Do we need to go back to Pump Jockeys

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TallPaul

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I remember back in the 1970s you didn't pump your own gasoline, at least not in Michigan. Service station attendants (aka, pump jockeys) did it for you. I was one of them for several years in my teens. Lot of lost jobs now with self serve, but the worst effect of self serve is people who have no business pumping their own gasoline because they don't know (or care) what they are doing.

Just a few minutes ago I pulled in to fill up and a Jeep Cherokee was sitting there filling up. The driver was in the Jeep with the engine running. After a while he got out and pulled out the pump with fuel still coming out the end of the nozzle (engine still running).
crazy2.gif


Years ago I remember a guy filling up his pickup truck while his friend was sitting in the bed smoking a cigarette.
shocked2.gif
On that one I went in and told the cashier who put the loudspeaker on and told him to put out the cigarette.
 
If you were to go to a business, it is likely someone who pumps a toxic, highly flammable poison would have some rudimentary training. Not so for the general public. Heck I've seen 11 year olds helping their parents.....
 
You will never go back to pump jockeys.

There is no way on earth that you can legally have a person sucking that volume of fumes for 8-10 hours a day.

I was in my gap year when the change came through (unleaded had way more aromatics), and the plan was that a person filling even a couple of times per day spread the risks .

Btw, it took over a year before I could smell a stuck needle on my su carbies after that year
 
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Last winter, one morning it was about 15deg...I pulled up to local station and a pickup at the diesel pumps was filling up but all went inside because it was cold. When I pulled into the lot , the tank was full, pump did not shut off and it was pouring fuel out of the tank and all over the place ! At the cost of diesel at that time, I know he pumped out $50 on the ground before I could get inside and yell to the attendant to shut the pumps off....then the customer loudly complained about having to pay such a large amount of $ ! The owner was there, and simply said " the sign on the pump says not to leave your vehicle unattended...pay up !
smile.gif
 
I love the fact that NJ is all full serve. They pay less than we do in PA, don't have to get out of the car in the freezing cold, sweltering heat, pouring rain, etc. just tell then "fill it with regular" and hand them the card.

Only thing I hate is that cash/credit [censored]. I won't patronize a station that does that when I'm in NJ.
 
Wikipedia says that the states of Oregon and New Jersey do not allow self serve (with a couple exceptions by Indian reservation casinos).

Good point about breathing the fumes. I sure got my fill as a pump jockey for several years. And when I was a little kid and my dad would fill up the car, I always stuck my head out the window to smell the fumes because them smelled nice.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
You will never go back to pump jockeys.

There is no way on earth that you can legally have a person sucking that volume of fumes for 8-10 hours a day.


Ask the state of Oregon about that.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
You will never go back to pump jockeys.

There is no way on earth that you can legally have a person sucking that volume of fumes for 8-10 hours a day.

There are some places in the U.S. where pump jockeys are the only option. I believe it's illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey, for instance. Employees are required to do it.

Ha. Well, I guess I've been beat to it.
 
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I hate that I cannot pump my own gas in Oregon. I don't trust the pump jockeys at some gas stations (Arco)
 
Ya and I remember a pump jocky letting the pump nozzle clatter across the back lid of my '72 Corvette. From that point no one and I mean NO ONE pumped gas into that car except me.
 
Originally Posted By: MrQuackers
I hate that I cannot pump my own gas in Oregon. I don't trust the pump jockeys at some gas stations (Arco)
You have a point there. You don't want some half-wit dripping fuel on your paint.


Originally Posted By: jcwit
Ya and I remember a pump jocky letting the pump nozzle clatter across the back lid of my '72 Corvette. From that point no one and I mean NO ONE pumped gas into that car except me.


I recall as a pump jockey a guy came in with a beautiful Corvette, the one with the gas filler in the middle of the rear deck, early 70s I think. He wanted to pump his own gas and I was more than glad to let him. I would hate to have some gas drip on his nice car.
 
