Comebacks we'd like to see: #13 -- Gas station attendants
Filed under: Transportation, Travel
This post is part of our series ranking the top 25 bygone products and trends we'd like to see return.
When I visit my family in New Jersey, where I grew up, there are a two things I always do before I head back to my home in Connecticut: I stop at the local farm stand for fresh produce and I fill up my tank with gas.
Correction: a gas station attendant fills up my tank with gas, which right now, is 50 cents per gallon cheaper than in Connecticut, even though it's full-serve. That's because a state law enacted in 1949 bans self-service gas stations in New Jersey. According to Infoplease, Oregon is the only other state with such a law, purportedly enacted to prevent accidents. My understanding is that the New Jersey law has survived several challenges over the years, but defenders have argued that lifting the ban would be unfair to disabled people and unsafe for the elderly, and people who've grown accustomed to full-serve might do something dangerous like light up a cigarette while filling their tank.
I realize that these are antiquated laws and the 48 other states seem to be getting along fine with self-serve gas stations, but I have to admit that I really miss full-service gas stations. Since I left home for college more than two decades ago, I have lived in Massachusetts, California, New York, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. With the exception of New York, where I didn't do much driving, I've pumped my own gas, and I consider it a nuisance, especially in the winter.
Last weekend, not only did the attendant fill up my tank, he washed my windows! Sometimes they even ask if I'd like to have my oil checked. Then I had another nostalgic moment: When the attendant handed me my receipt, he called me sweetie. Never mind that he was old and unshaven (more gross than grunge), and chauvinistic, gas station attendants would be a welcome return-especially if I'm paying $4 a gallon.
What services do you rue the passing of?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-16-2008 @ 8:30AM
Oli B said...
Here on the Big Island of Hawaii, we still have a few gas stations with attendants providing full service, at least in the town of Hilo. You may have to drive around looking for them and it costs more per gallon, but at least I never have to remember to replace the oil cap under the hood after adding some SAE 5W-30 myself anymore.
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5-16-2008 @ 9:32AM
tom said...
Filling up in NJ is a pain unless you use a credit card. The attendants usually can't make change and will pump gas down the side of your car to get an even amount. I filled up on thanksgiving and the guy asked for a tip. I'm sure they don't celebrate that holiday in India
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5-16-2008 @ 2:51PM
Rich C. said...
I worked in a truck stop as a "fuelie" during high school back in the early 70s. Had to pump the diesel, pop the hood and check oil, clean the windshields, and thump all the tires with a "tire billy". I still have my old tire billy and a oil can spout hanging in my garage from those days. Diesel was 19.9 a gallon in '71 when I started that job. Now the truckers have to fuel themselves for 4 1/2 bucks a gallon. They call that progress?
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5-18-2008 @ 11:45PM
Mark said...
What about the air hose. I haven't seen one of these at a gas station in a decade except for a coin operated machine that takes so long to fill a tire due to low pressure operation, you can't do all four tires on your car with a single try. And that is when it's working at all.
With the need to keep your tires properly inflated for maximum gas mileage and safety, this should be a requirement to obtain a license to run a station...
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5-19-2008 @ 1:22AM
Annette said...
I live in New Jersey and I always write letters of protest whenever a current governor wants to enact self-serve gas stations. Our gas is cheaper than other states because not only did the oil companies not lower the price of gas when states went from full-serve to self-serve, but they actually increased the price by justifying safer gas pumps for consumers. New Jerseyans have the best of both worlds. We have full-service and cheaper gas prices.
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7-04-2008 @ 9:52AM
Poworker said...
And so do we in Oregon! The other 48 states are cheating their people!
5-19-2008 @ 3:38AM
Mac said...
Hello there,
I was stationed in Lakehurst, NJ in 1985 and all the times I went to Toms River I filled my own truck with gas. Never saw an attendant. but I usually filled up late at night before going back to the base.
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7-03-2008 @ 1:31PM
Teresa Schofield said...
I also miss the gong that sounded whenever a car pulled into a gas station, alerting the attendant that he had a customer. We used to have the windshield cleaned and the oil checked without asking! Imagine that, didn't even have to ask! I grew up in VA, left there in 1974 for New Jersey, so I have never had to touch a gasoline pump except for the times I've gone to VA to visit my family!
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7-04-2008 @ 9:51AM
Poworker said...
"I realize that these are antiquated laws" Hardly antiquated! Our laws in Oregon protect JOBS. The only other state that can boast this is as you said NJ.
The gas companies have of course tried to get rid of it here but thank Go the voters have never let it happen.
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