I'm Ready for Self-Serve Gas in New Jersey

Late yesterday afternoon - about 5:30 pm - I pulled in to a gas station in Mays Landing.

I pulled up to the pumps and waited. And waited. And waited.

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I think there are 5 pumps on the one side of the building, and all were taken except for the one I parked next to.

There were pumps across the parking lot, but there were traffic cones in front of those signifying they were closed.

I examined the situation and saw that there was a total of one person working, pumping gas. Ugh.

Again, this was 5:30 pm - rush hour, not 2:30 am. One worker, 5 gas pumps.

It didn't use to be like this. There used to be people working the pumps. There used to be people working everywhere.

Just minutes earlier, I had been in a chain restaurant in the area with a friend. We were told we'd have to wait 20-25 minutes for a seat, even though most of the tables in the restaurant were unoccupied! No one can hire enough help these days!

For years, New Jersey has been the lone holdout for full-service only gas stations in this country. No self-serve gas here.

Arguments against self-serve included gas prices will rise! (No, they won't) Or, we can't take away the jobs! (Hey, wake up, no one will work those jobs now!) Another undergarment - I can't pump my own gas! It would be an inconvenience/disaster/etc.

Look, if my 81-year-old mother in Florida - and your mother in Florida- can pump their own gas, you can too! Believe me; it's not that difficult!

Photo by sippakorn yamkasikorn on Unsplash

So, now would be the perfect time to join the rest of mankind and allow self-service gas stations. We won't be losing jobs because there's no one working those jobs!

PS... When self-serve finally does arrive, call me, and I'll meet you at the gas station to show you how to operate the gas pump. I would do that for you!

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