Yes, NJ drivers are really that forgetful at the pump

I'm really not sure what category to file this under. Are we just too reliant on others to do things for us, or are we just that oblivious behind the wheel? Considering how so many improperly operate their vehicles in New Jersey, I would say the latter is a realistic possibility.

Also, could what happened here be a prime reason why we need to re-introduce the idea to bring self-serve gas to the Garden State? I, for one, think so.

Seeing it for myself

If I weren't there to witness this, I would've never questioned it in the first place. How do drivers not realize that their car is still attached to the gas pump when they begin to drive off?

Even more surprising is what the gas attendants said to me after this incident occurred. I don't know if it points to another argument about whether we should have self-serve or not in New Jersey.

Let's first dive into how this happened. I was with my twin sons driving home when we needed to stop for gas.

I decided to pull into the next gas station, which just happened to be a Wawa. So we get there and go to a pump that's behind this large pickup truck.

Gas, coffee, and go

The driver was just walking back toward his car after running inside. No big deal, drivers do that all the time when they get gas.

Although the truck was done being filled, the gas attendant never took the nozzle out (perhaps it had just finished filling and they didn't have time to come back over to take it out.. I'm not really sure).

Instead of waiting for the attendant, the pickup truck driver just threw his car into drive and drove off, with the gas nozzle still attached. At that point, my sons and I heard this loud boom, followed by watching this truck drag the hose on the ground, still attached to the vehicle.

Wait... this is common?

Then the attendant walked over to us, unaware of what had just happened. After I pointed it out, he shouted and flagged the driver down just as he was about to turn onto the highway.

After he got the hose back, he returned to us and asked again what I'd like. But before that, I joked about how that probably added excitement to the day.

But then both attendants assigned that evening told me that it happens way more than I realize and that it's nothing new at all. Apparently, it's quite normal for New Jersey drivers to drive off with nozzles still in their vehicles.

Yes, this is normal for New Jersey drivers to do. I mean, you really can't make this stuff up. My only other question is, how often do drivers from other states do this?

An argument for self?

That got me thinking. Could full service be part of the reason we do that so often?

I simply can't see this being a common issue where self-serve is allowed. How can it be if we're the ones operating the pump in the first place?

And, with the latest push to make self-serve gas a reality in the Garden State, could incidents like this support that movement? Perhaps being more aware of what's happening at the pump will help stop us from driving off with part of the pump.

But I'll admit, it is pretty amusing when you stop and think about it. Only in New Jersey do drivers depend so much on gas attendants that we'll just drive off with nozzles still attached (feel free to laugh at us if you're from another state... we deserve it).

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.