How do Oregon riders handle this?

[gkamer]

I was wondering about something today. New Jersey and Oregon are the only two states that I know of that don't allow vehicle operators to pump their own fuel. Since I live in Washington, I do not foresee a situation where I would ever be riding in New Jersey.

Oregon on the other hand is a difference story. To avoid the nightmare that is commonly called Interstate 5 South, if I need to go to anyplace on that side of the state I will usually go down into Oregon and take I-84 west of Portland/Vancouver area, then up I-5.

How do you Oregon riders handle having someone other then yourself put fuel into your bikes? Are these "pump jockeys" careful about spilling fuel all over your nice clean rides? Do they take precautions like holding a rag over the pump nozzle opening when putting it in and taking it out? That kind of stuff would tend to make me a little leery.

[Ex-Rocket]

I think that bike owners have the option of putting their gas in themselves. Car owners do not have that option.

[NDrider]

Yep last time there was on two wheels but I filled my own a guy came out and mumbled something to the like he had to fill it I laughed and he walked away lol. I did not find out until later about the fact they do but bikes are normally left alone

[cruisinTX]

I thought there was a vote to change that last year or maybe even two years ago in Oregon. Dunno, I have a cousin there be we don't talk much.

[JKMSPYDER]

I traveled thru Oregon last September and most stations let me fill my own tank.

[fjray]

They will run your card and hand you the hose or sometimes they ask if you help and then walk away. Hwy 97 through Or. and Wa. Is a good road and is now posted at 65 so you can make good time.

[triplethreat]

I don't live close to either of those two states......so I've never heard of such foolishness! Wow!

[gkamer]

They will run your card and hand you the hose or sometimes they ask if you help and then walk away. Hwy 97 through Or. and Wa. Is a good road and is now posted at 65 so you can make good time.

I like taking the Oregon route, just seems more relaxing. Washington has had one construction project or another going on in the Cascades region since at least 1957.

[Motorcycledave]

I was wondering about something today. New Jersey and Oregon are the only two states that I know of that don't allow vehicle operators to pump their own fuel. Since I live in Washington, I do not foresee a situation where I would ever be riding in New Jersey.

Oregon on the other hand is a difference story. To avoid the nightmare that is commonly called Interstate 5 South, if I need to go to anyplace on that side of the state I will usually go down into Oregon and take I-84 west of Portland/Vancouver area, then up I-5.

How do you Oregon riders handle having someone other then yourself put fuel into your bikes? Are these "pump jockeys" careful about spilling fuel all over your nice clean rides? Do they take precautions like holding a rag over the pump nozzle opening when putting it in and taking it out? That kind of stuff would tend to make me a little leery.

MotorcycleDave here, when I ride any of my motorcycles into and or through Oregon I do NOT allow the station operators to pump my gas,
I have never in many many years had them tell me they must do it for me. ( only on a bike ) however in a car or truck they will not let yo do it.
Dave

[mcan1x]

Motorcycle riders in Oregon pump our own gas.

[RICZ]

Re fueling in Oregon....motorcycles (that includes Spyders) are exempt, so we can do our own fueling. Most stations, even those on Portland, completely leave the entire job to me; inserting the card, taking the hose, you name it. Most times, the only contact I have with an attendants is when they ask if I need a paper towel, or hand me one.
Gkamer, I'm not understanding the route you take to avoid the horrible Portland traffic. If I was traveling westbound on I-84 and wanted to go north on I-5 in Washington during evening rush hours (2:30 to 6:30), I'd cross over to WA14 on either the Hood River bridge or the Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks. Then west on 14 to I-205. There will still be heavy traffic on I-205, but not as bad as on the Oregon side. I-205 blends into I-5. But then, there's that traffic quagmire from Olympia to Everett. Sheesh!

[Mikey]

This whole thing is very interesting, never heard of such a thing! But I stopped into a little town down east in Maine and went in for a sandwich and beer, was looking around the store a bit to find the beer cooler, girl at the cash out looks at me and asks what you looking for? I said where's the beer cooler, she said this is a dry town and you have to go next door to find a beer!! Lived here all my life and I had never heard of a dry town in this state!!! Go figure

[Trbayth]

Can't comment on Oregon but I've never had a station attendant in NJ insist on pumping the gas in my Spyder. They will start the pump, hand me the nozzle, and walk away.

