's rough-running bilgewater anyday.

[jimtorr]

I grew up in Oregon, and I know that this article is way off base.

First, the ban on self-serve has been approved by popular vote two, maybe three times, so it is hardly imposed by a loopy legislature, however loopy that legislature may be.

Second, I believe that that Oregon has never allowed operators to pump their own gas, since the dawn of filling stations.

Thirdly, Oregon does not have the most expensive gas in the nation. Far from it. When I visited family over Labor Day this year, I bought gas in Lebanon, OR for $1.19 per gallon. Here in Maryland the cheapest regular I can get without going 6 miles out of my way is $1.46.

Ford recomends that I use premium, but that's just because my car has a high compression engine. As long as I don't drive like a maniac, I can use regular. Of course, some times I do feel maniacal, so I pay $0.30 per gallon more.

What's up with the price differential? It doesn't really cost any more to make gasoline with different octane ratings.