Town mandates that gas stations provide free air and free tire gauges

[Sylvain]

lol

We're all getting banned as soon as he sees this thread guys!

 

[rob63]

lol

We're all getting banned as soon as he sees this thread guys!

The final irony is that someday mbills will be the only one left on INGO.

 

[MuttX7]

I had a station owner tell me why .....

Air compressors cost money, when "kids" are out late at night, and cut the air hose, the air compressor, runs all night.

so the owner, spends HIS money, and puts a detachable hose, and takes it in every night, and back out in the A M .....

So the "kid" comes back, and puts the "adapter" on it, and the compressor, runs all night .....

You can get the pic, from there .....

That is what shut off valves are for.

This ^^^

You can also turn a compressor's power off. The compressor at work gets shut off at 5pm when we close. It stays off until the next morning we are open. A couple of the hoses the guys use have slow leaks from being cut and repaired so if the compressor was left on, it would run at times from the pressure being bled off.

 

[russc2542]

I knew someone that grew up in 'Jersey. When she finally left the first time she had to get gas she pulled up to the station and just sat there for like 5 mins waiting for someone to do it. The attendant had to teach her. No she wasn't a ditsy blond: short, surley, first glance would say militant feminist though she was actually friendly, straight, and just dressed to work in a shop. she'd just never once left Jersey long enough to need gas apparently. That's where I see all the automotive crap going these days: Don't learn to drive, the car will keep you safe. Don't worry about maintaining it, no maintenance needed (within the warranty period). Don't worry about thinking, we'll take care of that for you too.

 

[Gary119]

What if they chain a bicycle pump out there. Free air? No problem.....start pumping. Need a video camera aimed there.....Free entertainment too!!

 

[HoughMade]

I find it disheartening that a discussion about one more government mandate turns to "wouldn't it be nice if the owners...." so soon even on INGO.

This is about a government mandating a private business providing a service that individuals have every ability to provide for themselves. Who cares about what the businesses used to do of their own free will​. There is no justification for this measure. None.

 

[pudly]

I find it disheartening that a discussion about one more government mandate turns to "wouldn't it be nice if the owners...." so soon even on INGO.

This is about a government mandating a private business providing a service that individuals have every ability to provide for themselves. Who cares about what the businesses used to do of their own free will​. There is no justification for this measure. None.

QFT

 

[Alpo]

I find it disheartening that a discussion about one more government mandate turns to "wouldn't it be nice if the owners...." so soon even on INGO.

This is about a government mandating a private business providing a service that individuals have every ability to provide for themselves. Who cares about what the businesses used to do of their own free will​. There is no justification for this measure. None.

I suppose you're OK with dumping used oil out back rather than recycling?

 

[churchmouse]

I find it disheartening that a discussion about one more government mandate turns to "wouldn't it be nice if the owners...." so soon even on INGO.

This is about a government mandating a private business providing a service that individuals have every ability to provide for themselves. Who cares about what the businesses used to do of their own free will​. There is no justification for this measure. None.

Just to clarify......My post about the "Good old days" was merely that.
A memory of simpler times. Not referring to this as a reference to what a business should or should not do per big brother.

 

[churchmouse]

I suppose you're OK with dumping used oil out back rather than recycling?

Yeah.....memories of this as well.

 

[HoughMade]

I suppose you're OK with dumping used oil out back rather than recycling?

That seems like an odd leap.

Just to clarify......My post about the "Good old days" was merely that...

I understand that...and I was not referring to mere nostalgia.

 

[churchmouse]

Uh.........OK I got nothing.....

 

[churchmouse]

That seems like an odd leap.



I understand that...and I was not referring to mere nostalgia.

.....

 

[Alpo]

That seems like an odd leap.



I understand that...and I was not referring to mere nostalgia.

Actually, it's not. Businesses are granted a license to operate in an area zoned for such services. Signage size and placement are limited, facilities in many such zones must comply with architectural and structural rules.

