Little known fact about Oregon: you cannot pump your own gas. Why? It is against the law. Yep. We cannot legally pump our own gas. I was always told that the ban was to protect the jobs associated with gas pumping. I'm not really sure if that is the reason or not. All I know is you can't do it. Gas is a hair higher because of it, but not really when you compare it to California or even Washington.
This law by no means implies that you get anything but gas from these attendants. You are likely to get dings on your car as they demonstrate their lack of hand-eye coordination, but that's it.
When I go to work in the morning, I always try to remember to gas from the station near my house. That gas station is great. They are fast, they are efficient, you don't fear handing over your credit/debit card, and their goal is to get you in and out as fast as they can. If they are not busy, you get your windows washed....all of them. And you don't have to ask. Why? They don't like standing around. The place is run by a crusty old mechanic who clearly demands performance from his crew. What he has built is a dependable group - the same group that has been there for years.
Contrast this with my experience when I go on auto-pilot in the morning and forget to fill up near home. I work in an upper class suburb about 30 minutes from my house. I try to avoid their gas stations like the plague. Not only is the gas $0.15 more expensive, there is a bit of arrogance that comes with the gas station attendants down there. I can be the only car at a pump, and I will still have to go interrupt the important gas station attendant conference about last night's baseball game. I usually am fine to do it, because quite honestly I do not trust them to be alone with my debit card. Despite my order of premium gas, I will not always get it if I do not stand there and point to the button. (These guys are white and native English speakers, by the way.) When the gas is done pumping, I have to usually make a move like I'm going to touch the nozzle in order to get their attention. If I don't it could be 5 minutes before they notice. God help you if it is a busy day at that gas station. If anything when they are busy, they act even more annoyed you have bothered them.
When I have these experiences like I did yesterday, I just want to go do it myself. I don't want attitude. I don't want drama. I just put up with 8+ hours of that at work. I could really do without it, thank you. I just want to put gas in my car so I can get home. That's it. Is that really too much to ask?
Oh, a couple of side notes: the first is important if you ever visit this great state. You don't tip these attendants. Those who work in the border towns are going to hate me saying this because they get a lot of tips from the ignorant. Like I said, just because they pump the gas, it by no means makes these gas stations full-service & tip-worthy.
The second note - never assume a native Oregonian knows how to pump their own gas. I didn't realize until about a year after dating Garbanzo in college that he had no idea how to pump gas. He finally admitted it and asked me to show him. Little things you take for granted, I guess. What's funny is the fact that more often than not when traveling outside of the state, I'm usually the one who puts gas in the car. But, then again, I also had to chastise my father-in-law for never showing his son around an engine. My dad and I took care of educating Garbanzo on that. He now knows how to check the oil in his car.
4 comments:
We have gas pumpers in my town too, but not the next one over. Our pumpers are pretty good though.
Customer service is a tricky thing, some people give it and others have no clue.
The last time I was in your fair city, I had forgotten that law (your state has some real lulus!). I pulled up to the pump and got out, and the attendant looked at me like I was going to rob him or something. It did bring me back to the days way back when, though!
Like ASM said, our home town, but NONE of the others in the Boston 'burbs, has an ordinance of some sort against pumping your own gas.
New Jersey is like Oregon, FYI.
OKAY!! It makes sense now... When I was in high school, I worked at one of those Florida trinket shop/restaurants and we sold gas as well.. We used to laugh our asses off at the tourists who got out and stood beside the 'self-service' pumps looking for help!! I never knew that there were places where self-service wasn't allowed..
I gotta get out more.. :):)
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