In this present day and age, self-serve gas stations are all over the place. In fact, I thought it was impossible to find anything else.
All that changed one day while my wife and I were taking a driving trip across the country. We were heading through northern California and into Oregon when we stopped for gas.
As I got out and started working the gas pump, I heard some guy yelling “hey..stop pumping that gas”! I was at first confused, wondering who this guy was yelling at and why. I looked around thinking someone was doing something dangerous, yet I had no idea who he was yelling at.
Once I realized he was yelling at me, I immediately stopped and asked him what was the problem? Before he had a chance to answer, he noticed my license plate and that we were from Ohio. Fortunately, at that point he calmed down and told me that in Oregon, self-serve gas was not allowed.
He explained that Oregon and New Jersey were the only two states remaining that did not allow self-serve gas operations.
I was very surprised. I had no idea there were still full-service gas stations where an attendant was on duty to actually pump the gas for you. I thought those days were long gone.
According to a recent article I read, the ban on self-serve is due to health hazards caused by gas fumes and the potential for fires caused by cigarettes or lighters; Service attendants can keep an eye on safety standards while pumping gas; Insurance rates for gas stations increase when customers are allowed to pump their own gas; The cost of fuel stays down since the ban prohibits full-service gas stations from charging higher prices to compete against self-service gas stations; The self-service ban allows attendants to earn a larger salary.
In Oregon, the gas station can get a $500 fine for each person it allows to pump their gas. The customer, however, does not face a fine. In New Jersey, it could mean a fine of between $50 and $250 to the driver. If you repeat it, you could be fined up to $500.
Obviously, I can certainly understand why the attendant came out telling me to stop pumping my own gas. I was caught completely by surprise, but glad he was understanding once he saw we were from out of state. He could have been fined for allowing me to get out of my car and pump my own gas.
Since the time of our experience, Oregon has changed its law to allow some stations to be self-serve, but only counties with less than 40,000 people. So, if you are getting gas in Oregon and in a large city or town, be prepared to sit in your car and let the attendant do the work. Hopefully it is not crowded, or you will be sitting for a while.
I also understand that in Oregon, this law does not pertain to those who use diesel fuel. The reason being, diesel fuel is not a Class I flammable liquid such as gasoline, and it is less dangerous.
In New Jersey it is a requirement that attendants pump fuel for all customers whether gasoline or diesel. There are no areas of the state where the customer is allowed to refuel their own vehicle.
So, just remember, if you are driving in Oregon or New Jersey, it is probably best to sit in your car and enjoy having someone else fill up your gas tank. In the long run, it could be cheaper for you and the gas company.