Are they gone forever? gas station attendants.

Way back when I was in Boy Scouts a couple of us went down to the local Chrysler/Plym/Dodge dealership with the Fire Inspector for a saftey check of the dealership. The Fire Inspector is standing in the service bays when a slack jaw walks right in front of him & dumps 5 gallons of gas down the floor drain, needless to say excrement hit the rotating machinery!

 

I did it in the early 90's, it was funny to see peoples faces when you had a fake old texaco uniform on (green dickies, with original patches from ebay), but I couldn't find a attendants hat in my price range though. started working on cars there later on.....not to get too off topic but check out the prices (and cars) circa '97.

 

I haven't seen a full serve station in years here in California.

 

So sad. 30 bucks to fill the tank in my truck. Now it takes about 75.

 

Are you serious?

 

i worked at a chevron station in no cal wore white uniform did tires oil changes
i was just turning 15
had a cheap scake i and all others thaught. inly put 78 cents worth gas every day
one day i walked out to his car and i made a squeeking noise as i walked
he laughed
i said why are you so cheep. he said they steal your gas at hunters point in san fransisco
noticed his tires were worn out so i told him. i am not woried about then.
i said i am not woried about about you eather but some one you may hurt or kill
i put 5 new tires on the car

they said how did you sell lthat cheap squeek any thing

 

How many pumped gas when you felt like a fool not knowing when a 56 -57 chevy,58 cadillac ect. came in for gas that you could not find the gas fill? The owner had to show you to push in the reflector on the taillight to open a door in the taillight for the gas fill. How it only took one time filling up a ford falcon to stand there and hold the gas pump nozzle in the tank the whole time. If you set it on automatic to check the oil the dispenser would fall out and it was perfect height to douse your family jewels(and send you into orbit) or create a gas spill that today would create a new epa. regulation. I think it was some year ford you could not find the oil dipstick,it was attached under the oil fill cap.
Breaking down tires with a hand operated machine,and patching a tire tube $5.00--- used, refined motor oil cranked by hand out of a tank into a glass quart jar with a funnel type top that screwed on top of the jar $ .10

 

They did when I was last in Japan, mid-80s. You stopped, got out of the car and went into the station. After you dropped off you credit card, you could make youself a cup of tea. Meanwhile, the guys outside checked everything including tire pressure, cleaned your windshield, etc. The best part, this being a very congested country, was that when you departed someone walked into the street and stopped the oncoming cars for you. But the didn't have those Texaco style hats. Perhaps it is better in other places overseas? Down under? Gary

 

Are you for real,no shit,Man I thought them days were long gone,its a good thing bet they dont have to worry about the drive offs

 

Most around here are in too big of a hurry to have a attendent fill the tank,wash the windshield and check the air in the tires. It would be nice if it was still that way as I see a bunch of cars going down the road with almost flat tires and no one running their vehicles out of oil.

 

nope, got one here in conroe at the old texaco on 75. As soon as you pull up he asks if you need any help.

 

I worked at a full service station in Pismo, ca when I was going to cal poly San Luis obispo. We washed windshields checked air n oil. That was only 6 years ago. People would look at me like I was crazy when I'd start to wash their window


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HA! Maybe we worked at the same station! All that sounds so familiar. We did some really stupid shit too.

I practically lived at the local Texaco station. The guy who lived right behind us was one of the first guys I met when we moved to town. He was 6 or 7 years older than me but he had a '57 Bel Air convertible so that's all it took for me to get to know him. When I was a sophomore in HS he bought the station and it became "the" hangout for all the young guys. I learned a lot there: some good stuff, and a little I'd like to forget. That same guy now lives across the street from me and has a '31 Chevy coupe and is building a '29 RPU. Been friends for over 50 years now. (Damn, that's scary!) Ah the memories of washing windshields during the 60s & 70s!!!!!

Threads like this is just one of the many reasons I love this site. You can log on here and drop back in time for as long as you want.

 

there is a mobil station a few blocks from me in south minneapolis. i've see the attendant come out a number of times to pump gas and check fluids, mostly for the older customers.

 

my pop had a Amoco station from 1970 thru 1979.iN 1975 i was 5 and i pumped peoples gas and always pumped more than they wanted to sell more gas,I was a turd ! they thought it was something to see a child working and i got tipped. I had a stole and a long stick for my squeegy. I always pushed the 113 octane Amoco white on people and all the local hot rodders would come get the high octane fuel. That stations still standing those memories pop up .A lot of long days and nights were spent there. It gave me my work ethic.

 

My first real job after having the mandatory paper route, was a Texaco station back in 69,at the ripe old age of 15.
Had to check oil, wash windshields,check air in tire, and put it in for free if needed.
They had shoppers that would hit the stations, and check on attendants,you had to ask may I fill it up with high test,do all your check points,had to police the parking lot, picking up papers, cigarette butts,islands had to be clean,and stocked, those were some great times.

 

don't you all wish YOU owned a business that people came to every day and DID all the WORK and paid you....that's the way the fuel companies do it in about 48 of 50 states! Make the suckers at least deliver their product into your tank.....price today in Oregon pumped into our tank by their employee is $3.67...what'er you payin' to pump your own?

