Oregon Residents May Have To Pump Their Own Gas Once Again
If you live in Oregon, you may not have the luxury of getting your gas pumped anymore depending on the Gas Station you visit.
Oregon is not the only State that has banned self-serving gas stations, New Jersey is one as well. Oregon and New Jersey are the only two States in America that don't allow you to pump your own gas, these two states have held firm to their ban on self-serving gas stations for decades now. However, there is an active movement on the table now that could change Oregon's gas pumping ban as we know it. This is followed by the current employee shortage that businesses are struggling to overcome amid the COVID pandemic.
Proponents say the fueling choice bill comes at a time when gas stations are struggling to staff vacant positions amid widespread labor shortages.
“This legislation will provide relief for gas stations struggling to remain open during labor shortages, for station attendants racing to serve waiting customers, and for drivers stuck in line at the pump,” Boshart Davis said in a press release. “It’s a win for every Oregonian.”
Gabriel Zirkle, president of the Oregon Fuels Association, said he agrees it’s time to offer this choice to Oregonians. The association includes members from more than 500 independent, locally-owned gas stations.
“We know from the experiences of 48 other states that self-serve can be done safely and efficiently,” Zirkle said. “Oregonians support customer choice. This bill will offer convenience for Oregonians who choose it and will reduce the wait for those in line to be served by an attendant.”
Oregon’s rule preventing self-service at gas stations could be overturned in the 2022 legislative session. State Reps are currently spending hours upon hours disguising the dangers and positive effects of self-service gas stations.
The newly introduced bipartisan bill introduced by Oregon representatives Shelly Boshard Davis of Albany and Julie Fahey of Eugene, House Bill 4151, would require gas stations to present a choice of either self-service or full-service fuel pumps. The bill also states there would be penalties if a gas station doesn't have both options at the same price, and this can be a perturbation for some.
Since the move to Oregon from New York in 2008 I could remember full-service gas stations, it was nice to have someone pump your gas while you relaxed in your vehicle after a long day or to know you didn't have to exit your car during the cold Winter months. However, I noticed that sometimes the gas attendant would take a while to get to us and realized that it would be faster and easier to just pump your own. The reason why Oregon didn't allow their residents to pump their own gas was because State electives didn't think it was safe. Oregon's 1951 law was justified by fears that pumping gas can expose customers to unsafe fumes, can be dangerous for those who don't know what they're doing, and introduce unnecessary spill risks that can result in fuel loss and fires.
At the start of 2018, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon loosened its grip on the pump once again when it allowed people to dispense their own gas. The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office said the relaxed rule was meant to facilitate social distancing and minimize exposure for gas attendants. Oregon residents living in rural counties with populations under 40,000 had the option to pump their own gas.
If you would like to be heard or want to hear what is being said about the latest bill, it is scheduled to have its first reading in the House on Feb. 1, 2022.
Do you agree with this Bill?
Comments online social media range from "no way am I getting out of the car in the winter" to "handling I am not going to handle a nasty gas nozzle after 100 other people have touched during ths pandemic, I have even seen one that says "I don't even know HOW to pump gas, and I'm 62!" What do you think? Leave your comment below or submit them to us on Facebook.
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Source: Oregon may finally allow drivers to pump their own gas statewide | KTLA
