I stopped here before sunrise not knowing the rules of self service stations in Oregon but I soon learned after the attendant jumped to his feet in a panic just as I swiped my credit card and began pumping fuel into my rental. This state has or had a similar law as does the state of New Jersey that prevents the driver from pumping their own gas in the name of safety, uhm that is unless the county has fewer than 40,000 residents then it's ok and safe I guess.
Apparently the Oregon law passed nearly seven decades ago banned drivers from pumping their own gas the state law made it illegal for gas station customers to pump their own gas and mandated $500 fines for stations that violated the law by letting customers pump gas and risk blowing up planet earth.
This tiny increase in freedom is apparently too much for some Oregonians to wrap their heads around. The problem is that many people are not capable of knowing how to pump gas since they never had nor do they know the hazards of doing it since the law has been in effect longer than most people have been alive. Although tens of millions of Americans in 48 states pump their own gas and--miraculously--manage to avoid setting themselves on fire or drowning in gas most around here feel this a service that only a few qualified people are capable of performing. The guy that approached me today looked so stoned I doubt he could of ran my credit card much less being capable of inserting the gas nozzle in the tiny hole without damaging the paint or spraying ethanol all over the ground.
I guess I'll give them four stars for having such a rad staffer and for surviving the new law thus far, welcome to 2018 Oregonians... read more