Re: Gas Tank Fill Location All Wrong

Oregon, though it's pretty common in Washington as well.

There's nothing wrong with bringing the hose to the vehicle, but wrapping it across is. Just asking for a spill or the emergency disconnect to split.

Full service or minimum service? If it's really full service, that's a pretty good deal. If it's not full service, either you're getting the terminology wrong, or they're guilty of false advertising...

How do you know? In Oregon and New Jersey, there are no self-service gas stations. I doubt there are enough self-service diesel stations in New Jersey to make a judgment.

Why do you think self-service is more expensive in the same market?

What an idiot. Do you really think it is that important that you confront someone who is trying to get fuel to push him or her out of the way?

There are no emergency disconnect on any of the hoses I have seen in California, the Midwest or the East Coast. Making an emergency disconnect that can come apart easily is more stupid than your comments is this thread.

I don't see how this is asking for a spill if the hose is long enough.

Jeff

Or the full service station is able to sell more oil and other services to its costumers, making up for the cost of having more attendants.

Jeff

Varies from station to station and the mood of the attendant. Some offer to check the oil, others don't. Not much different than it was 40 years ago.

In California, I haven't seen an attendant since the early 60's.

If that's all true, then we can have zero unemployment. Just mandate no self serve all over the country - force all unemployed to pump gas. Then all those people will magically get a paycheck, insurance, and benefits, and there's absolutely zero cost to anyone. Someone needs to tell Hillary about this!! :)

Something's not adding up here. You've just described a perpetual motion machine.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Oh, they're still inside running the C-store, or around back wrenching on cars - if you are willing to pay a $.30 to $.50 premium per gallon for the convenience, they'll be more than happy to drop what they are doing to come out and pump your gas.

And if you are a regular customer (and known good tipper) you might even get the tires checked or under the hood. But that's pushing the boundaries nowadays.

We do have the law that they have to offer minimum service to the handicapped at Self-Serve prices - CA Business & Professions Code

13360. But you might have to wave your HC Parking Permit to remind the attendant, he isn't going to volunteer to come out unless you're a regular whose car is recognized.

There is an exemption in B&PC 13360 if it's a one-man station, he doesn't have to - in a bad neighborhood and/or at night, this is a valid excuse for not leaving that nice safe bulletproof glass bunker with a pass-drawer for the money. In a nice area on a nice day, it's just an excuse for laziness.

And the Handicapped folks I know who can often will get out and pump their own gas for a sense of normalcy. Or out of just plain mule headed stubbornness, take your pick. ;-) And it's a good excuse to get up and stretch, all drivers need to take time out to do that.

Many self-serve dispensers have a "not so hidden" button with a Handicapped symbol on the front panel just for these folks, that button disables the safety no-flow timeout delay after the pump is activated. It might take them a little while to get the nozzle around to the filler and start the flow, or to get the nozzle from the first tank to the second tank on a pickup or motorhome.

-->--

i have lived in jersey for 50 years, and have driven diesel vehicles for 40 years. and i have never seen a diesel self serve in jersey. mainly cause jersey does not have self serve. there are big signs on all fuel pumps in jersey, gas and diesel, that say do not pump your own fuel. wait for an attendant. it is against the law in the state of new jersey to pump your own fuel.

and don't even start with the top post crap. i have already read everything in these posts. i don't need to read it again to see what i posted.

Well not necessarily "this year" but in the last few years at most of the car makers I've seen.

It takes a while for everyone to get on board, even with a good, simple and virtually free to implement idea - all it takes is a rework of the printing mask for the instrument cluster to add that arrow.

-->--

I'm going to call Bullshit on these alleged "laws", too. One Way traffic enforced by law on private property? Where you can or can't put the hose? Cites, please.

Most relevant state laws and codes are on the net somewhere, and easily quoted, I know California's are -

The One Way traffic one, I can see the property owner (gas station) "Enforcing" their own rules by refusing you service, especially if you jumped the line to come in the back way, but they can't give you a traffic ticket.

The drive-off Break-away Fitting that is incorporated in the hose swivel requires quite a bit of force to pop open if it's in good condition. It isn't going to open just from being draped across the back of a car by hand - you'd have to be deliberately trying to pop it open, pulling hard and fast with both hands at the limit of the hose retractor rope.

But there are a few stations who have turned the break-away into a new profit center - "I'm sorry Ma'am, but I have to charge you $250 for popping the break-away. Now we have to call an equipment serviceman out and have him replace the hose and nozzle..." And if the victim doesn't pay, the station can call the cops.

After the victim leaves with their wallet lightened, the owner checks the seals for damage, they're fine. Put a bit of oil on the mating surfaces, two big pairs of pliers and pop it back together, and a 25-cent shear pin out of the box of 100 in the back room. Done.

-->--

The only place I've ever seen a "one way" sign is at one of these:

The worst they can do is revoke your club membership. And they have signs up that say they have "extra long hoses to reach both sides of your vehicle."

I am suprised to find out that there is something a Yankey can't do ! (pump their own gas)

I only know what I see. The absolute cheapest gas in Uxbridge MA is at Hellens Fuels, two to three cents cheaper than the self serve and they have from one to three people manning the pumps. You can make your own choice, but it seems silly to pay 3¢ a gallon more to freeze my ass off pumping my own.

My point is, self serve is touted to save money for the customer. MA stations are proof that it is possible to sell for the same price and offer pumping service. Self serve is a scam.

I personally wouldn't want service beyond just pumping the gas and washing the windshield as I think an oil level and tire pressure check is just inviting them to scam you. The reason being that the oil has to have time to drain back down before a reading can be taken or it will seem to be low and if filled back up will be overfilled and with some vehicles overfilled oil can really cause an MPG loss as well as other issues. Also it invites them to sell you a quart of oil. On the tire side the attendant doesn't know if you have driven 5 blocks or 5 miles and if the tires are at operating temp the pressure will read higher and lowering it back down will cause them to be underinflated which once again will cause MPG loss and excessive tire wear.

tom, how about learning where your Shift key is, fer crying out loud...