On Monday 21 August 2006 15:50, Jacob S wrote: > On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 14:34:16 -0700 > > Paul Johnson <baloo@ursine.ca> wrote: > > On Monday 21 August 2006 11:07, Marc Shapiro wrote: > > > I do not have a right hand gas tank, so I get > > > to sit in a long line and look at the other, empty lane, being > > > unused. For those of us with left hand gas tanks (the majority), > > > after I get to move up to a pump I have to wait for the attendant > > > to get to me to pump my gas, instead of just getting out and > > > pumping my own. Then, after the tank is full, I have to wait for > > > them to get back to me, just to take the nozzle out and hand me my > > > receipt. This usually adds at least a minute, if not more, to my > > > time at the pump, not including any additional time waiting in line > > > to get to a pump. If we eliminated that extra time at the pump it > > > would virtually eliminate any waiting in line, as well. > > > > Knowing that's how gas stations work in your area, it would have been > > prudent to have kept this limitation in mind when you purchased your > > vehicle. Otherwise you're stuck waiting in line or paying 10-30¢ more > > per gallon at a self-service cardlock or being an inconsiderate > > driver by going the wrong way into the right-hand pumps at a > > Washington self-serve station. > > Buy a car just because it has a right hand gas tank? Quite a few quality vehicles out there put the filler neck on the right (or less commonly, in the center). > > > Having pumped my own gas for 32 years and in many states prior to > > > moving to Oregon, I can say that I have probably seen as many gas > > > spills from gas station attendants as from self pumping customers. > > > The total number of spills, from either, sources, is rather low. > > > > Go to Vancouver (WA or BC, either of them, doesn't matter). Or > > Seattle. There's usually a standing puddle of gasoline in front of at > > least one pump and the place reeks of gasoline by comparison to even > > a truck stop gas station in Oregon. This isn't to say that even the > > career gas pumpers don't occasionally spill, at least here they're > > required to clean up gas spills quickly. Even then, seeing kitty > > litter or a spill kit in use or a puddle of gas is the exception and > > not the rule at mini-serve stations. > > So you're basing your opinion of "all self-service gas stations" on > those 3 cities? Quite the limited sample there. I don't have the time to bang out every Californian location I've seen gas spilled. > > (That being said, the only time I've seen them spill was earlier > > today at an Estby station near Intel where I work since it was > > running on fumes when I pulled in, the tank burped while refuelling > > and the nozzle dropped out. And the Estby station gave me the gas > > gratis to make up for spilling gas on fender...$5 car wash for $30 > > gas...can't complain too much...) > > Just out of curiosity, how much training are these pump attendants > required to go through to be qualified experts in "pumping gas"? Usually a quick run through and the first few fills supervised to make sure they can do it consistently without spilling, somewhat similar to the membership cardlock self-service gas stations have their customers do. > Thanks. This thread is reminding me once again of how glad I am to live > in my home state. Keep up the good work! That's fine. That's why you're over there, and we're over here. Oregon's full, anyway, we don't need more people. -- Paul Johnson Email and IM (XMPP & Google Talk): baloo@ursine.ca
Attachment:
pgp1ow66ZRlpP.pgp
Description: PGP signature