Arlington MA has a bylaw against self-service gas. They might be repealing it, though. It’s weird to be allowed to pump your own gas in all the towns that touch Arlington (AFAIK) but not IN Arlington. Gas prices in Arlington are comparable to the contiguous towns, though, I think.
There is one grocery store in my area that insists on sending a lackey out to your car with you and your groceries after you are done shopping. I feel the same way you describe in those circumstances and refuse to shop there, but my wife and most other women I know love it. Similarly many women I know prefer the full-serve gas stations.
I don’t feel elitist when I go to them, I am just too damn cheap to pay the extra few pennies a gallon.
As far as I can tell the New Jersey thing is just state law, there is no gas-pumper’s union.
There is one near my house. It’s the same price as the self-serve stations. I generally don’t go there unless there is a reason why I can’t get out of the car.
Robin
Here in suburban northern Maryland, I remember there being a lot of gas stations around that did both when I was a kid, but that was 15-20 years ago. I don’t think I’ve seen any full-serve gas around here recently.