Have You Ever Wondered ......

Jstas

F1nut wrote: »

Yeah ok, as hard as it might be for some to believe, I wasn't alive back then.

Neither was I but I've seen enough antique pumps to realize that things were done differently back then.

The other thing that sucked was no two companies had the same metering standards. It all depended on what pumps they bought and what kind of pump they were.

Here's one from 1915:





This one is from the 1920's:


Here's one from the 30's:





and one from the 40's:








There some pumps out there as early as 1935 that would do dollars and cents but they only had 3 digits. One to the left of the decimal point and two to the right. So you could only buy $9.99 worth of gas before the pump turned over. Some would stop, others would flip the dials and still some would stop counting but keep pumping. Then again, "who needs more than $10 in gas?" Right?

hearingimpared

When I lived in King of Prussia PA back in the late '70s I used to frequent this Exxon station. It was all full serve back then.

On a fill up, the attendant would check your oil, antifreeze, washer fluid, belts, battery water, air filter (would go as far as tapping it on the ground to see how dirty it was), spark plug wires for proper seating, wipe out any moisture in the distributor cap, then ask you to turn on your engine so he could check the tranny fluid and finish off by cleaning all your windows. After which he would tell you the results of his mini-inspection. If you needed oil, he would wait until the oil can (no plastic bottles then) was completely empty.

He always got a tip! That was full service, not what you get today.

George Grand

I proudly wore the Texaco star for at least 6 months, and I feel now like I was in a coma back then. I never learned any of the "behind the scenes" stuff. I did learn that most of the motoring public should not be, and that really cute girls could gain 300-400 lbs. from the time they pulled in, till the time I got out of the office and to the pumps.

Pumping gas and military service should be national requirements before you can get your social security, or pension or something.

mmadden28

Ya know, there is something to be said for self serve, thus requiring the pretty girls to get out and just stand ther looking pretty. :rolleyes::D

george daniel

I don't know what to say,,Go Gulf,,Put a tiger in your tank,or trust my car to the man who wears the star.;)

Polkersince85

Ya'll are forgetting that the full service stations were the first ones who gave you those dang styrofoam balls for your antenna.

shawn474

George Grand wrote: »

... what gas station attendants think when they stop in Dunkin' Donuts and see a tip jar overflowing with bills? I do.

In order to put this in proper perspective, New Jersey mandates that a gas station attendant is the only operator of the gas pump. You cannot legally service your own vehicle.

My wife and I lived in Jersey for 2 years and this was the craziest thing! I always tipped the attendant......on principle alone I thought any guy that is willing to stand out in the rain, snow, heat, etc. and pump gas for me deserved a tip. At some stations, the guys would refuse tips - company policy or something. I always wondered what the basis of that law was.

TNTsTunes

mmadden28 wrote: »

Ya know, there is something to be said for self serve, thus requiring the pretty girls to get out and just stand ther looking pretty. :rolleyes::D

x 2

disneyjoe7

I too also pumped gas once in my life, and never got a tip for doing so. I would sometimes get a tip for checking / adding engine oil or anything else under the hood, but that didn't happen all the time either.


On back on subject..... I wonder if not in NJ that all gas stations attendants are not part of a larger family business where they are needed to work.

George Grand

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

On back on subject..... I wonder if not in NJ that all gas stations attendants are not part of a larger family business where they are needed to work.

Diz,

Never mind. Instead of asking I'll just stay clueless. Also.

cnh

We lived in Jersey for a year...always tipped the gas station attendant. My father worked on the Jersey side of the Pa. border...so he usually got his gas there--he was always a big tipper for everything...from haircuts to gas to diners, etc. He's been gone since summer 2008, and is sorely missed.

cnh

starchaser

Full service in so. Ca. went out when Ethyl was young, hot and strong.

danger boy

I stay out of states where you can't pump your own gas. their loss.

I understand Oregon does it to generate more jobs. I could be wrong, but that's what I was told by my daddy when I was knee high to a grasshopper.

hearingimpared

starchaser wrote: »

Full service in so. Ca. went out when Ethyl was young, hot and strong.

That reminds me of a Three Stooges short.

hearingimpared

I found car insurance costs in Jersey to be very high.

Midnite Mick

In these parts it is virtually impossible to find gas stations that have attendants that will pump gas for you....virtually 100% self serve.

Mike

Jstas

Lasareath wrote: »

Accidents are bound to happen and it's cheaper to pay some guy to pump the gas then to pay lawyers and people who would sue you.

Did you read any of my posts?

wayne3burk

My only tip is Gas up on either side of NJ -- I get 390 miles a tank full and uhmmm -- no attendants for me please

jflail2

F1nut wrote: »

GG, I would never tip a Dunkin' Donuts employee, nor do I tip anyone in any place that has a tip jar on the counter.

As for full service verses self, it should be full service nationwide as it once was.

Yea, a tip jar sets off alarm bells for me. Almost equivalent to begging in my mind. I used to get tipped when I worked for a delivery company (we delivered washers, dryers, couches, anything big/heavy, etc for Sears and other companies.) I was surprised at how many times someone would hand me and my partner a $20 each for not scratching the walls or anything when installing a fridge. I don't think I bought lunch w my own money the whole time I worked there; it was all tips. BUT, we never asked for it or expected it, which is what turns me off about a tip jar. I busted my ****, they stand there....dont beg.

shack

In Jersey....do you have to go to a special school or get a pump jockey license to be able to pump the gas?

I would think GG should be grandfathered in and able to pump his own gas any time he wants (if he wants). If you can pump fuel into a F-16...few gallons of unleaded into a Shark should be a no-brainer.

BTW George...do you still own either one of the Sharks?

Roy Munson

Here in SoCal I pumped gas for Union 76 when I was a Junior in high school. I'll never forget those bitter winters when it got down to 65..hell, I had to put on a long sleeve shirt! lol

George Grand

Both Sharks are history. It was a great 10 year era in my opinion.

I have a 2000 Toyota Avalon now, and everything works perfectly, but the vehicle has no personality or "soul" whatsoever. I couldn't come up with a name for this thing if I tried. Maybe The Blob.

I-SIG

danger boy wrote: »

I understand Oregon does it to generate more jobs. I could be wrong, but that's what I was told by my daddy when I was knee high to a grasshopper.

We have a winner!

Wes