Out to OH. again

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by dj92

Could you explain this?
Seems to be another one of the strange laws in the U.S.
I often take a canister with me on my fillup trips to Luxemburg - the ~36l are not very much cost saving :D

48 of the 50 U.S. states allow consumers to pump their own gas at the pump at a gas station. Two states do not -- New Jersey and Oregon (and Bronsin lives in New Jersey). I've asked a fair number of people in both states why and I've gotten two answers -- 1. I don't know (which obviously isn't the correct answer ) and 2. Because the decision makers in each of the two state governments don't want to cause unemployment to rise due to the pump attendants losing their jobs (which I understand is the correct answer). Some consumers like this law, and some think it is ridiculous. The people I've talked to who like this law primarily fall into two groups -- one in each state -- with people in Oregon liking it because of the political stance the law represents (they feel that the law is helping the citizens who are employed in these jobs) and supporters in New Jersey feeling the way they do re convenience (not having to get out of the car to pump gas when...it's cold...it's cold and snowing or raining...you are heading to an event where you don't want to have even a hint of the smell of gasoline on you...you are in the middle of christmas shopping...or a number of other reasons).

I think the law is ridiculous. I think it interferes with how a business owner (or corporation) wants to run a private business and how most consumers prefer to obtain the fuel for their vehicles. The impression I get is that most consumers aren't as picky as I am about the controlling the amount and assuring a fill up as I am, they just don't like that they aren't controlling the time expended aspect of the process, without any proven public good (like safety) that has to do with the actual physical operation of the business. I've had a few pump attendants (but zero consumers) tell me that safety is a reason, but I think that is BS (I'd love to see any study/research attempting to assert that point). If safety played a part, and people believed that, I think there would be more than two states out of fifty that would adopt the same requirement. The law also keeps the employee from using that time toward a pursuit that is actually valued by business owners in the marketplace, rather than their employment being forced upon said owners.

Gasoline is cheaper in New Jersey than in the surrounding states (NY, PA, and DE), and my understanding is that this is largely because the gas tax in New Jersey is lower than in surrounding states, and that New Jersey makes up for this by having a much higher cigarette tax, and some other taxes are higher. If I lived in Bergen County, NJ (one of 3 New Jersey counties that shares a northern border with the State of New York), I would drive across the state line into New York to be able to pump my own gas (and pay more per gallon). Living in the New Jersey part of the Philadelphia, PA metro (as Bronsin does) would drive me crazy, not because of the physical surroundings.... Moorestown, Mt. Laurel, and a number of other towns are beautiful.... but because in order to get out of state to be able to pump my own gas I'd have to pay a toll on one of the bridges to cross the river and return .

I don't know what the regulations are, neither at the federal level nor state to state re gasoline containers/canisters. I have a Yaris hatch (so no enclosed trunk) and a gas container wouldn't really fit with what I have stored behind the rear seat and under the package shelf. I have AAA road service and I'm allowed a certain number of calls before they start charging me per call. My Yaris is so reliable that all of my AAA calls within memory (not too many ) have been because I ran out of gas...and AAA brings me gas (part of the cost of my membership).