This is blowing my mind. So they have a little machine to run your credit card and everything?
I honestly cannot fathom.
The attendant runs it through the slot on the pump for you.
At the Costco where I get my gas, if I use my debit card I have to get out of the car and punch in my PIN number before they can pump it. If I use my Amex I just hand it out the window to the attendant.
I don't think I even had any idea how to pump gas until I left NJ for college. I know it's not rocket science, but I just never had to do it or think about it.
I think at this point it is. I am sure there was some sort of safety thing associated with it originally, but at this point, why get rid of it? It provides jobs that wouldn't necessarily exist otherwise, the gas station owners are still making a profit, seems like a win-win for everyone.
Well, poor Exxon is really hurting these days. They can't possibly afford extra operating costs after that $9 billion fine they didn't have to pay to NJ thanks to Christie. Paying people to pump the gas might hurt the shareholders.
Well to be fair, Exxon and the other oil companies don't own the gas stations. They're nearly all independently owned and they have pretty thin profit margins. They make almost all their money off of convenience store items, not the gas. I want to say they only get about 5 cents in profit on each gallon.
I cringe when i accidentally go to a full service place because I haven't geared myself up to have to interact with another person. Am I flying solo on this one?
Well, poor Exxon is really hurting these days. They can't possibly afford extra operating costs after that $9 billion fine they didn't have to pay to NJ thanks to Christie. Paying people to pump the gas might hurt the shareholders.
Well to be fair, Exxon and the other oil companies don't own the gas stations. They're nearly all independently owned and they have pretty thin profit margins. They make almost all their money off of convenience store items, not the gas. I want to say they only get about 5 cents in profit on each gallon.Â
I actually didn't know that. The gas station I always use "back home" doesn't have any sort convenience store attached, just a tiny booth that sells cigarettes, so I wonder how they make money.
I don't think I even had any idea how to pump gas until I left NJ for college. I know it's not rocket science, but I just never had to do it or think about it.
I must have left my gas cap at the pump at least ten times in college bc I would always forgot it and didn't know how to pump gas. I would walk into this import case part store and the owner would recognize me and ask if I needed a gas cap again.
An attendant pumps your gas in Seoul too. Thank God because I have no idea what buttons to push on the screen or which handle is gas vs diesel. They also give you a pack of Kleenex. I don't know why.
so yay for NJ and OR making it easy for the poor expats/immigrants who don't speak English and have no clue what they're doing.
An attendant pumps your gas in Seoul too. Thank God because I have no idea what buttons to push on the screen or which handle is gas vs diesel. They also give you a pack of Kleenex. I don't know why.
so yay for NJ and OR making it easy for the poor expats/immigrants who don't speak English and have no clue what they're doing.
That's just on the parkway and turnpike. And it's not a mandated price. They're only allowed to change their prices once a week. That's why when gas jumps overnight several nights in a row people will get gas on the turnpike or parkway.
An attendant pumps your gas in Seoul too. Thank God because I have no idea what buttons to push on the screen or which handle is gas vs diesel. They also give you a pack of Kleenex. I don't know why.
so yay for NJ and OR making it easy for the poor expats/immigrants who don't speak English and have no clue what they're doing.
We are not nearly that thoughtful. NJ people are lazy when it comes to gas pumping. And I count myself among those people.
With the exception of old movies, I have never seen or heard of this. I can't imagine pulling up to the pump and having someone come out and pump my gas. Is this a tip-able service, and what would an average tip be?
With the exception of old movies, I have never seen or heard of this. I can't imagine pulling up to the pump and having someone come out and pump my gas. Is this a tip-able service, and what would an average tip be?
With the exception of old movies, I have never seen or heard of this. I can't imagine pulling up to the pump and having someone come out and pump my gas. Is this a tip-able service, and what would an average tip be?
No you don't tip.
It's not custom to tip, but out of state people will sometimes tip in Jersey or Oregon. They think they are getting super special service. My friend who pumped gas in high school would occasionally get a few dollars as a tip. Gas attendants (at least in Oregon) sometimes wash your windshields while the gas is pumping if they aren't busy, too. I've only had that experience at full service stations in Jersey.
I don't usually post here, but I've had a fair amount of experience in both states with this and I prefer to pump my own gas. I'm impatient and antisocial. And in Oregon, at least, it drives the price of gas up. Or at least, that's the perception.
With the exception of old movies, I have never seen or heard of this. I can't imagine pulling up to the pump and having someone come out and pump my gas. Is this a tip-able service, and what would an average tip be?
No you don't tip.
I've always tipped... I'm glad I read this thread. Now I can keep my couple bucks next time.
