Why don't Oregon and NJ let you pump your own gas?

Question

Seriously, why can't these states just get with everyone else and let motorists get self-serve if they want to? Would that really be so wrong? If the other 48 states can get it done with no problems, why not these two?

Answer 1

I don't know about New Jersey, but in Oregon they originally did not let people self serve because of drive-offs.  Now that drive-offs pretty much never happen because all the pumps can be set to prepay only, the real reasons are that nobody in Oregon knows how to pump gas so they're afraid of change, and primarily because it would eliminate so many jobs all at once.  If Oregon gas station owners had the option of not having employees there solely to pump gas, all those people would probably lose their jobs the day the law changed, so they've hesitated to make that change.

I live in Washington and I hate having other people pump my gas, I guess it's a control freak thing, so I try to cross the border with a full tank if I can.  On the flipside, Oregon people come up here and are like, "c**p, I have to do it myself?" lol.

Answer 2

job protection.

Answer 3

Uh...no sales tax and people pumping my gas FOR me...I'm so there.

Haven't you got something REAL to complain about?

Answer 4

Job generation.

Answer 5

There may be some tax or safety issues, but I don't get that luxury of staying in my vehicle & let someone else pump my fuel when I am in OR or NJ.  I am a truck driver & I have to get out in whatever weather is thrown at me to pump my own fuel.

Answer 6

In Portland some people wouldn't like that.  Too many rich yuppies driving their blingin' cars, it's almost a status symbol to have somebody pump the gas for you.

Answer 7

I've always wondered that.  We don't have Sales tax either.  Maybe they think we're too dumb.

Answer 8

Do the other 48 have unemployment problems like Oregon and Jersey?

Answer 9

They want to create more jobs.  

And the gas there isn't too much more expensive.  Maybe it's not such a bad thing.

Answer 10

I don't know about Oregon, but The People's Republic of New Jersey does not trust it's citizens and wants to control every aspect of thier lives.

Answer 11

We let people pump their own gas at my station (Oregon) but why would you want to? Do you like handling the greasy pump and smelling like gas for hours?

Answer 12

people steal