 

I remember falling asleep 5 or 6 years old after 12 at nite when pop worked late on those railroad account trucks in the back office curled up in some coveralls and get woke up because my hands were small enough to get the bolts into the tight spots.I do my kids that way now.

 

I love it, "Socialist" Oregon! That's frickin' hilarious! I can tell you I never minded having the attendant pump my gas in Biggs Junction, OR. when the wind was blowing a steady 30 MPH... or in Hood River, OR. in the dead of winter, white out conditions, and my thermometer in the car frozen at "--". Yeah, socialism rules on those days! Besides, if you absolutely cannot stand having someone pump your gas you can always create a fake business, call it "Whiny McWhiners Anti-Socialist Misinformed Rants" and get yourself a CFN account (Commercial Fuel Network). That way you can pump all the gas you want!

 

Or will never get rid of full service because of the fact that no one wants to get out in rain and fill their own tank. It has been on the ballot many times and has never passed. The gas companies has spent millions and have never won.

 

"Hey these oil cans are defective!"

 

In 1964 my highschool job was working in a Sears Roebuck warehouse for $1.35/hr. Gas however was .23 cents a gal. and it went down to .15 whenever there was a gas war. The attendant pumped the gas, washed the windshield, checked oil, battery and tires. This was in Michigan. Here in Kentucky now you would be hard pressed to find a station that does anything other than take your money from behind a bullet proof glass. About 3 weeks ago I was starting to pump when all of a sudden the hose ruptured and was spraying gas all over hell. I should have turned and ran but instead turned off the pump and then ran. Screw the car. When I went in and had the attendant go out and look she wanted to tape it up and continue using the pump. I rest my case.

 

I remember when I was a little kid I couldn't wait to go for gas with Mom or Dad. We lived in a really small town and there was only one station (full service). I really thought this one attendant Paul was really cool. They would give us suckers and stuff. I was amazed just watching this team of guys going around and doing all of these things to the car- and THANKING YOU for your business.

Paul ended up buying the place and turned it into a very lucrative lawn and garden business as well. It still only has 2 pumps. I stop by for gas any time I am out that way. 36 years later, the inside of the store is still the same- concrete floors and farm stuff.

Thanks for all of your stories guys, great trip down memory lane.

 

I live in Oregon and happy to have attendants!

Back in the early 70's there was a full service Shell station owned by a gearhead that stocked tires and parts. You could buy points and plugs for your GTO and install them in the parking lot. (they closed @ 11PM so good for emergency stuff) It was next to Lew's drive-in on the corner of Oak Grove Blvd & Hwy 99 in Milwaukie Oregon (near Portland).

All the guys with bad ass cars worked and/or hung out there. After hours, the hoists were always being used and there was a car or two getting motors yanked, installed or modified. Sometimes until 2AM. Many a set of Hooker headers got bolted on at that place. Those were the days.... Purple Hornies... Mickey Thompsons... and gas less than a dollar.....

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funny gas attendant related story:

15 years ago, I drive into a station after 12 hours of framing a house in 40 degree rain. I was cold, wet and beat.

Attendant puts the $20 worth in I asked for. I have the $20 bill hanging at arms length out the window. He walks up to the window nearly touching the money with his shoulder and tells me "take the money inside".

I say "NO, if you can't be trusted with money, you shouldn't work here".

him: You have to.

me: Hey Buddy, I got a big bone in my leg

him: Oh!, sorry man, I'll take the money for you.

me: thanks Buddy!

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*a big bone in the leg works for dancing too*

 

How'd you like to be a business owner and be told by state law that you had to hire people @ $9.00 an hour to do what the majority of your customers would do for themselves for free..... I think that sucks the big one, and I agree it's bordering on socialism. A state law that creates artificial jobs.....

When I was a younger guy, ( late 80's / early 90's) I worked at several stations in high school and college that offered full service. It was an extra 4 cents a gallon, except for regular customers. There's still a few places around Western KS that offer full service.

 

what I miss is the diffrent color each grade of gas was. the good stuff was a nice red with a green tent.

 

Years ago pumping gas was used as a parable by your parents "Go to school or you'll end up pumping gas!"

 

I was born in 1965, so I got the tail end of a lot of great parts of society. I pumped gas- 4 to midnight shift at an Amoco. Did minor repairs, tires, etc....
Remember the delicious aroma of leaded gas. Good ol' Ethyl!
Hoses that dinged the driveway bell. Mechanical pumps, cigarette vending machines.
No cell phones, no GPS. Coates 20-20 tire machine. Bubble balancers.

Got flashed by girls a few times, had one would come in frequently in her newish '80s Toyota 4x4- a dead ringer for Pat Benatar!

 

I miss the lead gas and the polyester tire burnouts

 

You were lucky. I recall a bad fire at the local Mobil station on Christmas Eve in about 1961 or '62. Fire investigators determined that two employees were cleaning the service bay floor with gasolene when the gas water heater kicked on, igniting the fumes ... no Christmas for those guys. Nasty way to die.