Pumping gas?

[juggler]

Originally Posted by Fooseball_Freak

Yep I joined just to upset people like you, that was my only intention!

Nice way to win friends and influence people.

And about the lost productivity you claim, you really should stop getting your gas at the am/pm station Honestly I don't see it, I've been to half of the states in the lower 48 and lived in several of them, honestly, I spend less time at the pump in Oregon. In other states you first have to wait for a spot at the pump to open up while waiting for someone to collect the change because they couldnt quite fit in the whole $40. Then wait while they buy a weeks worth of grocerys, then you need to go inside and wait in line so that you can pay first. Next you go back outside only to find out that the idiot didn't turn on the pump, then you pump your gas and if your like most idiots you need to go back inside to collect your change. In Oregon at least the idiots are shopping while the gas is being pumped for them.

I have no idea where you've been, but I, too, have been to over half the states and lived in several. If I want gas, I pull up to a pump (pumps are no more crowded in other states than they are here in OR), swipe my credit card, promptly fill up, replace the nozzle and go. No waiting on attendants, no waiting on other people to get change or buy groceries - I don't know where you got these ideas.

So the point is, you made none! My exercise was intended to bring up some intelligent disscussion about a subject that way too many people seem to be way too emotional about.

It's been over two weeks since your original post. The lack of replies is a good indicator that your attempt at intelligent discussion has failed, likely due to a non-intelligent OP.

[Lunar Delta]

Not being able to pump my own gas is one of the things I like the least about living in Oregon. I can pump my own gas far more quickly and efficiently than any pump attendant, who often has to work with several cars at once, and sometimes will forget who is waiting outside. I once had to wait around five minutes total just to get a simple fill-up. Damn!

[rosecitywanderer]

Originally Posted by juggler

It's been over two weeks since your original post. The lack of replies is a good indicator that your attempt at intelligent discussion has failed, likely due to a non-intelligent OP.

People here like to make up excuses about self-service to distract themselves from how badly they are getting screwed over. This is ironic given the fact that liberals usually don't need any sort of reasoning for the government to take away some of their freedoms for ha-ha "security".

I will say this, however...I have struck up a real tight friendship with the attendant at my local Shell station. The guy is a real, honest, down-to-earth person and he even lets me finish off the tank myself if he's busy.

[rhodan653]

At the end of the day, having someone pump your gas is a needless service. Call it what it is - welfare. I pay more in gas and that in turn pays for the station's attendants. The idea that it is a safety hazard is ridiculous. In all other states people start pumping their own gas at 16 and become experienced pretty darn quick. I haven't heard of a rash of gas station accidents in other states.

The state might as well require professional car parkers to park your car in public city or state lots and increase the parking fees. How about they require that grocery stores can only deliver food? Consumers can't be trusted to select and carry their own groceries - that would employ more people as delivery people while driving up food prices. You can go on and on and make up all sorts of useless services but at the end of the day it is a socialistic concept versus allowing the market to decide what services people will and will not pay for. All other states in the union would indicate the market does not want to pay more for gas in order to have someone else pump it.

Now, the flip side of the argument is that at least the attendants are doing something for their money - they are working. Lots of other people recieving government assistance are not necessarily contributing anything. Personally, I would rather pay this same group of people to do something more productive such as clean up trash along the roads and highways and state parks....there are other "jobs" that might contribute more to the community than pumping gas.

[boodhabunny]

It is not a needless service as far as I'm concerned. I always dreaded going out of state and having to pump my own gas. Once, I couldn't get the gas cap off. I tried and tried and it wouldn't budge. A police officer was in the parking lot (enjoying a slurpy) and so I went up to him and asked him for help. He took pity on me after I explained that I was an Oregonian, and he kindly pumped my gas for me, which was his duty in my opinion, being a public servant and all.

I used to joke that I could never live in a state where I had to pump my own gas. Seriously, it's so barbaric! Now I live in another state and I still don't pump my own gas (if I can help it). My darling husband does it for me.