And while I have no problem pumping my own gas for my cars (I spend most of my time in upstate NY) sometimes it's nice to just sit in the car and let someone else do it.

[LongIsland]

i lived in NJ for 10 and never had a gas attendant pump my gas, as Trybath said they take payment activate pump and hand you the hose. I found this from a google search about Oregon:
Oregon and New Jersey are the only two states which prohibit "Self-Serve" gas pumps, and now motorcycles will be the only class of vehicle allowed to actually dispense fuel into their own tanks in Oregon, effective January 1, 2002. ... (A) May dispense Class 1 flammable liquids into the operator's motorcycle.
So for 18 years motorcycle riders can pump their own in Oregon.

[KX5062]

Yeah, as stated, motorcycles are and have been exempt. You pump your own.

[Rob Rodriguez]

Just a word of caution Gkamer since you have a Ryker. DO NOT let any fuel spill (not even one drop) on the matte plastic panels. The fuel will discolor them. I wrap a paper towel (usually found buy the window wash near the pump) around the end of the nozzle until the nozzle is over the gas fill. Then when done pumping I pull the nozzle out to just above the gas fill (slowly), wrap the towel back around it before I move the nozzle over the bike.

[tntnj]

I live in New Jersey , motorcycles do , in a way , pump their own gas. The attendant has to hand you the nozzle and start the transaction (if you pay by card or cash) and the bike owner controls the gas nozzle, when done pumping the gas, puts the nozzle back in to the pump when done and grabs the receipt. You just can't start pumping gas when you pull up with a bike.

[JayBros]

It's a way of socially engineering jobs.

[ARtraveler]

Well...I learned something new today.

I did not know that there are still two "they pump it" states.

Brings back memories of the 60's and earlier. I was a gas jockey, and we used to fill, check the oil, and the air in the tires on most every vehicle served.

[JayBros]

...Brings back memories of the 60's and earlier. I was a gas jockey, and we used to fill, check the oil, and the air in the tires on most every vehicle served.

You betcha! And clean the windshield too if the customer asked.

[bigbadbrucie]

Well...I learned something new today.

I did not know that there are still two "they pump it" states.

Brings back memories of the 60's and earlier. I was a gas jockey, and we used to fill, check the oil, and the air in the tires on most every vehicle served.

You left out the fan belt...I had been taught to always check the fan belt as well. That was my first “paying” job after school. Pumping gas and checking under the hood.

[RICZ]

I was the lone evening attendant and not only had to pump gas and check EVERYTHING and clean the outsides of ALL THE WINDOWS -- I also had to do oil changes and lube jobs. Here's a list of what I had to do in addition to the oil and lube work:
+ Clean all the windows, inside and out.
+ Polish the dashboard - this was the 50s, no padded dashes then.
+ Paint the tires with tire blackener'
+ Of the tires were blackwalls, spin the wheel and with a silver crayon of sorts, make a silver circle on the sidewall.
+ Vacuum the interior and trunk - boot to you blokes.
+ Air up the tires.
+ And, of course, check everything under the hood - bonnet to you blokes.
+ Inevitably, as soon as I had a car on the rack, cars came out of the woodwork to get gas and it could have been ghostly quiet for an hour or more before the car went on the rack.

[gkamer]

Just a word of caution Gkamer since you have a Ryker. DO NOT let any fuel spill (not even one drop) on the matte plastic panels. The fuel will discolor them. I wrap a paper towel (usually found buy the window wash near the pump) around the end of the nozzle until the nozzle is over the gas fill. Then when done pumping I pull the nozzle out to just above the gas fill (slowly), wrap the towel back around it before I move the nozzle over the bike.

Yeah, I picked that caution up off a U-Tube video. Lady dropped a few drops on the side of her Ryker. She tried several different cleaners, but none really did much good, so I've been OCD when it comes to filling my tank.

[gkamer]

Well...I learned something new today.

I did not know that there are still two "they pump it" states.

Brings back memories of the 60's and earlier. I was a gas jockey, and we used to fill, check the oil, and the air in the tires on most every vehicle served.

Plus a windshield wash.... All for a quarter tip. That was my first Big Boy job too....

[teninospyder]

I think that bike owners have the option of putting their gas in themselves. Car owners do not have that option.

That's always been my experience. Never had an issue anywhere in Oregon. They do like to be the one to put your credit card in to start it though. No biggy there.