New Jersey Gas Stations

[Plum Hill]

One of our local conspiracy theorists wrote a letter to the editor about being yelled at for attempting to fill his rental car at a New Jersey gas station. He commented “The attendants are unionized, Democratic employees hired for gas pump patronage jobs. It took 15 minutes to get my tank filled, and I didn’t get my windows cleaned.”

My Google research showed this law was pushed by retailers in 1949 in reactance to one station doing self-service. Governor Christie was quoted “I don’t see that changing.”
Article also said New Jersey has lower gas prices than surrounding states.

Any NJ residents care to comment?

[thegunner]

i dunno why they'd expect to get their windows cleaned, but it's also never taken 15 mins to get my gas tank refilled. as a long time NJ resident, not having to get out of your car in winter is :banana:

maybe the dude just acted like an ass.

[AngryScientist]

my wife has literally no idea how to pump her own gas.

that's my comment.

lol.

[cmbicycles]

I've filled my own once or twice, though more often finished pumping when in NJ visiting family. Usually after the pump stops, we wait what seems a long time (probably less than 5 minutes in most cases, oh the humanity :eek: ) for someone to top off (a big no no for environmentalists), hang up pump nozzle, grab receipt/card, and then we can put card/receipt away and head out. I never understood the why, I can't count how many stores around me have self checkout. To me it seems archaic and a waste of time and resources for something a majority of people can do... unless you've never been outside of NJ. I guess that is why you only pay tolls to get out of NJ, not to go in. They don't want people to know what happens in the outside world. :p

[itsflantastic]

I think it's great. Think about how many jobs that creates.
Also it's great when it's cold, which happens less and less in NJ winters, but still.

[cmbicycles]

.... as a long time NJ resident, not having to get out of your car in winter is :banana:



What is this winter thing you speak of? :rolleyes:

[robt57]

I moved from NJ in 2002 to Nashvegas, then in 2011 to PDX.

I hated pumping my own gas for one reason while in TN. The smell is not easy to get outta your skin. It transfers to what you touch.

What I did like was TN prices, and that regular fuel was available with no booze in it for 15-18 cent more a gallon.

So NJ and OR are the only two states on the mainland you don't pump your own fuel IIRC. Not planned moves for this reason but fine with me.

Only premium fuel can be had here with no booze in it. The price is stupid high, regular is 30% higher than Nashville, miss that [and Robert's&Bluebird].

[echappist]

One of our local conspiracy theorists wrote a letter to the editor about being yelled at for attempting to fill his rental car at a New Jersey gas station. He commented “The attendants are unionized, Democratic employees hired for gas pump patronage jobs. It took 15 minutes to get my tank filled, and I didn’t get my windows cleaned.”

My Google research showed this law was pushed by retailers in 1949 in reactance to one station doing self-service. Governor Christie was quoted “I don’t see that changing.”
Article also said New Jersey has lower gas prices than surrounding states.

Any NJ residents care to comment?

gas prices are more affected by state taxes on gasoline

i dunno why they'd expect to get their windows cleaned, but it's also never taken 15 mins to get my gas tank refilled. as a long time NJ resident, not having to get out of your car in winter is :banana:

maybe the dude just acted like an ass.
i'd take the inconvenience of pumping my own gas than sitting in a cold car at a gas station for 45 minutes, waiting for AAA, b/c almost all stations were closed on Christmas...

[jischr]

I read Missouri is considering going back to service station attendants doing the pumping. Basically considering it hazardous material handling. Which it is, but then so it all the crap you can get at the hardware store, e.g., acetone, toluene, WD-40, drain cleaner, etc. Given the lack of incidents from lack of training, ignoring no smoking signs, auto shut-off maintenance, lack of grounding - it has been shown to be low risk. Of course it is like driving 100 mph, if something happens it's usually pretty spectacular.

I'll pump my own, thanks.

[Mark McM]

So NJ and OR are the only two states on the mainland you don't pump your own fuel IIRC. Not planned moves for this reason but fine with me.

In 2018, Oregon amended their law to allow customers to pump their own gas in about half of the counties in the state. Illinois is currently considering a bill to ban on self-service gas, but the bill is not expected to pass.

[robt57]

gas prices are more affected by state taxes on gasoline

I understood in TN the termination point of the pipeline up from the gulf is a short semi tanker trip to the Nashville area cities.
Helps prices apparently as well.


i'd take the inconvenience of pumping my own gas than sitting in a cold car at a gas station for 45 minutes, waiting for AAA, b/c almost all stations were closed on Christmas...

Law was passed in OR [2018?] to allow self pumping with CC/DB payment at closed stations, I forget when.

