Thread: A blast from the past for all you Californians! ( I don't know about other states )

OK, so I am in Pacific beach traveling to my next job, ( a broken down 60 qt Hobart mixer ) when I pull in to a local chevron. I get out of my truck and the attendant tells me I am at the full service pumps and not the self serve pumps. I look at this guy like he has three heads. For those who dont live in Ca. they phased out full service at least twenty years ago! Anyways I say to the guy, "You're kidding right? " He says, " No! If you want to filler up yourself you'll have to move over to the next lane!" So I did! I filled my tank up wondering the whole time what year it really was. Well, when I finished I went inside to get myself some candy and I cauldn't believe my eyes, but right on the counter they were selling Necco Wafers, a candy I had not seen in twenty years! Needless to say I was shaking my head the rest of the day wondering what sort of time warp I had just been through!!


Any body else have any time warp stories?

Wow! If I found that place I'd have them pump it for me just because. I'm still amazed that there are some states where you're not allowed to pump your own gas.

There was one place in Hermosa Beach that let you pump before you pay, but they stopped doing that about 10 years ago.

I live in south west WA, but the nearest place for me to do any sort of shopping is across the river in OR. I guess back in the 70's, they made "self service" illegal. You aren't even allowed to pump your own gas. Of course, the gas is still cheaper there because the taxes on it are so low compared to WA.

I got cought in a time warp onced. I was in Port Angeles waiting to catch the ferry across to Victoria. We went into a place near the terminal to get breakfast and ended up in the Eighties. The color scheme of this resturaunt was in those sort of "Miami Vice" neon and black, and the music they had was all '80's. It was really strange.

There's a gas station in a retirement community not far from where I live that has a "full service" lane... and it works just like all gas stations did 50-years ago. An attendant appears, pumps the gas, washes the windshield and rear window, checks fluid levels and tire pressures, and takes the payment. The gas in that lane costs 2-cents a gallon more than in the self serve lane. It's a god send for some older folks crippled with arthritis or too feeble to do the tasks themselves. I occasionally stop there to buy a lottery ticket, I never noticed any Necco Wafers, however.

Originally Posted by azjoe

There's a gas station in a retirement community not far from where I live that has a "full service" lane... and it works just like all gas stations did 50-years ago. An attendant appears, pumps the gas, washes the windshield and rear window, checks fluid levels and tire pressures, and takes the payment. The gas in that lane costs 2-cents a gallon more than in the self serve lane. It's a god send for some older folks crippled with arthritis or too feeble to do the tasks themselves. I occasionally stop there to buy a lottery ticket, I never noticed any Necco Wafers, however.

Sun City West?

Originally Posted by JMS

Sun City West?

SC... Greenway & 99th

I believe you also can't pump your own gas in New Jersey, at least it was that way about 10 years ago, last time I was there.

In Ontario you are expected to either prepay at the pump or finish pumping and pay at the cash. The honor system still works (when backed up by security cameras lol). There's one full service pump close to my place, but I prefer to pump my own anyways. One advantage to pumping your own at a full sevice pump is that you can legitimately jam the nozzle open and put your hands in your pockets until you get to the top portion. Most self-service pumps take out the device and cut the flow down to a trickle or even a drip. Thank God I drive a small Japanese car and ride a street bike

No full service around here, though there was one chain in some area that was full service only. They didn't do so well when the weather is nice, but on a rainy day.

I can get Neco wafer most anytime I want too.

Fortunatly our self-serve pumps still have the latch so you can lock it on. My van takes too long to fill to do otherwise. I also have a ice scraper with notches in the handle specifically designed to hold the pump open for me.

There are several Mom and Pop service stations out here in the hinterlands that still offer a full service lane. Its always a service station and never a gas station or convenience store out here that has full service.

I personally love the full service lane.... ding ding.... and have had many small problems headed off before they became big ones as the attendant goes over the engine compartment and adjusts the tire pressure.

I have spent a lot of time in Oregon (even lived in Troutdale about 15 years ago) and there is no real full service there. Yeah, someone pumps your gas for you but thats it and if they wash your windshield they are certainly expecting a tip.