I’m sick of paying to pump my own gas!

[Cleita]

At $2.70 a gallon I deserve someone to pump my gas, check under my hood, check my tires and wash my windows!

My husband decided years ago to pump his own gas and check his own car, tires and windows to save a few cents a gallon in gas. You could still go to the SERVICE station for a few cents more and get the service you wanted. It also provided jobs for high school dropouts who would eventually become trained mechanics. (Remember the Fonzie?)

So why am I paying for gas and working for the gas companies for free as well?

[Catherine Vincent]

1. Come to think of it, where are the full service stations?

They should bring them back.

[cheezus]

3. we have a couple

and gas is ususally the same price to only 2 cents more than the competitors.

But you can't use credit card

[CatholicEdHead]

20. Still have a scattered few in Minnesota

of course gas is 10-20cents/gal higher.

[Cleita]

23. I hope they dress like Chippendale guys for 10-20 cents/gal. higher.

That could be worth it, in the summer of course.

[GumboYaYa]

2. You aren't paying enough for your gas.

If we factor in all the real costs of that gas like environmental destruction, road and highway costs,and war, the price should be over $5.00 per gallon.

Albeit painful in the short term, I am hopeful that gas will reach the $5.00 per gallon or higher level soon so that people will take a step back and restructure their lives so they use less gasoline.

[tjwash]

4. Go to Europe, where it is about that price.

You see a lot of bicycles, and use of public transportation (especially the rail).

You also see these teeny tiny little cars in Switzerland

[Cleita]

5. Do they have to pump their own gas for $5 a gallon?

I hope not, and good for them for riding a bicycle instead.

[barb162]

6. I wonder how much mpg those things get...do you know what

they are called

[tjwash]

10. I don't know what they are called, but they are all over the place there.

You also see two of them sharing the same parking place.

What's funny is Americans love to drive the BMW's and Mercedes here as our "hey look at me I'm rich" cars. In Switzerland, they use Jeep Cherokees and Chevy Suburbans as theirs.

A Suburban probably costs them around $150 US dollars to fill it up with gas there.

[Warpy]

14. Smart Cars

but the management is stupidly ignoring the US market, at least for now.

These little rolling gizmos would be perfect in a city like Boston.

On edit: http://www.smart.com/-snm-0135145948-1114073354-0000009536-0000002473-1114552641-enm-is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/mpc-uk-content-Site/en_UK/-/GBP/SVCPresentationPipeline-Start?Page=issite%3a%2f%2fmpc-uk-Site%2fmpc-uk%2ecom%2fRootFolder%2fsmart%2fhome%2epage

[trekbiker]

30. I like it!!!!!

[GumboYaYa]

7. When I lived in France I drove a Renault Twingo, that looked

a lot like that car. It got great gas mileage. Generally, I did not even need a car except when I would run errands in the countryside.

[Horse with no Name]

29. OMG that is cute--it would be roadkill for the SUV's though,lol

:)

[Djinn]

34. I agree

although the price in Australia is around $5 a gallon. People piss and moan here that it's an outrageous amount but it's cheaper per litre than milk or fruit juice, takes considerably more processing and is considerably more damaging to the planet.

It's also cheap when you look at in a purely capitalistic manner - it should cost what the market feels it's worth, if the price doubled tonight there wouldn't be ONE less car on Australia's roads tommorrow. Partly because our public transport is shithouse in the city and non existent outside of it but also because we're very much a car culture.

[tjdee]

8. Come to New Jersey....always someone to pump you up.

It's so nice, especially in the winter.

[Branjor]

9. Yeah....

Full service is all we have here in NJ. :)

[htuttle]

11. "Jobs for High school dropouts"?!?!?

Hey, that's how I put myself through college!

Check your oil today? (squeegee, squeegee, squeegee...)

I will say one thing. It was a lot safer when only 'professionals' pumped the gas. You never heard of cars exploding in flames at the pump back then.

[BearClaws]

12. Move to Oregon

It is illegal to pump your own gas!

[Arugula Latte]

36. I have to say

I hate pumping gas and I guess I'm secretly glad we have that law even though I'm sure we pay for it out of our own pockets ... I don't have to feel guilty not pumpin' my own.

