It’s been two months since House Bill 2426 took effect, allowing more self-service at Oregon gas stations. And as far as anyone knows, fuel fires have not erupted and nothing has blown up.
The bill to end Oregon’s 70-year-old ban on motorists pumping their own gas was hanging in the balance Tuesday, with Gov. Tina Kotek apparently weighing whether to sign or veto the change.
Does the coming of electric cars make more gas stations unnecessary? Developers don’t seem to think so. Two new gas stations are being planned in Albany, one in the northeast and the other in the south of town.
Citing the coronavirus emergency, the State Fire Marshal’s Office today allowed customers to pump their own fuel at Oregon gas stations if they don’t enough attendants. But in Albany the word had not gotten around everywhere.
Look, a car being fueled and no attendant in sight! Oh wait. It’s a Tesla, and that hose is conducting electrical juice, not the kind made from fossilized jungles. Still, how can we allow automotive self-service when it violates all the principles the legislature set out in state law?
When old signs no longer mean it
What we need, in addition to a lot of other things, is a rule that says when a business closes it has to take down its signs.
Tags: Chevron, gas stations, Mobile, Pacific Boulevard, Queen Avenue, signs