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<p>In New Jersey, this goes without saying.</p>
<p>I think in any state, actually.</p>
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I disagree with that. Gas prices are a textbook example of the “no cash on the table” principle… which is the idea that in a segmented market the price of a product tends to the point just above break even. </p>
<p>The gas station market is highly segmented (with many stations either one off operations or part of a small collection of stations) and most stations only make a few pennies per gallon after taking account for all their expenses. If suddenly gas station attendants were not required then the cost savings would be passed onto the consumer (probably about 6-10 cents per gallon). Some stations might decide to not pass on those savings, but that would then leave “cash on the table.” A neighboring gas station would then have an opportunity to cut their price by 6-10 cents vs. the shop next door and suddenly they would get all the customers earnings by playing on volume not margin. </p>
<p>Sure all the gas stations could agree not to lower their prices to avoid this new market competition, but such actions are illegal under anti-trust legislation. </p>
<p>This of course assumes that like most others in the country, if given the choice people wouldn’t want to pay extra for the special service. If they did want the service to stay like it is then see below… </p>
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If this large desire for pump attendants actually exists in NJ (despite the fact that it doesn’t elsewhere in the country) then again market economics should dictate that the prices shouldn’t really change. Because gas price now have to include this service charge, competition has already reduced the surcharge to minimum levels. If afterwards 80% of the people still want that service, the price for full service shouldn’t really change. If one station tried to charge more, they’d be leaving “cash on the table” for the station next door to sweep up scores of their customers (80%) by just lowering the cost of their full-service price. Elsewhere in the country the price of full service is so much higher because the demand is so low. They can afford to leave “cash on the table” because the market is tiny and those consumers are not as price sensitive. The small percentage (probably <5%) of people who are willing to pay extra for the service don’t care about price as much and thus won’t shop around.</p>
<p>Yeah, I don’t think people truly understand how slim profit margins are for gas station owners. They have lots of expenses and their corporate HQ takes a large portion of the profits.</p>
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<p>Plus gas stations are hardly oligopolies so game theory wouldn’t work in their favour even if such laws didn’t exist. ;)</p>
<p>I don’t think of pumping gas as a civil rights issue, but I always wonder if I am supposed to tip or not. I don’t like anything that gives me “do I tip or not” angst.</p>
<p>"being a Jersey Girl I know how to use my feminine wiles to get big burly men to help me out.</p>
<p>I threw up in my mouth alittle reading that one. "</p>
<p>Ewww, lol. I was eating dinner!</p>
<p>I would love if my state had pumper attendants, esp. on those days I just don’t feel like it.</p>
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<p>Make a gas station in New Jersey and have no attendants (thereby customers will have to pump their own gas). You’ll probably get fined or lose some permit. Continue to not pay the fines and/or operate and you will get thrown in jail for some sort of “evasion”. Try to escape from jail and you will get shot.</p>
<p>Now, do you see how peoples’ rights are being infringed?</p>
<p>Hey don’t cut on our Professional Gas Pumpers here. The ones at our Wawa are for the most part courteous and quite efficient. You don’t last if you’re not fast, especially in the state where everyone’s in a hurry.</p>
<p>Included in prepping your NJ kid for life at out of state college—> doing laundry, writing checks, and teaching them how to pump their gas once they get to those mean, cold, uncaring PA or NY stations.</p>
<p>I often tipped a dollar or two, especially if I got a window wash, not lately though as prices have rise.</p>
<p>btw, minor detail but I prefer New Jerseyan to New Jerseyite</p>
<p>I grew up in NJ. The funny part comes when you travel to other states and are embarrassed to admit that you don’t know how to pump gas. Our family was driving to Carolina when I was in college, and we stopped at a gas station in VA. My 17 year old brother and his friend stood there looking cluelessly at each other, until finally I went over and operated the pump (I went to college out of state and had learned all the vital gas-pumping secrets). There were some 20-something guys in the gas station laughing hysterically at my brother and his friend who did not know how to pump gas.</p>
<p>There is a town near me in MA that does not allow self-serve. They say its for safety reasons. It came up for a vote recently and the townspeople voted to keep it that way. I guess if they want to pump gas they can drive to the next town.</p>
<p>affruff–being arrested for breaking the law is ipso facto a civil rights issue? So, I should steal if a I want to. Get arrested, get probation, do it again, get sent to jail, try to escape, get shot, thus, laws against stealing are a civil rights issue too?</p>
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<p>I didn’t say civil rights. I said rights. What kind of right is being violated is irrelevant.</p>
<p>How is not paying a fine you never agreed to equate to stealing? If I ask for $300 from you without you having ever agreed to it and you refuse to pay me, can it be said that you are stealing from me?</p>
<p>Re Post #69, I have usually found the attendants to be VERY VERY slow. It is pretty aggravating, especially when there are lines.</p>
<p>I find it very funny that all these non-NJ people are huffing and puffing to explain why we absolutely need to get self-service! At the same time, as far as I can tell, not one person from NJ has supported the idea on this thread.</p>
<p>@vicariousparent</p>
<p>If everyone in NJ prefers full-service then they do not need the iron fist of government to make gas stations all full-service. I love how all these pro-gas law people huff and puff when someone tries to repeal this silly law.</p>
<p>Okay, so we don’t have to pay fines we don’t agree with? And that’s a “rights” issue? How so?</p>
<p>And, not paying a fine and stealing–how equated? Both breaking a law.</p>
<p>I would cost many NJ service stations a fortune to get new pumps that allowed for self service. I especially hate the pumps in other states that don’t directly take the credit card, forcing you to go inside, wait on line with people buying slushies, and pay in advance.</p>
<p>Also, it would be quite a transition, as different pumps & lines would have to be dedicated to self serve. Add in the fact that people have gas caps on different sides of their cars & the stations will be pretty hectic. We’re already stacked like cordwood here in Jersey. We don’t need more confusion & congestion at a gas station. We LOVE our gas pumpers here. Take them away? Never…you’ll have to pry them from our cold, dead hands…</p>
<p>Here’s my pet gas-pumping peeve: the many, many gas stations around here that have disabled the thingamajig that you can set to allow auto-fill. In the middle of winter, when an icy wind is howling around the pump, I hate having to stand there holding the damned thing. Especially when I’ve left the house without gloves, which is most of the time. (I should keep a gas-pumping mitten in the car…) It is also annoying because it means that you cannot clean the windscreen while the gas is pumping, which makes the whole thing take longer for everyone concerned.</p>
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<p>And the law is simply one group or person unilaterally imposing their will upon others without allowing for reciprocation.</p>
<p>@StickerShock</p>
<p>If you are convinced that the gas pumpers are so desired then why make a law forcing them upon others? Wouldn’t they stay if enough people wanted them?</p>
<p>The issue is not really whether a particular station has self-service or not, but whether they have the RIGHT to do so.</p>