Any near you? I haven’t seen one in I don’t know how many years. Actually, I’ve seen the opposite – basically concrete aprons that have gas pumps and vending machines, and no attendant whatsoever.
When’s the last time a gas jockey has offered to check your oil and lookunder the hood?
Yes, in Oregon, and New Jersey, U.S.A.
That’s all AFAICT.
Oh, and by the way: I am far from sure that the guys who pump that gas bother to ask about your oil, wiper fluid, or anything else under the hood.
Good luck with that.
I’m in Greenville, SC. There is one in a nearby town that confused the hell out of me the first time I stopped there. I continued to go there for years thereafter. I thought it was neat.
You can find them outside of OR and NJ, but they charge about a half-dollar extra per gallon (or more!), at least here in SF.
Incidentally, I lived in NJ for the first 23 years of my life, and the first time I found self-serve gas, I was… a bit confused. When I lived in CENTRAL California, I was amazed at the number of people who couldn’t pump gas (I work / worked at a gas station). How did you get all the way THIS FAR away from Oregon or NJ and not have to fill your tank?
Joe
There’s only one I’ve noticed (here in San Antonio) and it’s in the “old money” part of the city…the gas is like fifty cents more there, give or take, and I’ve never gone there…but friends tell me that they only have one “self-serve” pump and the rest are full-service…which is annoying if they’re busy and you just want to pump your gas and get on your way…
When I was a kid I vaguely recall full-service stations, but as an adult I’ve never used one…and like I said, there may be more than one here but I have yet to run across it.
My SO is from Connecticut and he says that on the east coast there are unions that protect full-service gas stations, so you CAN’T pump it yourself, and lots of people never pump their own gas. I don’t recall what specific regions he mentioned, but apparently it’s not uncommon for whole areas to only have full-service stations.
As for me…I don’t like getting gas but I don’t like it the same way I don’t like stopping to pick up dinner vs. delivery. It’s just me being lazy. I wouldn’t willingly pay somebody to pump my gas.
As a postscript…my ex-boyfriend’s mother is in her sixties and has never put gas in anything. She got married at 18 and every week her husband fills up her car. He did it then and he still does it now. She’s never once put gas in her own vehicle and has no idea how to do it.
And I don’t know whether that’s romantic and adorable or just appalling.
I’ve lived on the East Coast my entire life (NY and MA) and drive in CT frequently and I have no idea where he might be talking about. Unions for people who pump gas? It is the stereotypical minimum wage job.
Here in the Greater Boston Area, and everywhere else I have ever lived, we have full serve and self serve, everywhere. Most places near me have both kinds of pumps, they charge you more if they pump it for you. If you have a handicapped sticker they will pump it for you at the self serve price.
There are a few places around that are only full serve, they are usually older stations that maybe don’t have the room to put in more pumps. There are also places that are self serve only, usually newer stations with many pumps. I think the entire Massachussets Turnpike is self serve only (again. with the exception of people with handicapped stickers).
I don’t usually patronize the full service pumps but I am pretty sure they will check your oil and fluids if you ask them to.
A few stations around here still offer a full-serve island. This is perfect, because my mother is a stereotypical “little old lady,” and that means she can have someone pump her gas and check fluids.
If there are any around here I haven’t noticed, but then all I look at are the Prices on the sign.
I’ve accidentally pulled into a few since I moved out here to New England. It’s an odd sensation when you’re not expecting it.
He’s talking about New Jersey. Just one more thing to add to the list of reasons to never go there. 
I’m not sure if it’s a union thing; I think there’s actually some bizarre statute that requires it in the name of “safety.”
I remember when self-serve was introduced in the 70s?? in IL. IIRC the industry was lobbying against it because of “safety” concerns. The legislature had to pass some new laws to allow it – odds are that NJ had laws preventing self-serve already and never got past industry opposition to change the law.
We’ve got one here in the mega-rich enclave of Montecito, home of Oprah and numerous other billionaires. Back in May, gas was $5.64 per gallon of premium.
People in New Jersey lose their frickin’ minds every few years when the issue of incorporating self-service comes up. It’s really weird. While I think it’s still lead by industry folks, there really are a lot of people that are amazed we’re not all blowing ourselves up pumping our own gas in other states.
There are some full serve stations or islands at stations around here. I don’t use them, as a rule - I suffer a horrible case of embarrassment having some lackey pump my gas for me. It’s weird, I don’t mind waiters or baggers or tailors, but the idea of having someone else pump my gas makes me feel all…elitist.
It WAS nice when I sprained my ankle, though. I was able to drive, but juggling crutches at the gas pump was not fun. I paid a few more cents a gallon at the full serve station in Evanston (Shell on Chicago Ave. - don’t know if they’re still there; they were also the only gas station I’ve ever seen anywhere that did not sell cigarettes, oddly enough) just so I wouldn’t have to wrestle with the crutches.
The town of any population around here (Milford, MA) decided to become its own little New Jersey and outlawed self-service pumping for some unknown reason. It pisses me off because I use a debit card anyway and have to get out and explain to someone what I can do myself more easily. The prices don’t seem to be any higher but I am still not a fan. The only reason I don’t go to other towns is that they are close and have some nice gas stations with stores.
There’s one in Solvang, CA. Really old station. Kinda cute attendant.
Around here it’s about 50/50, although there’s a lot of new self-serves coming up. The important part of this is that I don’t know a place where the full service charges more for gas. That’s right, there can be a full serve and a self serve across the street from each other that charge the same.
Huge differences in gas prices from station to station don’t really happen here - if you live in a town of less than 50,000 people it will likely be the same everywhere, and if you live in a bigger city, I don’t think I’ve seen more than 4 cents difference.
I’ve pumped my own gas maybe once or twice in my life (been driving for 5 years). I was in NYC earlier this year and was running very low on gas, so I was forced to refuel outside of New Jersey (the horror!). Not only is gas 40 or 50 cents higher across the Hudson, but you have to pump it yourself! It took me a couple of minutes and some verbal instructions from an attendant until the gas started flowing. It’s the only time I recall pumping my own gas. It was near 125th and Morningside, I believe, and cost $4.21 per gallon! Now whenever I leave New Jersey, I make sure that my tank is full enough to get me back to the civilized confines of my state!
We have a full service BP in our small town, generally about the same price as the Exxon next door. I don’t seem them checking oil though.
In my experience, gasoline was always cheaper in New Jersey despite the full service-only stations. (The explanation I heard was that it was because of the large number of refineries in the state.)
Another thing. I think the biggest reason for the demise of full service stations is that cars don’t need their fluids or tire pressure checked as frequently as in previous decades. (I vaguely remember reading a description of a 40-mile car trip someone took in the 1920s in Los Angeles and was amazed at how many times they had to stop to repair flat tires. I think the whole trip took hours.)