Not had to look for a station that does it yet personally outta need... yet... But certainly not an 'all of them are doing it' situation.

[goonster]

“The attendants are unionized, Democratic employees hired for gas pump patronage jobs. It took 15 minutes to get my tank filled, and I didn’t get my windows cleaned.”

If it's a conspiracy, it's a bi-partisan one.

G*d knows they gripe about everything else, but this is one thing that I don't really hear NJ residents complain about. ;)

(I keed, and am known to stand up for NJ wherever I go, because I'm contrarian that way.)

[robt57]

The most recognition to addressing the political angle from me will me that I noticed it and am giving that short order addressing. As in that's it, done before I began there... ;)


Doubtful I'd have participated if not for 2 of my my 3 state residence swaps being NJ and OR.

[e-RICHIE]

As a Jersey kid, I like that they pump my gas when I'm in the home state.
And I wish we still had humans in toll booths on the turnpike.
And I think self-checkout lines are dumb.
I'd rather check out other people at the supermarket.

None of it matters in the big picture.

Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown etc etc etc.

ps

arrange disorder

:cool::):)
;):);)
:p:p;)

[redir]

Don't even get me started on self-checkout lines.

[robt57]

Don't even get me started on self-checkout lines.


I still like anything that gets me outta there and out on the bike faster. If that actually winds up happening, nutha story...

[Plum Hill]

Illinois is currently considering a bill to ban on self-service gas, but the bill is not expected to pass.

This is the crux behind the letter writer’s rant. He’s an extremely right wing Republican in a Democratically controlled state, so it has to be a Democrat conspiracy.

[unterhausen]

I was in NJ on one bitterly cold winter day (I rode 200km, crazy) and the attendant didn't tell me I wasn't allowed to pump my gas until after I was done. In fact, he never left his little telephone booth thing. I felt robbed.

The one jobs program that NJ has that I could do without is the trolls that sit on bridges to keep cyclists from riding over the Delaware. You also aren't allowed to ride horses over, but who does that?

[veloduffer]

Until a recent gas tax hike of 23 cents, NJ was in the top 5 cheapest places to buy gas, plus full service.

I like the full service, beats getting wet and/or cold especially in work/office clothes.

In NY, there’s a couple of stations that are high volume and won’t let you pump your own, as customers are much slower than attendants.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mark McM]

Even when not banned at the state level, self service gas is sometimes banned at the town level. There are several towns in Massachusetts that still ban self service gas, and I've heard there are some towns in New York as well.

[Mark McM]

Until a recent gas tax hike of 23 cents, NJ was in the top 5 cheapest places to buy gas, plus full service.

I wonder if that is because of the many oil refineries that are located in New Jersey.

I'm willing to pay extra for gas, not to have to live in New Jersey:eek:

[AngryScientist]

I'm willing to pay extra for gas, not to have to live in New Jersey:eek:

As the nearly adopted NH slogan goes:

"NJ; We dont like you either"


:banana:

[thegunner]

As the nearly adopted NH slogan goes:

"NJ; We dont like you either"


:banana:

i suspect many of the people who **** on NJ have never been to NJ (aside from the airport or the turnpike). i will die defending 24-hour diner food.

[goonster]

I wonder if that is because of the many oil refineries that are located in New Jersey.

Wikipedia says there are only two still in operation, but of course the problem is that EVERYBODY has seen Bayway up close.

(I've seen it up closer than most, which is even worse)

[AngryScientist]

i suspect many of the people who **** on NJ have never been to NJ (aside from the airport or the turnpike). i will die defending 24-hour diner food.

no joke. i ate disco fries last week at 2AM.

[robt57]

i suspect many of the people who **** on NJ have never been to NJ (aside from the airport or the turnpike). i will die defending 24-hour diner food.

For two decades, lived/grew up in the orange circle, played in the yellow circle, then after that played in puddle jumpers a lot in the green area [and well beyond]. Nothing about any of it suked. ;O

I miss the full lamb chop dinners at the Plaza Dinner 1 block from the GW bridge in Ft Lee.

Life is of course what you make of it.

Don't miss the taxes on the house we left behind in Maywood, NJ @ $7600 yr for 1350 SF cape I can say. $3100 when we left in 2002. ;O Bike money needed for property tax, MEH!

Definitely miss buzzin the bridge and doing circles round lady liberty so my kids could see her face up close and personal....

http://coupekiss.host-ed.me//images/GW-Area.jpg

[prototoast]

I hate hate hate having someone else pump my gas, I'm glad I left Oregon, and I hope to never drive in New Jersey again. It is clearly a relic of history--never seen a full service electric charging station.

