Full or Self Serve Gas.

[tashier]

This may seem like a stupid topic, but here in Oregon and also New Jersey they do not allow you to pump your own gas. The only 2 states in the U.S. They all seem to love their full serve here. Me personally, I can't stand waiting in LONG lines for some high school dropout to pump my gas. I'd rather get out in the rain and pump and go then sit there waiting for the guy to come out of the store or finish 5 other cars before me. It's a $500 fine if you touch the pump. I doubt they ever write a ticket for it. If they aren't next to my car when I pull up, I start pumping it. Boy they move fast when you do that. What do you think?

[tashier]

The funny thing about it is the law is in place because supposedly pumping gas is 'dangerous'. Again another one of those politicians deciding what's dangerous for me. Funny how 48 other states do it safely. How many gas pump deaths in the U.S. in the last 30 years have there been?
The law allows for motorcyclists to pump their own gas, BUT an attendant has to be present and must 'hand' you the nozzle and when you're finished you must 'hand' the nozzle back to the attendant so he can safely place it back in the pump. Sounds like to me the law is designed to give some schmuck a job.

[Little Luey]

I see what you mean but it is incredible to see how many people pump gas while on the phone or smoking or have the car running. It is clearly posted everywhere in gas stations

NO SMOKING
TURN VEHICLES OFF
NO CELL PHONE USE

And other warnings also. Yet people do not comply. I would guess this is why they have the smuck do it for you. Any fire in a gas station can be very damaging, why risk lives?

[Little Luey]

I almost forgot,

I pump it myself, the states I have been they do not even have Full Service anymore.

[tashier]

I think it's one thing to be safe, another to be overprotective. I'm not even sure the law is designed to be 'safe' or rather just give someone a job. I understand not smoking, but cell phones etc. I dunno, is there any data to back these claims up? There are also signs that you need to place gas cans on the ground when filling them up. I did once see a demonstration of someone starting a fire while filling up a gas can because of static generated off the plastic can and a plastic bedliner in a pickup. I believe that one.

[Twitterbait]

I would prefer the option to go either way. Normally i would like to just do it myself... but if i'm dressed nice for a date or something i would want someone else to do it so i don't come out smelling like gas.

[Loverotties]

I live in NJ and I'm glad I don't !It keeps the prices down.

[Little Luey]

Originally Posted by tashier

I think it's one thing to be safe, another to be overprotective. I'm not even sure the law is designed to be 'safe' or rather just give someone a job. I understand not smoking, but cell phones etc. I dunno, is there any data to back these claims up? There are also signs that you need to place gas cans on the ground when filling them up. I did once see a demonstration of someone starting a fire while filling up a gas can because of static generated off the plastic can and a plastic bedliner in a pickup. I believe that one.

I am not sure if it is a law, but if those poeple were using their heads and just seeing the potential danger they would not do it. Most don't believe it will happent to them, it is always the guy next to them. I don't know if there is any data to support that, but I would not want to become a stadistic. If it happens 1 out of 100 times it is too many for me.

[Little Luey]

I found this

Myth: Cell phones a danger at the fuel pump
You may recently have received emails warning you that using your cell phone at the gas pump can ignite the gasoline fumes and cause a fire. This is a case of an urban myth that is based on an important safety fact, but is itself false. It is very true that static electricity can ignite flammable vapors such as gasoline fumes, but it is very unlikely to be caused by a cell phone. There are in fact no documented cases of cell phones or other electronic devices causing refueling fires. What is true, though, is that static electricity has caused over 150 fires at gas stations in the last three years in the US. The static electricity that causes these fires is typically the result of friction or motion, such as the friction of getting into and out of your car while you are fueling up. The static electricity is then released when you touch the gas pump again after you are finished fueling. The risk of static is reduced by the rubber "boots" on the pump handle designed for vapor recovery that are standard in some areas, but the danger still exists. The easiest way to prevent fueling fires is to not re-enter your vehicle while fueling, and if you feel you may have generated any static electricity, you can touch a metal part of your car away from the gas pump to discharge it before again touching the pump. Also, never jam open the pump handle with any object, smoke while fueling, or leave your vehicle running while fueling. All of these are responsible for more fueling fires than static electricity.

And this

http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/gasvapor.asp

So it appears the cell phone thing is not true.

[tashier]

Originally Posted by Loverotties

I live in NJ and I'm glad I don't !It keeps the prices down.

Wow, how do you suppose it keeps prices down? I personally don't think that full service raises or lowers the price of gas. What those guys are making is pennies compared to what the station is raking in.

[tashier]

From what I've seen in the past, people are happy with what they are used to. Oregon would never again vote to pump their own gas while other states would never vote to ban pumping their own gas. Obviously the vast majority (48 states) like pumping their own gas.

[whatevva]

I let them pump it into the CR-V and the work Van. I pump my own into the bikes and the Bimmer.

[tashier]

Originally Posted by greenbean36191

I imagine there is some safety issue behind it. Apparently, there are lots of fires due to people creating static by getting in and out of their cars while pumping the gas. I don't think it's all that common though. I certainly don't know of anyone who has ever seen it happen.


I assume because it eliminates drive-offs.

I never saw any Self Serve stations in CA where you could pump before you pay.

[AquaNovice]

Originally Posted by tashier

I think it's one thing to be safe, another to be overprotective. I'm not even sure the law is designed to be 'safe' or rather just give someone a job. I understand not smoking, but cell phones etc. I dunno, is there any data to back these claims up? There are also signs that you need to place gas cans on the ground when filling them up. I did once see a demonstration of someone starting a fire while filling up a gas can because of static generated off the plastic can and a plastic bedliner in a pickup. I believe that one.

If you ever watch Mythbusters, they have tested this(cell phone use), they found that normal cell phone use, in a closed environment, with gas fumes(looked to be about a 15"L x 15" W x 20" H) acrylic container couldn't cause enough spark to ignite the fumes. So in an open air environment, it's not going to happen either. They had to do some pretty bad things to the phone to make it ignite the fumes(pretty bad means the phone wouldn't even funtion normally). The gas cans can create static electricity, but don't know if there is any information as to how much static is needed or how often this happens.

Also, there are no full service pumps around this area anymore(used to be one about 4 mi.away from my place), maybe somewhere in the sate though??

[tashier]

Originally Posted by AquaNovice

If you ever watch Mythbusters, they have tested this, they found that normal cell phone use, in a closed environment, with gas fumes(looked to be about a 15"L x 15" W x 20" H) acrylic container couldn't cause enough spark to ignite the fumes. So in an open air environment, it's not going to happen either. They had to do some pretty bad things to the phone to make it ignite the fumes(pretty bad means the phone wouldn't even funtion normally).

I love that show! I saw part of one where they were going to use a cell phone on an airplane (or a mockup of one) to see if a cell phone would interfere. I MISSED the end though. DANGIT. Do you know what happened?