[Cleita]

37. Actually, you don't or you didn't five years ago.

I always found gas cheaper in Oregon with no pumping than in California's cheapest pump your own. Today I spent $2.70 a gallon for the cheapest gas at the cheapest priced gas station in my area. Do you know what you are paying these days?

[Arugula Latte]

42. Less than that.

Probably $2.35 or something. :hi:

The west coast in general has higher prices than the rest of the country.

[Cleita]

44. See, so they can give you service at a lesser price.

This is my big beef. Self-service was for lower prices, but once they baited us, then they switched and we are unpaid employees. Incidentally, they really are serious about pumping your gas in Oregon. The first time my husband got out to pump his own, (he was tired and didn't see the sign), the station attendant got really upset with him, saying he could be fined for not pumping his gas.

We asked what the reason was and it was because the government thought it discriminated against the elderly and handicapped, who often can't pump their own gas. We should ask for laws here like that too. It isn't having to pay wages that raises the prices, but supply and demand, so we should start demanding some services back for our dollars spent.

[tjwash]

16. Or people driving off with the hose still in their tank.

I saw some yuppie a couple days ago who was yacking on his phone and forget the hose was still in there and drove off. Good thing they have the breakaway hoses now.

[Cleita]

17. Scuse me. And for college students too.

You know what I mean. :hide:

It did provide jobs, didn't it? Now we the driver are unpaid employees of the oil companies.

[tjwash]

19. What amazes me is, this morning at one of the the Shell stations here...

...It got robbed at gunpoint, and the guy working behind the counter actually TRIED TO FIGHT THE FREAKIN' CROOKS, and got shot twice in the leg. You just feel like asking the guy after he gets better "what are you STUPID or something? Shell doesn't have enough money so you are gonna risk your life for the six bucks an hour and no benefits they are paying you?" I would give the crook every penny in the place, and all the codes to the gas pumps. Fill up boys, they are ripping us off too...

[Cleita]

31. Don't they train these workers anymore to hand the money over?

I was always trained to do that. Only one place showed me some billyclubs under the counter I could use if I wanted. Oh yeah, all five feet three of me. I told the manager I would give them anything they wanted if I was held up. He walked away without saying a word. I wasn't fired either.

[Warpy]

13. There was a post on the labor shift a week or so ago

that led to an article about how we're busing our own tables in food courts and fast food joints, pumping our own gas, bagging our own groceries, and doing a number of tasks that human beings used to be paid to accomplish for us.

Yes, the jobs were boring, dead end and somewhat demeaning. However, they provided a paycheck that supported human beings.

And now those folks are doing worse jobs and we're working for free.

[anitar1]

27. I know a gr ocery clerk. The corporate market chain

she works for introduced self check stands 7 months ago. They are trying to make things difficult for the journeyman employees so they will retire or quit. They can hire new people who work for less. She says it is hell working there now. Thanks to a new union contract. Even the unions cave to their corporate masters. Sick.

[Warren DeMontague]

15. The price we're paying for petroleum

is nothing less than the future of the planet.

I can skip having someone check my fluid levels if we could come up with a less destructive means of powering our crap.

[Cleita]

18. True, but that's a different topic.

Right now, I want more bang for my buck. I see they are trying to get you to do your own check out at Wal-Mart, so that you can become their unpaid employee too.

[Warren DeMontague]

24. I don't shop at Wal-Mart. Unless it's absolutely unavoidable.

There are these little wooden CD crates that I can't seem to find anywhere else. So I go there about once every three years.

As far as gas goes, I find that these days I'm enjoying my toyota more than ever... Particularly because it seems like I fill it up pretty rarely. As it is, I kind of like checking the oil and whatnot- go figure.

[Cleita]

25. I don't either, but I walk through there every now and then

just to check up on what's going on.

[tjwash]

43. I stop in there to take a leak every once in a while.

Just like I do with mcdonalds.

[sweetheart]

21. Pumping is OK, but don't make me pay in advance

This is dang silly, to have to go inside and put 30 bucks on pump 3932.

Its a sign of the breakdown of trust in society that the pay in advance
logic is spreading across the US like a virus. Why can't they capture
the license plates on video camera like normal stations.

