Yup NJ is one of 2 states that doesn't allow self-serve gasoline
By NJ Chicaa
@NJChicaa (116131)
United States
June 18, 2022 7:42pm CST
and I am totally fine with that. 
During the trips that were out of state and I needed to get gas I had to rely on the kindness of others to help me (read: do) with it. I went to a university in Connecticut 2.5 hours away. I would drive all the way up the parkway, fill up the tank at the rest stop just before the Tappan Zee Bridge, and then live my life during the week in CT. I'd have *just* enough gas to get back into NJ to the same rest stop to refill on my way home for the weekend.
I am perfectly happy not having to pump gas and that is like the only issue that both Republicans and Democrats in this state seem to agree on. Our prices are typically some of the cheapest in the US since we have oil refineries in the northern part of the state.
Some gas stations staged an event a couple of weeks ago where people got a discount on gas if they pumped it themselves. It was to try to drum up support for the state allowing it. I didn't participate. Even if NJ ever allowed self-serve I'd probably still pay the few cents more to have someone do it for me. Jersey girls don't pump gas!
During the trips that were out of state and I needed to get gas I had to rely on the kindness of others to help me (read: do) with it. I went to a university in Connecticut 2.5 hours away. I would drive all the way up the parkway, fill up the tank at the rest stop just before the Tappan Zee Bridge, and then live my life during the week in CT. I'd have *just* enough gas to get back into NJ to the same rest stop to refill on my way home for the weekend.
I am perfectly happy not having to pump gas and that is like the only issue that both Republicans and Democrats in this state seem to agree on. Our prices are typically some of the cheapest in the US since we have oil refineries in the northern part of the state.
Some gas stations staged an event a couple of weeks ago where people got a discount on gas if they pumped it themselves. It was to try to drum up support for the state allowing it. I didn't participate. Even if NJ ever allowed self-serve I'd probably still pay the few cents more to have someone do it for me. Jersey girls don't pump gas!
Every state has lifted its ban on self-service gas. Except for New Jersey and Oregon.
9 people like this
7 responses
@DWDavis (25812)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
19 Jun 22
I have fond memories of buying gas in NJ in June of 1979 during the fake gas shortage created by Big Oil to drive up prices. (Note: People who worked for big oil went to jail and paid huge fines over that.)
My dad and I were traveling from NC to MA and were nearly out of gas on the Jersey Turnpike. We pulled into a service center and a young black man came out and told us that because of our license plate number, we couldn't buy gas that day. Then, he realized ours' was an NC plate and he was also from NC. He filled our tank and wished us safe travels. We made it to RI before having to fill up again. That's another story for another time.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (62492)
• United States
19 Jun 22
Wow, STILL? My friend graduated from Trenton State in 1982, and I went up from Norfolk to see her graduation. We went to a Phillies game and then to Asbury Park during the graduation weekend. I pulled in to get gas and some guy came running at me, and I’m thinking I’ll have to beat him up or he’ll beat me up. No, just the guy pumping the gas. I hadn’t seen that since, gee, I guess the early 70s (when they made things self-service to cut costs after the Arab oil embargo).
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62492)
• United States
19 Jun 22
@NJChicaa — we were both Springsteen fans at the time, so naturally we were going there!
That’s when I made another interesting discovery about New Jersey: I bought a t-shirt and started looking for change for the tax. There was no tax on it. Clothing wasn’t taxed in New Jersey. I don’t know if that’s still true or not, but given that clothes are a necessity, it’s a smart idea.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95779)
• Marion, Ohio
19 Jun 22
I dont mind doing it. But having someone else pump the gas is nice.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118579)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Jun 22
That is so funny seeing your story, because just this morning I was thinking about as I was filling up the tank on my truck. There's big signs affixed to each gas pump at the station I was at that said "self-serve pump." Ummm....all pumps at all stations in Florida are self-serve. Why would they need a sign like that to tell people? I thought it was funny.
Okay, maybe somewhere in Florida there is full-serve pumps, but I haven't seen any in years, and I'm sure most people haven't either. Which is why I found it funny that there had to be a sign telling people it was self-serve. I'm pretty sure everyone that drives in our state already knows that.
Maybe they put those signs up so that people from Jersey know that they have to pump their own gas!
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (157337)
• United States
19 Jun 22
Fortunately hubs pumps gas for both cars. We don't have the option at our local stations for full service.
1 person likes this
@yanzalong (18982)
• Indonesia
19 Jun 22
In my place, the gas stations are the busiest, and it seems impossible to apply self-serve gasoline.
1 person likes this
