Oregon's New Gas Law

[kkt]

More like they think if your tires are low, you'll pay whatever it takes to fill them up again and not fuss.

[J N Winkler]

I think it has been probably decades since I last used an air pump at a gas station.  For the most accurate pressure readings, tires need to be measured cold.  Preferably this should be indoors inside a garage, but if it has to be done outdoors, it should be in the shade or early in the day when it is cool and the sun has had no opportunity to create a pressure differential by shining on one side of the car.  Even a half-mile drive to the nearest gas station is enough to close the window for reliable pressure measurements.

[vdeane]

Of course, where are people going to go to get air?  My parents have an air compressor in their garage, but most people don't.

My system is to check the tires in the parking lot, and if they're low, go the Stewarts (which has free air) and check them again, and use the difference to calculate where they need to be filled to.

[oscar]

Of course, where are people going to go to get air?  My parents have an air compressor in their garage, but most people don't.

Carry a portable air compressor in your car. They're not terribly expensive (I think I got mine at WalMart for about $25), and can help you deal with slow leaks until you can get your tire repaired.

[J N Winkler]

Of course, where are people going to go to get air?  My parents have an air compressor in their garage, but most people don't.

This is one of those areas where it is better not to look to "most people" as a reference for what you should do.  "Most people" take out loans to buy used cars that they don't have checked out by a mechanic in advance, take their financial planning advice from Dave Ramsey, don't pay their entire credit card balance every month, get mad at Congress as a body while voting for their own idiot every two years, etc.

For over 20 years I have had at least an air compressor that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket.  For much of that time I have carried the compressor in the trunk along with a pencil-type tire pressure gauge and a battery-operated lantern so I can work in the dark.  Nowadays, to minimize battery load, I use a compressor that is kept in a workbench in the garage and can run off wall current.

It is not difficult to find a compressor for about $20 at Walmart or a large discounter.  I have one somewhere that I actually bought at the Walmart in San Leandro, California, on a roadtrip, when the one I had had for about 10 years finally gave up the ghost.

I am very scrupulous about checking tires cold and adjusting tire pressures so that there is a maximum of 1 psi difference across the steering axle, because I notice off-center steering at pressure differentials as low as 3 psi.  In fact, I hate to take a car in for a wheel alignment because a common shortcut is to adjust toe on only one front wheel and this de-centers the steering enough that I notice.

Edit (in light of Oscar's comment, posted as I was composing this post):  A compressor in the trunk saved me from serious difficulties on a long drive from Washington, DC to Spencer, Massachusetts, on tires later found to be so worn out steel belts were showing.  The tires were gradually deflating, so I stopped at a rest area on I-84 in Connecticut to add air to them, and this allowed me to limp to my destination and replace the tires at a time and place of my choosing.

[kkt]

I have a foot-powered air pump I keep in the car.  It would work for slow leaks without draining the battery.

[Brandon]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

[oscar]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

I saw that happening at the pump next to mine, near Umatilla OR in eastern Oregon along I-84. The upshot is the guy trying to pump his own gas was prevented from doing so, after a heated discussion with the gas jockey. I don't know exactly how that was done, but my guess is that gas jockeys can shut down your pump if necessary.

See also Jim's story upthread, about what happened when he tried to pump his own gas in Oregon (not knowing about the no-self-serve law).

You might get the latest info on where and when self-serve is now allowed in Oregon, and fill up in the last such place on your itinerary. Or just plan visits to gas stations in neighboring states.

[Rothman]

When I was in Oregon a few years ago and did not know about the full serve law, I discovered at one station that they actually had to put a code in to activate the pump.

[jeffandnicole]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

It can vary greatly. Some will give you the death stare...others could care less.

[J N Winkler]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.

I'd just play along and supervise the jockey.  I'd rather pump my own gas, but I haven't had a problem finding jockeys willing to follow my fillup procedure (bulk fill to first shutoff, slow feed to second shutoff, then slow feed to third and final shutoff) on any recent visit to Oregon.  The biggest trouble I had was with a vehicle that would trip the shutoff prematurely if a rapid bulk fill was attempted, and it has not been in my ownership for 11 years now.

[Brandon]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.

I'd just play along and supervise the jockey.  I'd rather pump my own gas, but I haven't had a problem finding jockeys willing to follow my fillup procedure (bulk fill to first shutoff, slow feed to second shutoff, then slow feed to third and final shutoff) on any recent visit to Oregon.  The biggest trouble I had was with a vehicle that would trip the shutoff prematurely if a rapid bulk fill was attempted, and it has not been in my ownership for 11 years now.

Thanks. That's what I was thinking might be the best option.

[Alps]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

Don't. In Oregon, both you and they face significant fines if you're caught. That's why they will run over and stop you.

[dvferyance]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

Don't. In Oregon, both you and they face significant fines if you're caught. That's why they will run over and stop you.

I have heard the fine could be as much as $500. Which just nuts considering the fact it's legal everywhere else. More abusing tickets for revenue generation no doubt.

[Brandon]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

Don't. In Oregon, both you and they face significant fines if you're caught. That's why they will run over and stop you.

