On Friday (30 June), Alex Fox sat at a Shell station near I-5 in Portland while a worker filled up his SUV. As an Oregonian, he recognizes the longstanding custom of giving the gas pump plenty of space. However, he appreciates self-service fuels.
He stated –
“I like the idea of being able to do it myself.”
“Because there’s been times where I’ve had to wait for a few minutes, which is fine. But, if I’m in a rush it would be nice to just do it myself.”
And despite having spent the majority of his formative years in one of the two states that have historically required gas station attendants to fill motorists’ containers, Fox feels adequately prepared to assume this responsibility.
He said –
“I actually just learned how to pump gas and I’m 28.”
“I was a little bit anxious. I actually had to ask someone next to me if they knew how to do it. But once they explained it, it was pretty easy.”
For the past 72 years, most Oregonians have been prohibited from pumping their own gas. In 1951, lawmakers were concerned about fire safety and preserving gas station attendant employment. However, Oregon lawmakers approved last week to usher in the self-service era, and Gov. Tina Kotek is poised to sign the legislation.
Are you aware that overdoses are becoming increasingly prevalent in Portland? As of Thursday (29 June), 137 individuals have died from overdoses in 2023, according to police officials:
The National Fire Protection Association estimates that more than 4,000 gas station fires occur annually in the United States, resulting in an average of three fatalities, 43 injuries, and $30 million in property damage. Thus, safety is a legitimate concern.
However, close to half of these fires are caused by electrical faults in buildings or dumpster fires. And the data does not differentiate between mechanical failure and human error for flames that begin at the pump. Therefore, it is unknown how many fires are caused by improper use of gas outlets.
The management consultant Stephan Thompson was at the same Portland Shell station as Fox on Friday. He appreciates having someone else pump his gas and expresses regret that some people may lose their jobs.
He said –
“There’s a lot of people in the state that need the work.”
“I don’t know that it really necessarily has cost anyone much, because the gas stations are still all pumping and making money. So I’m not quite sure what the motivation is behind it.”
The measure will not put all gas station attendants in Oregon out of work. Stations in Oregon’s most populous counties must still employ an attendant and provide full-service refueling at no additional cost.
There is a wide range of opinions about the Oregon self-serve gas ban on Twitter –
Technically counties in Oregon with less than 25k population can already pump their own gas for years now
— Go Ducks (@kmetzpor) July 1, 2023
🤣 well here in Oregon we don’t pump our own gas!
— corrales.eth (@corralesofweb3) July 1, 2023
this guy should move to Oregon. he clearly needs a professional to pump his gas for him
— FUNNY LITTLE MAN (@aphextriplet85) July 1, 2023
We still have full service in Oregon. There’s a law against pumping your own gas.
— Carla ULTRA MAGA 💥 SALTY ARMY FAMILY 💥 (@CarlaQLore1) July 1, 2023
The bill merely permits these gas stations to designate up to fifty percent of their pumps as “self-serve.” There are already fewer gas station personnel in more rural counties. In 2015, station operators in small communities advocated for overnight self-service for the first time, according to Marie Dodds of AAA Oregon.
She stated –
“We would hear from members who pulled into a small Oregon town on the road, hoping to fill up their tanks.”
“They were stranded because gas stations were closed and they couldn’t find anybody to pump their gas.”
A few years later, this law was expanded to enable self-service in all rural counties at all times.
Dodds said –
“The driving issue behind this was staffing. In smaller communities gas station operators simply couldn’t always find people to work 24/7.”
The Oregon Fire Marshal supported self-service by permitting it during significant wildfires, heat waves, and pandemics.
Dodds said –
“We think that this bill really makes sense.”
“It strikes a good balance. It makes sure that people who can’t or don’t want to pump their own gas, can still easily get gas pumped by an attendant. And it makes sure that the price is the same, no matter if you pump the gas yourself or if you have someone do it for you.”
Self-service is supported by 63% of respondents in a recent poll by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center. However, nine of the seventeen Democrats in the Senate opposed the new law, citing job concerns. The whole thing feels extremely Oregonian, even though people in other states may find it difficult to get excited about it.
Drivers have been filling their own gas in Washington for decades. But many people are aware of Oregon’s peculiarities in gas service, including bookkeeper Keely Kelly.
Kelly said –
“I really don’t mind it. You get in, they pump it real quick and you go.”
The self-service ban in Oregon has been peculiar since its inception. You have always been permitted to pump your own diesel, for instance. Farmers, vehicle drivers, and anyone with a special access card to a commercial station are now permitted to serve themselves.
And the police cannot issue a citation to someone who pumps their own gas. The law can only be enforced by one Oregon Fire Marshal, and there are fewer than thirty of them in the entire state. If Kotek signs the self-service bill into law, fire marshals will have to sanction even fewer violations at gas pumps.
