When could we first pump our own gas?

That speed limit has existed for as long as anyone can remember, so I won’t waste my time or my printer ink in order to question it.

In the meantime, I just use my Valentine radar detector to stay “safe” from tickets and to derive some satisfaction from seeing the boy-racers who roared past me at 60 mph (or more) get pulled-over and ticketed. The speed limit could be safely set to 40 or 45 mph, but I have no sympathy for the dudes who choose to drive at 60 mph or more.

After sending emails to the DOT and city, I-225 was raised from 55 to 65 mph and a city arterial was raised from 40 to 45 mph.
My emails also apparently have gotten several right green arrows installed at signaled intersections where cross-traffic had a left green arrow and we had a righturn only lane.

(One time I thanked the city for a right green arrow and they took it out . I failed to notice thathe lane was a thru-lane. We cannot have a righturn arrowhen stopped thru-vehicles are blocking righturning vehicles.)

My next email is tobtain a 12-second righturn on redelay before a signal’s “call” initiates.
Many times I have turned right on red buthe signal immediately cycled and needlessly stopped much traffic in both directions of the arterial onto which I was turning.

Pumping gas ceased to be fun when the Tokheim gas pumps of the 1940s where you turned a crank to reset the meter and could watch the spinner in the sight glass were replaced with today’s pumps that don’t have lighted globes with the gas brand on top.

2 Likes

Yes, butoday’s pumps have built-in flat screen TVs!
Do I remember old pumps having a bell which rung at every gallon?

@Robert-Gift. I had forgotten about the bell that would ding for each gallon.that was pumped. I have never understood the purpose of the flat screen television built into today’s.pumps.

A few years ago, my local supermarket installed flat-panel TVs so as to essentially force people waiting in line for the cashier to watch infomercials and such.

I commented to one of the cashiers that “This is a good thing because my doctor told me that I’m not watching enough TV”. She started to nod in agreement, and then said, “Wait… What?”.
In response, I said, “That was my sarcastic comment regarding this intrusion into my peace and quiet”.
A few months later, the TVs were removed, thank goodness.

All of that being said, I haven’t yet seen a TV in or at a gas pump.
Look at what I’m missing!

1 Like

Well I was talking late 70’s and early 80’s before the insurrection. I drove I 35 in Minnesota, Iowa, and Kansas and the limit was enforced. Now in Minnesota there is a statute against masks in public. Go figure. I just want to be left alone.

Locally (St. Louis area) there are a couple of small municipalities that have a 1/4 mile or so stretch of I-170 running through them. They make a sizeable percentage of city revenue from tickets.

Two reasons: 1. Advertising 2. Prevent cell phone withdrawal since you’re not supposed to use one near a gas pump.

Not for Ohio residents! Ohio was notorious for radar tickets, especially if you were from out of state (Michigan especially!).

The first Fuzzbuster radar detector was produced in Tipp City, Ohio, a small town right off I75

Heh heh. There is a stretch of I 35E going through downtown St. Paul that is 45 mph and it is patrolled, off and on. When they built the road the neighborhood objected and the resolution in court was to make it 45. A year or so ago DOT went to court to get the restriction lifted but the judge said no. Considering that originally back in the 50’s the idea was to have a rapid evacuation route in case of nuclear attack, that’s a little slow for an evacuation. I guess they wouldn’t patrol it in that case but there will always be some fuddy duddy in front blocking everyone else from going faster.

I’m glad I’m not allowed to go there anymore. Then the short cut originally known as the Short Line, is being converted now to single lane with a bike path so further restricting options for weary travelers.

It would be nice if they put more effort into stopping the rolling drive by shootings on I-70, and also on I-55 from I-44 south through Loughborough and Reavis Barracks. :rage:

The only speeding tickets I ever got in a truck were in Ohio during the national double nickel. I got 3 of them in two years, two at 62 mph and one at 63, all on I -71 or I -271 all in a 55mph zone. It was strictly a money grab, The cops had you park your rig on the side of the interstate (where he would give you a ticket if you decided to park it there) and he took you to a JP where you could plead guilty and pay your fine or post the fine amount as bail and have to travel back to Ohio for your trial and a warrant would be issued for you if you did not show up.

The cops were not completely heartless, they would offer to lose the copies that were supposed to be mailed to Columbus and your home state so the neither your state, employer or insurance company ever found out about the ticket.

When I was running from Buffalo to Indianapolis, I would not buy anything in Ohio, they have too much of my money. I have been retired 25 years and I still wont buy food or gas in Ohio. I stop at Exit 1 on I-90 or wait until I get to Greenfield Indianna.

2 Likes

There was never a national law enforcing a 55 mph speed limit - the gov just didn’t distribute federal highway funds to states that didn’t. If I remember correctly, Idaho didn’t.

“Back in the day” (early to mid 1970’s) many a HS student got their first job pumping gas, in the rain, snow, heat, checking the oil, tires, washing the windshield and making change, for minimum wage while the customer sat comfortably in their car.

Can’t say whether it was cause or effect but the change to self serve seemed to correspond to the the increase in gas prices from $0.30/gallon, increased credit card usage, the decline in Boomers who were willing to work those jobs or the creation of auto-cutoff pumps that shut down when the customer drove off with the nozzle still in their tank.

1 Like

I seriously doubt that emails from ONE person persuaded them.

1 Like

The increase in gas prices had nothing to do with it. The advancement in technology was the driving force. Counting for inflation - gas prices are lower now then when pumps switched over to self-serve. Gas-stations were a large target for robbers. They still are, but it’s declined significantly. They don’t have large amounts of cash like they use to. Most stations still accept cash (if the store/garage is open). But several stations around here are credit card only.

I pumped my own fuel for the first time at the age of ten, when I started mowing people’s lawns for money. The guy running the station wasn’t happy to see a 10-year-old dispensing his own gasoline, but he got used to seeing it.

1 Like

Abouthe speed limits, one would hope not. (Buthe coincidence is interesting.)
(I had pointed outhat everyone was going 65 to 70 mph, anyway, and usually 50 mph on the arterial.)

Likely nonelse cared enough to suggesthe righturn arrows.
(But as a registered tree-hugger and Greenie, I khow arrows save fuel and reduce air pollution saving everyone from stopping and starting doing Righturns on Red.)

Apparently theyvere not aware of the right green arrow (->) in a thru-lane conflict until I thanked them for the arrow.
Then they removed the arrow. (Originally may have been a righturn only lane converted to a thru-lane.)

And if those specific municipalities were anywhere near I-70 or I-55 or I-44 they might but those areas are outside their jurisdiction.

Looks like the streets are pretty close to town but might be the Sheriff’s locale. Just past Arsenal street which is fitting. I’ve only gone that way once but usually just go across the river into East as fast as I can heading to I 55. Disgusting that you have to worry about what route and cities to avoid if you are running with out of state plates and a newer vehicle, and I could add more.