But why don't you pump it yourself? I wish someone would pump my gas though. I would pay extra for that in the winter months.
I've always heard that it's a job creation/preservation measure. Not sure if that's true or if there's another reason, but that's what I've always heard.
Yeah the same type of thing was said in South Africa when I lived there. The unemployment rate is up to 50% among young black men in that country and taking away gas attendant jobs would've made things even worse. There was sometimes talking of doing it, but obviously it wouldn't be good for an already high unemployment rate, so I doubt it'll ever happen.
It's wonderful until thanksgiving weekend on turnpike rest stops where you have to get in gas line and take turns going to the bathroom and you are STILL waiting for a pump
Post by StrawberryBlondie on May 25, 2015 9:50:16 GMT -5
My hometown growing up (not NJ) always had a pump your own price and a pump it for you price (like 10 cents more per gallon). I dont remember when those fazed out.
It's not custom to tip, but out of state people will sometimes tip in Jersey or Oregon. They think they are getting super special service. My friend who pumped gas in high school would occasionally get a few dollars as a tip. Gas attendants (at least in Oregon) sometimes wash your windshields while the gas is pumping if they aren't busy, too. I've only had that experience at full service stations in Jersey.
I don't usually post here, but I've had a fair amount of experience in both states with this and I prefer to pump my own gas. I'm impatient and antisocial. And in Oregon, at least, it drives the price of gas up. Or at least, that's the perception.
It's a very small part of the reason, but not the primary reason our gas prices are so high. The biggest contributor to the high prices is geography--we get all of our gas from CA, as the state has no refineries of its own. So when shit is rough in CA, it's bad for the states that get their gas from CA.
The two (lame-ass and stupid) reasons I hear most often for not being allowed to pump our own gas are (1) jobs (because part-time, low-skill, low pay jobs is a niche apparently only gas stations can fill. Ironic note: OR is often at or near the top of national unemployment rates); and (2) Safety--while people in 48 other states manage to pump their own gas without blowing themselves up or self-immolating, Oregonians cannot be trusted to handle this task.
I would happily pump my own (and do in other states) if for no other reason than efficiency's sake; few things are more annoying than needing to be somewhere while being held hostage at a station where all the pumps are occupied, but there's only one or two slow-moving attendants to get everyone in and out.
Live in NY and work in NJ and oh my god it is great. Particularly because gas is so much cheaper than across the river so you get more service for a way lower price.
The only downside is that the, like, two times I've gotten gas in a state other than NJ ever have not gone all that well. Pumping gas isn't as intuitive as it looks!
With the exception of old movies, I have never seen or heard of this. I can't imagine pulling up to the pump and having someone come out and pump my gas. Is this a tip-able service, and what would an average tip be?
No you don't tip.
I've known people who tip around the holidays, if they go to the same place all the time and have a regular attendant.
Post by Velar Fricative on May 25, 2015 21:39:47 GMT -5
Who are these social gas attendants you all speak of? No one wants to socialize with me. Either I hit the wrong gas stations or I look like bitch to gas attendants (or seem like one due to my NY plates). I'm in and out pretty quick but I suppose it helps that I fill up right near work instead of in a border town.
Who are these social gas attendants you all speak of? No one wants to socialize with me. Either I hit the wrong gas stations or I look like bitch to gas attendants (or seem like one due to my NY plates). I'm in and out pretty quick but I suppose it helps that I fill up right near work instead of in a border town.
H and I are in a first name basis with the owner of the gas station around the corner from our old house (the neighborhood we're returning to in June). He knows us well enough that he noticed when each of the kids was born and was very sweet in congratulating us. He also always washes our windshields every time we come in. We always go to his station even if his prices are slightly higher because he's so friendly. It's usually him and one employee there and that's it.
But that's the only station I've ever been to where the attendant was friendly lol! And it started when H had a really long commute and stopped at his station every few days.
Who are these social gas attendants you all speak of? No one wants to socialize with me. Either I hit the wrong gas stations or I look like bitch to gas attendants (or seem like one due to my NY plates). I'm in and out pretty quick but I suppose it helps that I fill up right near work instead of in a border town.
There's an attendant at the Quik Check in my hometown that's super-nice. And the Costco guys (and a few ladies, which is a first for me) by work are also very polite.
I don't go to the gas station right on my corner because their prices are always about 30-50 cents higher than the Costco by work, but the attendant there recognizes me from the area and he is nice as well.
Post by notsocreepylurker on May 26, 2015 10:45:55 GMT -5
Nothing new to add but just wanted to check in as a former Jerseyian. I learned how to pump my own gas when I headed to college (went to school in IL).