Thank you for your help, but Winkler had a great answer, and I mentioned as much before your post.

[Alps]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

Don't. In Oregon, both you and they face significant fines if you're caught. That's why they will run over and stop you.

Thank you for your help, but Winkler had a great answer, and I mentioned as much before your post.

No one mentioned the information I mentioned.

[jeffandnicole]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

Don't. In Oregon, both you and they face significant fines if you're caught. That's why they will run over and stop you.

I have heard the fine could be as much as $500. Which just nuts considering the fact it's legal everywhere else. More abusing tickets for revenue generation no doubt.

But how many tickets have been handed out?

In NJ, the fine is $250 I believe.  And only to the station owner/attendant. 

So far, in the many decades since self service was illegal, 0 tickets have been issued. 

[J N Winkler]

In Oregon, they don't just hand out tickets to the customer, they also hand out custodial sentences:

http://thatoregonlife.com/2015/06/oregon-man-gets-sentenced-to-3-years-in-jail-for-pumping-his-own-gas/

Admittedly, in this case I don't think it helped that the guy arrived at 1.30 AM, a slow time of night when the jockey was smoking a marijuana cigarette, or that he (the guy, not the jockey) had missing teeth and was wearing boxer shorts only.

[jeffandnicole]

In Oregon, they don't just hand out tickets to the customer, they also hand out custodial sentences:

http://thatoregonlife.com/2015/06/oregon-man-gets-sentenced-to-3-years-in-jail-for-pumping-his-own-gas/

Admittedly, in this case I don't think it helped that the guy arrived at 1.30 AM, a slow time of night when the jockey was smoking a marijuana cigarette, or that he (the guy, not the jockey) had missing teeth and was wearing boxer shorts only.

You do know that's a satire site, right?  It's not real news.

[J N Winkler]

I don't often get fooled, but . . . ding!

However, this TV news piece mentions that there is indeed a fine to the customer for pumping his or her own gas:

http://kval.com/news/local/oddball-oregon-laws-1k-fine-for-pumping-your-own-gas

The provisions dealing with gasoline dispensing are part of ORS 480.315-480.385.  As far as I can tell, the burden to prevent customer self-service is placed entirely on gas station operators in the case of customers driving cars, but in principle a customer riding a motorcycle can fall under the ORS 480.385 penalty provisions if he fails to observe the exact procedure laid out in ORS 480.349, which requires him or her to accept the nozzle from the gas jockey and then hand the nozzle back to the gas jockey once he or she is done filling his or her tank.

[kalvado]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

Don't. In Oregon, both you and they face significant fines if you're caught. That's why they will run over and stop you.

I have heard the fine could be as much as $500. Which just nuts considering the fact it's legal everywhere else. More abusing tickets for revenue generation no doubt.

But how many tickets have been handed out?

In NJ, the fine is $250 I believe.  And only to the station owner/attendant. 

So far, in the many decades since self service was illegal, 0 tickets have been issued.

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2015/05/ever_wonder_what_happens_if_youre_caught_pumping_your_own_gas_in_nj_so_did_we.html

. Two summons were issued in 2013, and 15 violations resulted from 64 inspections in 2010.

[jeffandnicole]

I'm going on a road trip out that way in August, and I'm very leery of the gas jockeys even getting close to the car.  How bad is it if you even try to pump your own fuel there?

Don't. In Oregon, both you and they face significant fines if you're caught. That's why they will run over and stop you.

I have heard the fine could be as much as $500. Which just nuts considering the fact it's legal everywhere else. More abusing tickets for revenue generation no doubt.

But how many tickets have been handed out?

In NJ, the fine is $250 I believe.  And only to the station owner/attendant. 

So far, in the many decades since self service was illegal, 0 tickets have been issued.

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2015/05/ever_wonder_what_happens_if_youre_caught_pumping_your_own_gas_in_nj_so_did_we.html

. Two summons were issued in 2013, and 15 violations resulted from 64 inspections in 2010.

Apparently, as mentioned, the officials were already there for other violations and witnessed these as well.  At least per the article.  But it definitely doesn't sound like a cop was driving by and witnessed it.

[vdeane]

in principle a customer riding a motorcycle can fall under the ORS 480.385 penalty provisions if he fails to observe the exact procedure laid out in ORS 480.349, which requires him or her to accept the nozzle from the gas jockey and then hand the nozzle back to the gas jockey once he or she is done filling his or her tank.

That has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read in my entire life.  How does Oregon get away with this?  At least NJ is small so they're easy to avoid.  If you're going all the way across Oregon, avoiding getting gas is essentially impossible.

[kkt]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.  If you don't like getting your gas tank filled by the attendant, feel free not to visit Oregon.  They fill a lot of gas tanks and their record is no worse than letting John Q. fill it up for himself.

[kalvado]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.  If you don't like getting your gas tank filled by the attendant, feel free not to visit Oregon.  They fill a lot of gas tanks and their record is no worse than letting John Q. fill it up for himself.

My only showstopper was when I asked the guy at full service station to get me $20 worth of gas. It was: ugh, what????  OK, man, 6 gallons (or whatever it was worth back then)
Took him a while to digest as well, though... I assume most people wanted full tank?