Originally Posted By: travlnman
Last winter, one morning it was about 15deg...I pulled up to local station and a pickup at the diesel pumps was filling up but all went inside because it was cold. When I pulled into the lot , the tank was full, pump did not shut off and it was pouring fuel out of the tank and all over the place ! At the cost of diesel at that time, I know he pumped out $50 on the ground before I could get inside and yell to the attendant to shut the pumps off....then the customer loudly complained about having to pay such a large amount of $ ! The owner was there, and simply said " the sign on the pump says not to leave your vehicle unattended...pay up !
smile.gif




I had something similar happen last year at a gas station. It "clicked' but didn't stop pumping. I pulled it out and released the trigger and it just kept pumping. I spilled a TON of gas, but finally realized that if I turned off the pump and ended the transaction it would stop.

I got free gas
laugh.gif


My father had a pump that just kept counting when he was full. They argued with him for a while ... they really thought he put $200 of gas in his pickup (this was back in 2003 or 2004 when gas was cheap). Finally , he pulled it out and pointed it at the attendant ... when nothing was coming out he got free gas.

My last experience with a pump jockey:

I had just got my Cherokee and went to a gas station thta pumps it for you (mainly because they're the cheapest in that part of the city). After about 3 minutes of the guy fiddling with the gas cap, I got out to see what was broken. Turns out the guy was turning the cap counter clockwise. ... .. ...
crazy.gif


The next best one was the pump jockey smoking at the pump. My mom ... flipped @#$@#$#@$ on him.
 
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Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: travlnman
Last winter, one morning it was about 15deg...I pulled up to local station and a pickup at the diesel pumps was filling up but all went inside because it was cold. When I pulled into the lot , the tank was full, pump did not shut off and it was pouring fuel out of the tank and all over the place ! At the cost of diesel at that time, I know he pumped out $50 on the ground before I could get inside and yell to the attendant to shut the pumps off....then the customer loudly complained about having to pay such a large amount of $ ! The owner was there, and simply said " the sign on the pump says not to leave your vehicle unattended...pay up !
smile.gif





My last experience with a pump jockey:

I had just got my Cherokee and went to a gas station thta pumps it for you (mainly because they're the cheapest in that part of the city). After about 3 minutes of the guy fiddling with the gas cap, I got out to see what was broken. Turns out the guy was turning the cap counter clockwise. ... .. ...
crazy.gif



Typo?

I've actually been pretty lucky with NJ stations. I've only ever had one bad experience, where I had yell at the poor guy pumping, telling him that I needed Premium, 93 octane. The .1 gallon he had already pumped wasn't anything to get angry over.

I've seen people with the car running, though I doubt there's really any risk of explosion from it. Most people have zero clue about how the very important things they use every single day work, nor the dangers from improper operation.
 
Last week I saw a car sitting unattended and running with gas pumping into it. Then the owner walked out from the dry cleaning store next to the gas station. He got in the car and then after the pump stopped he got out of the car while talking on the cell phone.....Just about everything the sign says not to do, he was doing it.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
You will never go back to pump jockeys.

There is no way on earth that you can legally have a person sucking that volume of fumes for 8-10 hours a day.

I was in my gap year when the change came through (unleaded had way more aromatics), and the plan was that a person filling even a couple of times per day spread the risks .

Btw, it took over a year before I could smell a stuck needle on my su carbies after that year


In some states, New Jersey for one, it is illegal to pump your own gas. Every station in NJ has pump jockeys. I'll bet they have fewer spill accidents and fewer gas thefts.
 
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Originally Posted By: MrQuackers
I hate that I cannot pump my own gas in Oregon. I don't trust the pump jockeys at some gas stations (Arco)

Yeah, when I have to drive through Oregon, I fill up just before I leave WA and right after I make it through. Thats the only good thing about their lower limit of 65mph is less fuel burned. Only place I ever go the speed limit. Bad part is it puts me to sleep because it just seems to drag on and on. Sooo boring. In Idaho limit is 75mph and I usually cruise 80-85 and no one bothers me so it just flies.
Though one time, my first trip, I filled up my Cavalier in Oregon late one night. I think they forgot to turn the pumps off or something because they worked. I was able to pump my own. I didnt even think about it until the next morning. Im just so used to DIY it didnt even occur to me that I was breaking the law. (Gasp! Arrest me!) Oh well.
 
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Originally Posted By: johnachak
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I sometimes fill my car with engine running.


Highly illegal...


Actually, it's only the normal kind of illegal.
 
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