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Oregon is one of only two states in which drivers may not pump their own gasoline. The other is New Jersey.

(The Associated Press)

North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling refers to the results of a statewide poll conducted in late May as "Oregon Miscellany." Now, that's truth in advertising. The poll's findings include the following:

- Oregon State football coach Mike Riley enjoys a higher job approval rating (55 percent) among the team's fans than Oregon football coach Mark Helfrich (49 percent) does among Duck fans;

- More Oregonians like the Chicago Cubs (7 percent) than the nearby San Francisco Giants (6 percent);

- And, most importantly, support for self-service gasoline (46 percent) narrowly exceeds support for the state's self-service ban (44 percent). Support for switching (58 percent) is notably strong among voters between the ages of 30 and 45.

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Editorial Agenda 2014



More jobs for Oregon

Position the Port for the future

Make Portland a city that works

Keep people moving

Build a culture of student success

Move forward on tax reform

Protect and expand personal freedom

_______________________________

The fuel findings, reported this week by The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes, turned readers' attention to the underlying law, a decades-old artifact that can't well endure close scrutiny. The self-serve ban, for instance, does not apply to motorcycles, whose operators may dispense gasoline using a nozzle handed to them by a gas station attendant. Neither does it apply to vehicles that run on diesel. Rather, it singles out operators of gasoline-powered vehicles with more than two wheels.

As one befuddled commenter noted of such restrictions, "I fail to see what the state's interest is."

Helpfully, state law answers that very question. The reasons for the ban, listed in statute, are so miscellaneous – and in many cases so ridiculous – that they might provide the best argument for ending it. Here are some highlights:

"Higher liability insurance rates charged to retail self-service stations reflect the dangers posed to customers when they leave their vehicles to dispense Class 1 flammable liquids, such as the increased risk of crime and the increased risk of personal injury resulting from slipping on slick surfaces ..."

"The dangers of crime and slick surfaces described ... (above) this section are enhanced because Oregon's weather is uniquely adverse, causing wet pavement and reduced visibility ..."

"Exposure to toxic fumes represents a health hazard to customers dispensing (gasoline) ..."

"The hazard described ... (above) is heightened when the customer is pregnant ..."

"The typical practice of charging significantly higher prices for full-service fuel dispensing in states where self-service is permitted at retail ... Increases self-service dispensing and thereby decreases maintenance checks by attendants, which results in neglect of maintenance, endangering both the customer and other motorists and resulting in unnecessary and costly repairs ..."

"Self-service dispensing at retail contributes to unemployment, particularly among young people ..."

And, finally, our favorite:

"Small children left unattended when customers leave to make payment at retail self-service stations creates a dangerous situation."

The list just wouldn't be complete without some version of, "It's for the children."