It seems you don't object to rules and regulations. Just whether a gas station has to provide free air. Or provide a service that they "could provide for themselves."

Like public bathrooms? Water to top off a radiator or window spritzer? Trash cans?

 

[HoughMade]

Actually, it's not. Businesses are granted a license to operate in an area zoned for such services. Signage size and placement are limited, facilities in many such zones must comply with architectural and structural rules.

It seems you don't object to rules and regulations. Just whether a gas station has to provide free air. Or provide a service that they "could provide for themselves."

Like public bathrooms? Water to top off a radiator or window spritzer? Trash cans?

I thought I was crotchety today.

Anyhoo, I am not a fan of intrusive government regulation, but I understand and accept that such thing as signage and design may be regulated. Personally, I believe that such regulation should be minimal and only in place if these is a defined reason for them.

Why should a business have to provide free anything to anyone? It's a not-so-hidden tax on businesses only. A private individual can't very well do anything about the flashing neon sign on the gas station. He can certainly buy his own air pump and gauge. If not, where did the car come from?

Restrooms? The market will take care of that.

The fact that a municipality has the power to grant or deny license does not make every use of that power wise, economically sound or right.

 

[Alpo]

I suppose we don't need to go over a history of business, left to it's own devices. 6 day work weeks. 16 hour days. Child labor. Slavery. Rancid meat products. Etc. The reason that government stepped in to "interfere" in most of these matters resulted from presidents reading the Preamble and believing what it said.

On the other hand, the midwestern church-groomed values of many small businessmen and women placed the dollar in a context different than multi-national CEO's and board members. As someone born in the 1940's, I don't view that change to be for the better in all cases.

 

[HoughMade]

I suppose we don't need to go over a history of business, left to it's own devices. 6 day work weeks. 16 hour days. Child labor. Slavery. The reason that government stepped in to "interfere" in most of these matters resulted from presidents reading the Preamble and believing what it said.

On the other hand, the midwestern church-groomed values of many small businessmen and women placed the dollar in a context different than multi-national CEO's and board members. As someone born in the 1940's, I don't view that change to be for the better in all cases.

So no matter what any municipality requires of a business, that's OK with you? No one was talking about children in a coal mine or chaining workers to a loom.

 

[Bill of Rights]

I didn't take it that way, Hough, although I can easily see how you got there. I took it less as sarcasm and more as, "It'd be nice if the owners did this like people used to. Why can't people just be altruistic and nice, like I remember them being and still try to be today."

It makes me wonder a bit, though, typing that; if so many of us do try to be altruistic and just be nice to people.... Are we, here on INGO, so much different from people in general?

Russc2542 commented about someone who left NJ and didn't know how to pump gas, because she'd never been allowed to do it. The part that surprised me was that there was an attendant there TO show her, although I suppose someone has to ring up the overpriced 1,000-mile hotdogs and weak fountain drinks. Thinking about it, I'd like to think that if I was another driver there, filling my car, I'd have helped her, but am I alone in that? Would most people have, or would they have "just not wanted to get involved", vs. not even noticed that she needed help?

Blessings,
Bill

I find it disheartening that a discussion about one more government mandate turns to "wouldn't it be nice if the owners...." so soon even on INGO.

This is about a government mandating a private business providing a service that individuals have every ability to provide for themselves. Who cares about what the businesses used to do of their own free will​. There is no justification for this measure. None.

 

[foszoe]

I suppose you're OK with dumping used oil out back rather than recycling?

Yes. Keeps the weeds out of the fence row.

 

[eldirector]

I recall old service stations, that had a large air compressor already, would often have an air chuck "for free" (meaning, no additional charge).

Today, I don't know of ANY gas stations that are also service stations. None have an air compressor for their "shop", as they don't have a shop. IF they have a compressor at all, it is specifically for airing tires, and serves no other purpose.

As with anything else, the cost of this will just be passed along to the consumer. Add another 1/10 of a cent to each gallon of gas, or a penny on each cup of coffee. NOTHING is free. Mandated by the government or not.