[unterhausen]

the 30 cent gas tax increase that PA put in place a while back means that our roads are much nicer than NJ's roads, on average. Hopefully the new tax will let them catch up.

The thing I noticed about Virginia and their lack of gas tax is that the gas stations just charge more for gas, particularly near the borders.

[robt57]

We are going to Joisey in May, I will suffer along having someone pump gas into the rental car... ;)

After not being there since 2003, I reserve the right to edit my posts in this thread come June. :butt:

:hello:

[AngryScientist]

We are going to Joisey in May, I will suffer along having someone pump gas into the rental car... ;)

After not being there since 2003, I reserve the right to edit my posts in this thread come June. :butt:

:hello:

are you coming to the NJ Gentlehuman ride??

[Mark McM]

Wikipedia says there are only two still in operation,

That's still two more than most states have, and given that New Jersey has the largest population density of any state in the nation (and most residents live in the northern part of the state where the refineries are), that means a lot of New Jerseyites live near the refineries.

[robt57]

are you coming to the NJ Gentlehuman ride??

I wish, my wife HS reunion number #&%^$# something....

Will be there on that day too.

____________

I should add, the last 10 years in Joisey I was in a suit and gas near me was a no no. In fact now I said that, I recall why I started just staying in the car. An attendant once pulled the pump and swung it back to hang it and got me and the car, mostly the car. But my shoes and one pant leg.

[OtayBW]

I grew up in NJ (the Oranges) and moved to TN when I was 17, in part because I felt like I didn't have a connection to the reality of e.g., where food comes from (or how to plant a garden), or how to fix a lawnmower (or how to RUN a lawnmower), or just many aspects of reality outside of the suburban bubble. That included pumping gas. Honestly, I do not mind one whit getting out and pumping my own gas, and on the occasion that I go back to NJ, I feel kind of dumb sitting there having someone do it for me. Again, it just seems like a certain 'out of touchness'.......

It's not just about pumping gas....:cool:

[Llewellyn]

I'd be surprised if there's still a petrol station anywhere in Australia that isn't self-serve. It's been like that for probably 25-30 years.

[johnniecakes]

In PA you are allowed to pump your own gas, but I would love to see get changed so that an attendent would do it for you. Here's why, the vast majority of the pumps are at convince stores, WAWA, Sheetz, 7-Eleven and the like. Many folks pull up to the pump and get out and walk in to the store to get coffee, snacks, etc.. and then come out, get in the car and drive off. So they block access to the pumps for 10-15 minutes while they shop. I was so frustrated once I asked one of these d**kheads why they do it. The answer, it was easier than backing out of a parking space.

[jemoryl]

Union patronage jobs? Ha, that is pretty amusing. When I bought gas in NJ (mostly Essex and Morris Counties) most of the guys working the pumps were Asian or African immigrants and I don't think they were paid very well at all. And the wait times usually were due to understaffing relative to the amount of business they were doing. One got the impression that the owners were trying to comply with the law in the most skinflint way possible.

[Chris]

Don't even get me started on self-checkout lines.

Yup. I absolutely refuse to use them. I won’t be a part of helping cut another person out of a job.

[tele]

Got gas in Jeerzy about a month ago on a college tour with one of the kids...are you supposed to tip them gas fillers people?

[oldpotatoe]

It's a 'law' in NJ, no self service gas stations?? Who knew, never been to NJ..:eek:

[oldpotatoe]

This is the crux behind the letter writer’s rant. He’s an extremely right wing Republican in a Democratically controlled state, so it has to be a Democrat conspiracy.

1949 law? Hmmmm, no sense doin' any research..eh?
Alfred Eastlack Driscoll (October 25, 1902 – March 9, 1975) was an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey Senate (1939–1941) representing Camden County, who served as the 43rd Governor of New Jersey, 1947-1954

[Davist]

the gas pumping was an added bonus, lived in Morris County (Boonton Twp) before 287 was "finished" and had GREAT road and MTB riding (the Tourne park was out my back door, literally, with 15+ miles of singletrack). Oh, shhhhh, keep it secret.

This was the 90s though, I understand access has changed, but I look back fondly.

[biker72]

I think the last time someone pumped my gas for me was around 1976. I had a 36 gallon tank on a 3/4 ton Chevy van. On the Kansas Turnpike, wind blowing about 30 mph from the north and about 8 degrees above zero. I was very grateful....:)

[oldpotatoe]

Yup. I absolutely refuse to use them. I won’t be a part of helping cut another person out of a job.

These basic, low salary jobs are in need of people all over the country. Almost every retail place has 'hiring' signs posted around here.

'Great economy, lotsa of 'jobs'.."yup", says the young other of 2, "I have 3 of them!!"