Why is it illegal in New Jersey to...?

Louis G

Because in the 1920's people thought that it was dangerous to pump your own gas. Maybe it was.. anyway, They made a law against it, and the law has simply stayed on the books ever since.

FYI, to all the people trashing NJ, We have the highest average income in the entire US. Must be doing something right. And if you are also unaware, the entire southeastern portion of NJ is pine forrest. It's not all a scummy wasteland.
We also have The best town to live in of any town in the country. Moorestown NJ. Look it up. Haddonfield is a close second.

I didn't even grow up in NJ, I moved here after college from MA.

Lance

New Jersey Gasoline Retailers Association & Allied Trades represents 2,200 of the 3,800 gas stations in the state, and its influence in Trenton is often cited as the reason lawmakers have resisted self-service since the state banned the practice in 1949.

Sheepdog

I'll bet there's a Gas Pumper's Union in Jersey.

Sara

I HATE that law! It is such a pain in the @ss, I go to EXTREMES to make sure I have a full tank when I cross over the Jersey state line. I asked about it once and was told it was to prevent drive offs and for the driver's own saftey. How DUMB do they really think we are? This is why I DON'T live in New Jersey.

Blessed TTC will end soon

They enacted the law in 1949 because at the time, legislators felt it was too dangerous to have untrained people dispensing such a flammable liquid. The purpose of these laws was to protect consumers and gas station owners from costly, and possibly deadly, accidents. That may have been sensible at the time, but pumping gas is much safer today, and some motorists feel the ban is outdated and needs to go. Opponents of the law argue that removing it would lower the cost of gas and make refueling much quicker and more convenient. Proponents of the ban argue that it creates jobs and customers like full service. Whatever your position on the matter, next time you're in Jersey and need to refuel, take the opportunity to relax in the comfort of your car while the gas station attendant does the dirty work.

rare2findd

who told you that?

Information Police

For the same reason that although they DO allow self-pumping in Pennsylvania, most stations do not have trigger catches on the pump handles so you have to stand there getting a cramp in your hand and breath in all the fumes.

Mainly, there is NO good reason for it.

BobbyR

who cares, I hope they keep it that way. We get full service and our gas is still cheaper than the states next door. There has to be some benfit to living here

Kalikina

There are still places in New Jersey where you pump your own gas. A few blocks from my house there is a gas station that is like that...

Sacagawea_Fan

The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. Because of the fire hazards directly associated with dispensing fuel, it is in the public interest that gasoline station operators have the control needed over that activity to ensure compliance with appropriate safety procedures, including turning off vehicle engines and refraining from smoking while fuel is dispensed;

b. At self-service gasoline stations in other states, cashiers are often unable to maintain a clear view of the activities of customers dispensing gasoline, or to give their undivided attention to observing customers; therefore, when customers, rather than attendants, are permitted to dispense fuel, it is far more difficult to enforce compliance with safety procedures;

c. The State needs stronger measures to enforce both compliance by customers with the ban on self-service and compliance by attendants with safety procedures;

d. The higher general liability insurance premium rates charged to self-service stations reflect the fact that customers who leave their vehicles to dispense gasoline or other inflammable liquids face significant inconveniences and dangers, including the risks of crime and fall-related personal injury, which are a special burden to drivers with physical infirmities, such as the handicapped and some senior citizens;

e. Exposure to toxic gasoline fumes represents a health hazard when customers dispense their own gasoline, particularly in the case of pregnant women;

f. The significantly higher prices usually charged for full-service gasoline in states where self-service is permitted results in discrimination against low income individuals, who are under greater economic pressure to undergo the inconvenience and hazards of dispensing their own gasoline;

g. The increasing use of self-service has contributed to the diminished availability of repair facilities and maintenance services at gasoline stations;

h. Even in filling stations which offer both self-service and full-service gasoline, customers are less likely, because of the much higher price usually charged for full service, to have attendants make needed maintenance checks, thus causing significant neglect of maintenance and danger both to the customers and to other motorists, as well as the unneeded costly repairs which often result from deferred maintenance;

i. The prohibition of customer self-service does not constitute a restraint of trade in derogation of the general public interest because the Legislature finds no conclusive evidence that self-service gasoline provides a sustained reduction in gasoline prices charged to customers; and

j. A prohibition of self-service gasoline will therefore promote the common welfare by providing increased safety and convenience without causing economic harm to the public in general.

stayc

The purpose of these laws was to protect consumers and gas station owners from costly, and possibly deadly, accidents.

Sailinlove

Oregon also requires service stations to have employees to pump the gas rather than the car's owner. It's actually a nice change of pace to still find gas stations where you receive service rather than self serve.

Gumby

Because there is a law against it..
Who knows why though?

Proud to be an AMERICAN

I'm not sure!

Oregon is the only other state.

It's funny to see NJ people in other states, because they've never pumped their own gas!

jerry b

because New Jersey people dont have enough sense to pour piss out of a boot with the instructions on the heel so do you want to trust them with something as dangerous as gas?

Scotty Doesnt Know

The New Jersey legislature wants you to believe that there are too many dangers associated with pumping your own gas. You might not stop in time, and you might spill gas everywhere. You might use your cell phone and ignite gas vapors.

IMHO, the real reason it's illegal in New Jersey is to create an artificial means of keeping gas station attendants employed.

Dogzilla

new jersy is the absolute WORST, scummiest, most obnoxious place in the US.

pjlisa13

because our state doesn't want to smell like gas and I am glad it will not change they try all the time but we vote it down.

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