Power At The Gas Pump: Oregon Lets Drivers Fuel Their Own Cars Lifting Decades-Old Self-Serve Ban

Finally, after a long struggle, Oregon has lifted the decade-old self-serve ban, letting motorists fill gas into their cars on their own. According to the bill passed by Gov. Tina Kotek, the law takes immediate effect allowing motorists in Oregon to fill fuel on their own or by someone.

In contrast, New Jersey still suffers from the prohibition of allowing motorists to pump fuel on their own similar to the practice in certain other countries such as South Africa.

Read on to delve into the varied perspectives of the residents, motorists, lawmakers, and others on the lifting of the self-serve ban. Considering the multiple yet differing perspectives from several stakeholders, it makes sense to consult a Lake Oswego car accident lawyer.

What Do The Motorists Or Service Station Managers Say?
Karen Cooper, a resident of Salem said, “It’s about time. It’s long overdue,” before the bill was signed. She adds,” I’ve spent a lot of time in California. I know how to pump my own. Everybody should know how to pump their own gas.”

In 1951, when Oregon state passed the prohibition legislation, lawmakers raised concerns about the safety of motorists with regard to the slick in the gas stations in Oregon which leads to slippery surfaces in its rainy weather conditions. In recent times, legislators considered this aspect seriously and initially allowed motorists in rural areas to self-serve at night.

With time, this rule was further relaxed to include all hours in eastern Oregon’s less populated regions. This was primarily enforced because if the motorists were forced to depend on attendants to fill the fuel, they could be stranded on the roads when there was nobody on duty.

In a way, the Covid-19 pandemic opened the gateway to the concept of self-serve across Oregon and offered some relief to the residents. It resulted in a labor shortage necessitating motorists to become self-reliant in filling their vehicles with fuel.

Steve Rodgers, whose community lives at the base of the snow-capped Cascade mountains requested to the lawmakers, “We live in a small town in a large county and can’t find employees to pump fuel,”. “We are paying top dollar and also offering insurance, paid time off, and retirement benefits, and still cannot fully staff.”

Yet another request was made by Haseeb Shojai, an immigrant from Afghanistan who owns gas stations in central Oregon. According to him, the wildfires are causing a threat as it is greatly impacting the work and life of the attendants at the gas stations. Besides labor shortages, these wildfires are a major concern as it is difficult for the attendants to stay for long periods in the heat and smoke.

The union representing workers at grocery stores in Oregon estimated serious job losses which would in a way greatly benefit the corporate giants. In this regard, Sandy Humphrey, the secretary-treasurer of UFCW Local 555 said, “With over 2,000 gas stations in Oregon, laying off just one employee per location represents millions of dollars a year that giant corporations are not paying in wages, benefits, and public payroll taxes.”

The lifting of the self-serve ban in Oregon opens the doors to different perspectives from various groups. While it certainly offers benefits, you can go ahead and consult a Lake Oswego car accident lawyer to understand the nuances of the legislation in detail.

The Other Side
While the lifting of the self-serve ban would help a lot of motorists making them independent, there’s also the growing concern that it could lead to the complete closure of full-service gas stations which could affect the lives of old people and those with disabilities.

In addition, some service station managers are worried about whether motorists would use the gas pumps carefully. Brendon Venable, a service station manager has requested the lawmakers to reject the bill as he feels attendants would do the job more cautiously and carefully.

Besides, there are other factors that raise concerns such as what if motorists are careless and lead to dangerous situations such as smoking and leaving their engines running or such. Republican state Sen. Tim Knopp says “I have yet to light myself on fire. I have yet to cause any problems whatsoever as it relates to self-serve gas. So, colleagues, let’s make New Jersey the only state in the country that has a law against self-serve gas.”

Ultimately, the state Senate approved the bill at a vote of 16-9 and the House earlier passed it at 47-10.

That makes New Jersey with its ban implemented in 1949, the only state where people cannot pump their own gas. In 2015, efforts were made to lift this ban, however, the opposition from the state Senate President didn’t let it work.

As New Jersey offers cheaper gas prices, the drivers from neighboring states cross the border to come and fill the fuel in their vehicles.

In case, you require any legal assistance or clarifications with regard to the enforcement, reach out to a Lake Oswego car accident lawyer.