No self-serve gas stations in New Jersey

[ilvny]

Why can't motorists pump their own gas in New Jersey?

I'm not sure if this should be in the Northeast or Off Topic board, so I put it in Off Topic.

[Alps]

Off Topic is right. It's because the law says we can't.

[6a]

Isn't there another state that still has that law?  Oregon maybe?

edit: yep, it's Oregon.

[1995hoo]

Stupid law. I avoid filling up in New Jersey. A few years back I spent a month in Princeton while handling a trial in the federal court in Trenton. I drove across to Pennsylvania for gas so I could fill the tank myself. Don't like the attendant dropping the gas cap against the paint.

[Roadgeek Adam]

I live in Jersey, and given the choice of lower prices or self-serve gas, I will take the lower prices.

I love pumping my own gas when out of state, but we're used to it and I really see nothing wrong if a person does it for us.

[ilvny]

I don't mind the full-service gas stations.  Also, I like how New Jersey's gas is cheaper than Pennsylvania and Delaware's gas.

[Molandfreak]

I don't mind the full-service gas stations.  Also, I like how New Jersey's gas is cheaper than Pennsylvania and Delaware's gas.

Really? Cool!

[jwolfer]

I don't mind the full-service gas stations.  Also, I like how New Jersey's gas is cheaper than Pennsylvania and Delaware's gas.

Its hardly full service.  Some moron sticks the nozzle in and turns the pump on.   If you go late at night you have to wait for an attendant to pump gas at numerous vehicles and finally return to you.  You could pump the gas faster yourself.  The reason for the lower price is difference in gas taxes from state to state not necessarily self serve vs someone else pumping gas.

[empirestate]

So, if you work as a fuel attendant in NJ, are you allowed to fill up your own car? If so, do you have to be actually on duty and at your actual workplace to do so? What credentials are required?

[Alps]

So, if you work as a fuel attendant in NJ, are you allowed to fill up your own car? If so, do you have to be actually on duty and at your actual workplace to do so? What credentials are required?

It's rarely ever checked. I've pumped my own gas at a station that didn't have the employee card interlock.

[empirestate]

It's rarely ever checked.

"It" meaning whatever credential is required? Which, again, is what?

I've pumped my own gas at a station that didn't have the employee card interlock.

I take it you are an attendant, just not at that particular station? Or does the interlock serve to keep out those who aren't employees of any station?

Sorry if I seem a bit behind, but it seems the bits I'm most interested in are the ones you've left out, probably because they go without saying to someone from NJ! :-)

[kphoger]

At larger stations in NJ, does a certain attendant have a certain set of pumps, while another attendant has another set of pumps?  That's the way they do it in México–which means, if one driver wants to pay for two vehicles at once, he has to make sure to direct the other vehicle to a pump being manned by the same attendant.

FWIW, in the case of paying for two vehicles, I've found it advantageous to watch both pumps and do the addition myself, since gas station attendants (especially in México) aren't always the best at mental math.  I did have an attendant once who carried a calculator with him.  And another one once who did the math by writing it with his finger in the dust on our window.

[vdeane]

When I was on the NJ Turnpike they had one attendant per pump at the service area.

[Roadgeek Adam]

At larger stations in NJ, does a certain attendant have a certain set of pumps, while another attendant has another set of pumps?  That's the way they do it in México–which means, if one driver wants to pay for two vehicles at once, he has to make sure to direct the other vehicle to a pump being manned by the same attendant.

FWIW, in the case of paying for two vehicles, I've found it advantageous to watch both pumps and do the addition myself, since gas station attendants (especially in México) aren't always the best at mental math.  I did have an attendant once who carried a calculator with him.  And another one once who did the math by writing it with his finger in the dust on our window.

Large enough ones, such as Wawa and Quick Chek, has like 4 even distributed. Hess also does that.

[Duke87]

In addition to New Jersey and Oregon, the town of Huntington, NY, and several towns in Massachusetts have bans on self-service.

It's worth noting that full service used to be the norm with gas stations - the idea of self-service gasoline didn't really take off until the 1970s, when the oil embargoes prodded gas station owners to cut costs by ditching the attendants.