Well, cleita, you've got to remember that this is a "service" economy
and given how pathetic america is at what it does, there's little wonder
you ain't gettin' none. At least Yanks won't be makin' cars much longer,
as they sucked too. At least the damage is less when its only a plate
of shrimp. ;-)

[Cleita]

22. My gripe is that they reneged on their promise.

They said if we were willing to pump our own gas, it would be cheaper, but it's not. Now some college student or high school drop out is out of a job and my gas is costing me more than ever. In my area there are no full service stations. Sometimes you can get somebody to help you if you are having problems, but sweetheart they won't do windows.

[Warren DeMontague]

28. Well, here's the deal-- and if this sounds like a lecture it's not meant

as such...

Addicts are always at the mercy of their dealers. Oil companies know they have you over (pardon the pun) a barrel. What are you going to do-- walk?

All the griping in the world about gas prices, or even a lack of service to go along with it, isn't going to make a bit of difference until we deal with our petroleum addiction.

[sweetheart]

33. however cleita has a point

This trend is constantly repeated. In banking, they were very happy to
fire tellers and replace them with ATM machines because they saved money
in the process. Now they want to charge the customer for the priviledge
of talking to a machine. Its a repeated scam... the tom sawyer effect.

You know, where ya get people to do the work for ya, and then charge
them for it. Its like if you wait long enough, people will forget that
something more was expected... but now, heck, none of us mind getting
gas on our finger nails and ruining the varnish... or a little spash on
the shoes... it smells so damn good.

Hey, pretty soon, we'll order our food on touch screen tables, and then
pick it up from the kitchen ourselves, yet still pay for service on
the cheque. This new service economy is distinctly lacking in just that.

[Warren DeMontague]

35. I agree, but gas (as a product) is a monopoly.

Me, I dunno. I don't mind ATMs, I happen to find them more convenient than actually having to go to the bank (and I'm old enough to be able to remember those days, certainly) ...as far as gas goes, I guess it just doesn't work me up so much to fill my own tank.

[sweetheart]

38. Concur about tellers

I actually do prefer the machine without the queue. However, that said,
when i've finally built up a face-recognition relationship with the bank,
that the people know me, its amazing how much more efficient human beings
are than tellers for more complex transactions.... or even simple ones.

And as corny as it sounds, i don't mind at all being smiled at and
wished a good day... its such a rarity anymore in the world of mechanical
people'ism. I'm got to stop by the construction place this morning and
load my own bags of cement, which is impossible without getting it on
my shoes and clothes. I'll order a bag of coal for heating, and someone
will drive it up to the house and put it in the bin for the same price
that i would getting black shiiite all over meself. As convenient
as self service is, i can't imagine i'll appriciate the heavy work as
age makes it harder.

Doesn't it skin your ass though, when the ATM machine charges you a
couple of bux for the priviledge?

[Cleita]

40. I think ATMs have their place like in marketplaces where there

are no banks, on the road, and yes outside the bank for people who are in a hurry with a simple transaction, but they never should have replaced the teller.

[Warren DeMontague]

26. The reality is that there are tons of scammers out there.

Witness the "finger in the chili". I'm no fan of corporations like Wendy's, but I'm even less of a fan of slimeball rip-off artists and thieves.

Believe me, from my considerable experience managing retail establishments in my youth, I know all about it.

[LizW]

32. I haven't seen a "full service" gas station in years

There used to be a tiny neighborhood Citgo that was "full service" for gas (they didn't have a garage, though) but it closed up years ago, and there's a chi-chi restaurant at that location.

My kids can't even remember "full service". When I tell them about it, they are amazed.

[dcfirefighter]

39. Self Serve

is the name of the game, in gas, and in big-box retail stores.

There's no tax on your labor (or drive time) as a consumer, but there is on on employee's labor.

The biggest asset these stores have is their location, with that they can pretty much make you do what they want.

If we stop giving them the rights we give them, they go away, and we get small privately owned shops and stores.

As it gets more expensive to drive, I expect to see more and more 'mom & pop' stores open close to where people live - - unfortunately they'll have to pay a premium to access good locations, as the landowners hold out for more and more money that they did not earn.

[Cleita]

41. I can see the benefits for the stores, however, I would

like lower prices for being an unpaid employee.

[hector459]

45. Move to New Jersey. It's like old times at gas stations.

When we visit Atlantic City I look forward to getting gas just to get the service and pay the lower prices.

[JerseygirlCT]

46. Yup. People employed, no smelly hands... I like it, too! nt