# Pumping gas isn't rocket surgery you lazy twit **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 12, 2016, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976 "2016-04-12T04:22:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/41 "2016-04-12T17:51:42Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Fuck you for your stupid highjack. > [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Fuck you for using that word as an insult. [Moderating] Also, saying “fuck you” to other posters is against the board rules. Please avoid this in the future, no warning issued, etc. etc. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/42 "2016-04-12T17:56:26Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > When we complete Project Mayhem, your credit card will useless. As will be your little scraps of paper and slugs of metal. > [@Drunky Smurf](#): > > Just because you can’t manage your time doesn’t mean we’re all as stupid as you. What does time management have to do with it? I swipe my card and I’m done. What’s frustrating is the guy who waits until he sees the total on the register, proudly declares “Oh, I have exact change!” and starts laboriously counting out 65 cents in nickels. > [@Drunky Smurf](#): > > So someone should go into debt and pay interest just because you’re too retarded to deal with cash. Looks to me like you’re the shit-bucket. Get a rewards card, and pay it off every month, and all your spending is actually a short-term loan for which _they pay you_ 1% to take out. And you don’t have to spend your time arguing with gas station attendants about their rounding practices. If you aren’t disciplined enough to spend only what you can pay off each month, that’s your problem. You can always get a debit card instead if you really can’t handle it. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/43 "2016-04-12T18:22:36Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > People who use cash, checks, or credit or debit cards are all a bunch of degenerates. Cut out The Man, and barter for what you need by offering goods, services, or sexual favors in exchange. “Any dog under fifty pounds is a cat, and cats are useless.” – Ron Swanson. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/44 "2016-04-12T18:29:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Just one of the reasons I hate Oregon. The state is too tall to get from California to Washington without tanking, and the gas attendants are just as stupid there as they are in New Jersey. They don’t know how to drive, either. I just drove thru Oregon and had no trouble with the attendants (maybe because I stop at truck stops?) but damn! I had forgotten how bad the driving is there. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/45 "2016-04-12T18:38:27Z")
Since gas stations actively encourage the use of cash by offering a lower cash price, I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s fine to use cash and any attendants will just have to get over it. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/46 "2016-04-12T18:43:08Z")
Well, Oregon driving isn’t _bad_… it’s just a bizarre combination of entitled, passive, and passive-aggressive. …yyyyeah. It’s fucking awful. I can’t justify it. . ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/47 "2016-04-12T18:44:36Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > When we complete Project Mayhem, your credit card will useless. But please tell us that the word “be” will be reinstated. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/48 "2016-04-12T18:51:11Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Well, Oregon driving isn’t _bad_… it’s just a bizarre combination of entitled, passive, and passive-aggressive. > > …yyyyeah. It’s fucking awful. I can’t justify it. > . I once heard it described as Southern California driving with all the aggression but none of the skill. About sums it up for me. Not as bad as drivers in Idaho, though. And in Idaho, you can pump your own damn gas if you want to. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/49 "2016-04-12T19:27:29Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Why would anyone want to pump their own gas? The argument that you CAN do it is irrelevant. I can haul my garbage down to the landfill too, but would prefer to have someone else do it. This is really all just sour grapes. Yeah sure, I’m sure everyone would much prefer to get out of their climate-controlled car into the sweltering heat, breathe in gas fumes, grab a nasty smelly pump and then get back in with smelly hands. I don’t know if you live in NJ or OR, but I live in Arizona, one of the 48 where you can pump your own gas, and it’s not usually a matter of choice. Most gas pumps are at convenience stores or supermarkets and there are no attendants at hand to service the pumps, just cashiers. Full-service stations are usually few and far between. I’m used to pumping my own gas, though, and wouldn’t dream of going out of my way to find a station with an attendant. The OP is right. It ain’t rocket surgery. It’s one of those tasks you need to do that becomes second nature after a while. ---
**Author:** ![Celidin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Celidin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celidin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/50 "2016-04-12T19:39:22Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > The worst part of it is that it takes about 3 times as long to get gas as it does for a self-service place. First you have to wait for the service guy to come over, and then when the gas pump clicks off you have to wait for the guy all over again. (And the fact that it takes so long also makes the gas stations more prone to be backed up at busy times.) This is why you get out of your car and go inside the Wawa to get coffee or a delicious sub or maybe some other snack. What? You don’t have Wawas where you are? Too bad, you’re missing out. > [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Plus, there are very few stations are open all night here. Not worth it to hire a guy to sit around in middle of the night in case someone drives by (plus such places are targets of thieves). And yet, most Wawa gas stations are 24 hours. (Yes Wawa is awesome. No I don’t work for Wawa) > [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > And yet, the idea of bringing self-service gas to NJ is extremely unpopular with voters. A recent governor (Corzine, IIRC) promised to do it if he got elected but it nowhere in the polls or the legislature. As I recall it, the main opposition was activists for disabled people claiming self-service would drive full service out of existence and disabled people would be stuck. But some others also felt it was helpful for jobs (though it’s generally minimum wage jobs held by recent immigrants) and others just didn’t like pumping their own gas.I assume “what it’s all about” is his assumption that the real reason you like cash is because you don’t pay tax on that income. Legislature and “It’s a jobs program” is what that was about. Didn’t want to take jobs from anyone when the economy was starting to fall apart. And to boot, NJ has the lowest gas prices of any state attached to it (NJ, DE, PA). ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/51 "2016-04-12T19:50:29Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > But please tell us that the word “be” will be reinstated. It will optional. No one will say anything if it gets accidentally. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/52 "2016-04-12T19:53:11Z")
Buying gas: Cash Method- Hand the cashier a twenty, calling “Pump 2, please!” as you leave. Credit Card Method- Hand the cashier your card. Say “Twenty on pump 2, please.” Wait for the cashier to swipe your card. Enter your PIN. Wait for the transaction to go through. Clerk says “Sorry, the machine’s been really slow today. Okay, it’s dialing now.” Wait for the store copy of the receipt to print. Wait for your copy of the receipt to print. Customers behind you are tapping their feet impatiently, muttering “Why doesn’t this asshole pay in cash??” ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/53 "2016-04-12T19:56:23Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > You can always get a debit card instead if you really can’t handle it. Why did the discussion go immediately to credit cards anyway? Who doesn’t have a bank account without a debit card that can be used in the same way? I don’t have a credit card but I manage to survive without ever having cash on me. (I was ahead of the curve … I was using a debit card to pay for sub-$1 snacks in the local mall CVS in 1999. I’ve pretty much never carried cash my entire adult life.) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/54 "2016-04-12T20:12:07Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Why would anyone want to pump their own gas? The argument that you CAN do it is irrelevant. I can haul my garbage down to the landfill too, but would prefer to have someone else do it. This is really all just sour grapes. Yeah sure, I’m sure everyone would much prefer to get out of their climate-controlled car into the sweltering heat, breathe in gas fumes, grab a nasty smelly pump and then get back in with smelly hands. > > Anyway, I think topping off is very fair for an attendant to do if the customer is paying cash. It’s the customer’s duty to inform them in advance if they don’t want the top off. I’ve only filled up in New Jersey once (a rental, not far from Newark airport), and had to wait in the only gas line I’ve had to wait in since I was a kid in 1979. It seemed that there were like 4 pumps and 2 clowns actually running the pumps, and 100 people waiting. Self-service may be a bit more of a pain in some ways, but in others it’s a godsend. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/55 "2016-04-12T20:16:38Z")
> [@TheChileanBlob](#): > > Buying gas: > > Cash Method- Hand the cashier a twenty, calling “Pump 2, please!” as you leave. > > Credit Card Method- Hand the cashier your card. Say “Twenty on pump 2, please.” Wait for the cashier to swipe your card. Enter your PIN. Wait for the transaction to go through. Clerk says “Sorry, the machine’s been really slow today. Okay, it’s dialing now.” Wait for the store copy of the receipt to print. Wait for your copy of the receipt to print. Customers behind you are tapping their feet impatiently, muttering “Why doesn’t this asshole pay in cash??” I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I can’t remember the last time I didn’t just swipe my card at the pump and begin fueling. Takes maybe 5 seconds. No need to go inside. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/56 "2016-04-12T20:24:35Z")
> [@TheChileanBlob](#): > > Buying gas: > > Cash Method- Hand the cashier a twenty, calling “Pump 2, please!” as you leave. > > Credit Card Method- Hand the cashier your card. Say “Twenty on pump 2, please.” Wait for the cashier to swipe your card. Enter your PIN. Wait for the transaction to go through. Clerk says “Sorry, the machine’s been really slow today. Okay, it’s dialing now.” Wait for the store copy of the receipt to print. Wait for your copy of the receipt to print. Customers behind you are tapping their feet impatiently, muttering “Why doesn’t this asshole pay in cash??” Is it still 1985 where you live? Here in 2016, it is much simpler. Credit Card Method: swipe your card at the pump, enter your PIN or zip code, pump however much gas you want, drive away. No need to even step away from your car. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/57 "2016-04-12T20:33:09Z")
It’s _extremely_ dangerous filling a car up with gasoline, that gas cap gets fucking _hot_ sitting on top of the radiator like that … blame the car makers for putting the fool thing in such a terrible place to begin with … them dorkwads. Y’all act like Oregonians would fill a whale carcass with dynamite or something … ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/58 "2016-04-12T20:43:30Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I can’t remember the last time I didn’t just swipe my card at the pump and begin fueling. Takes maybe 5 seconds. No need to go inside. > [@Absolute](#): > > Is it still 1985 where you live? Here in 2016, it is much simpler. > > Credit Card Method: swipe your card at the pump, enter your PIN or zip code, pump however much gas you want, drive away. No need to even step away from your car. If you do that, they put a $100 hold on your card which could cause you to overdraw your account. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/59 "2016-04-12T20:48:21Z")
More like $1, not $100. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976/60 "2016-04-12T20:51:50Z")
Wow THATS an obscure reference… And a video I still use to teach rookies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumping-gas-isnt-rocket-surgery-you-lazy-twit/751976.md?page=4)