It's interesting how the culture has changed. Back in the day attendants were a business courtesy and the idea of telling someone to pump their own gas was considered rude. Nowadays, nobody thinks that way.

I, for one, am perfectly capable of pumping my own gas thank you very much, and I specifically make a point of avoiding full service only stations. I don't want some random stranger touching my car, nor do I trust him with handling my credit card.

[Alps]

It's rarely ever checked.

"It" meaning whatever credential is required? Which, again, is what?

Meaning that you very rarely have someone actually get caught touching the gas pump illegally.

I've pumped my own gas at a station that didn't have the employee card interlock.

I take it you are an attendant, just not at that particular station? Or does the interlock serve to keep out those who aren't employees of any station?

Sorry if I seem a bit behind, but it seems the bits I'm most interested in are the ones you've left out, probably because they go without saying to someone from NJ! :-)

Meaning that I could just insert my credit card and pump gas like any of the other states. At most places, the employees insert a validation card first.

[corco]

I don't know about Jersey, but in Oregon if you are filling up on the job (e.g. as a contractor filling up his truck for work) you're actually allowed to pump your own gas, but you'll probably get yelled at.

[empirestate]

It's rarely ever checked.

"It" meaning whatever credential is required? Which, again, is what?

Meaning that you very rarely have someone actually get caught touching the gas pump illegally.

Right, but if they were to check, what would you have to present to prove that you were legal?

In checking the NJ statute, it appears you have to have a full day of supervised training and a practical "exam", after which you get a certificate that must be kept on file. Is there a standard state form for this?

I've pumped my own gas at a station that didn't have the employee card interlock.

I take it you are an attendant, just not at that particular station? Or does the interlock serve to keep out those who aren't employees of any station?

Sorry if I seem a bit behind, but it seems the bits I'm most interested in are the ones you've left out, probably because they go without saying to someone from NJ! :-)

Meaning that I could just insert my credit card and pump gas like any of the other states. At most places, the employees insert a validation card first.

I see, you're referring to times you've pumped your own gas without technically being allowed to do so.

But my question is, if you were authorized to pump gas, could you do so at any filling station, or only the one you work at? And if the latter, could you drive in on your off day and pump your own gas, or could only an on-duty attendant do it?

I'm specifically wondering about what the law requires, not what people are likely to be able to get away with.

[bugo]

I'll never buy gas in New Jersey.

[NJRoadfan]

NJ's law does have an exception, you are allowed to pump your own diesel fuel as the law specifies gasoline only. Another exception is private fleet pumps. I certainly don't expect someone to come out and fill up one of my job's pool cars at 6am on a dark foggy morning.

[Molandfreak]

NJ's law does have an exception, you are allowed to pump your own diesel fuel as the law specifies gasoline only. Another exception is private fleet pumps. I certainly don't expect someone to come out and fill up one of my job's pool cars at 6am on a dark foggy morning.

Logic pwning the law!

[kphoger]

I don't want some random stranger touching my car, nor do I trust him with handling my credit card.

Do you also avoid stores that don't have swipe-your-own credit card readers?

[J N Winkler]

I think we have had this thread at least three times in the past.  In each case my answer has always been the same--I disapprove of mandatory full-serve because I have owned a car which trips the shutoff prematurely when fuel is fed in at the highest possible rate, as attendants tend to do because it reduces the time required to turn over my car.  It is highly burdensome to supervise the attendant to ensure that this does not happen.

[hbelkins]

I take it you are an attendant, just not at that particular station?

Yep, Steve's a pump jockey. He's putting that MIT degree and that PE certification to good use! 

[kphoger]

I think we have had this thread at least three times in the past.  In each case my answer has always been the same--I disapprove of mandatory full-serve because I have owned a car which trips the shutoff prematurely when fuel is fed in at the highest possible rate, as attendants tend to do because it reduces the time required to turn over my car.  It is highly burdensome to supervise the attendant to ensure that this does not happen.

I have the opposite problem.  My car tends to spew gas from the tank if you put very much more in after it clicks the nozzle off, which then makes the car smell like gasoline for several miles.  Yet the attendants in México seem to be trained to squeeze every drop of gas possible into your tank.