Gas Pumping Law Changes in Oregon

[Larry Frank]

I have a difficult time understanding why you can not pump your own gas.

I would have loved to have someone pump my gas the other morning. It was -13 F and a stiff wind.

[Jim Becker]

The change in Oregon sounds like it will be helpful to folks in more rural areas, including the stations, although it's not great for some jobs I suspect.

Not only does New Jersey still not allow consumers to pump their own gas, they also require Costco to sell to non-members. That last part I learned about recently. I used to buy my gas weekly in New Jersey because the price difference was significant. But when they raised their tax 23 cents per, the delta became so low that it was no longer practical to drive to where i was buying near Flemington. That also meant I was no longer shopping at other places nearby, like Home Depot and a very nice wine store... Now, it's Costco for 100% of my gas which is about, oh...25 cents a gallon less than ant of the more local places. That's significant with a 24 gallon tank.

There still are a few stations in my area that offer (or require) full service, but they also charge an arm, a leg and probably some other appendage for the privilege. That said, there are some folks who do need the assistance for physical reasons and it's too bad that at some places they have to pay extra while most self-serve stations provide a way to call for assistance.