Do You Pump Gasoline?

My wife, Ann, and I had a wonderful 12 day trip to Oregon. We drove over 1,500 miles in our Hertz Toyota Yaris which averaged over 41 miles per gallon of gasoline! Oregon is a very diverse state producing many agricultural products including wheat, oats, corn, peaches, vegetables, vineyards, mint, cherries, and others we were unable to identify.  Timber is also a major product of Oregon. 

I asked our hop-a-bus tour driver in Portland about employment. He said that there were many folks seeking work with a very high level of unemployed, many of whom had become discouraged.  He is a private commercial pilot who could not find a job flying so he is now a tour guide.

I quickly learned that I was not permitted to pump my own gasoline in Oregon.  The attendants say that they appreciated having a job.  So I am wondering if Oregon and many other states and cities have the right idea about self-service gasoline stations. 

How do you feel about prohibiting self-service gasoline stations?  I have always been in the productivity field of information systems, but there are valid arguments supporting the requirement for attendants pumping gasoline.  Safety and providing preventative and required auto maintenance which drivers often ignore are some compelling reasons.   

Please share with other readers of this blog your thinking about advanced productivity devices replacing many jobs.

Thanks!

Glyn