Regarding the July 17 guest opinion by Brian Pinaire, I really wish that everyone would be provided with a material safety sheet on benzene, a carcinogen as found on the American Cancer Society site. I do have sympathy for the people who fill our gas tanks and I try to ask them to wear gloves, at least, while at work. It serves society well to slow down a bit and reduce out stress and while getting a tank of gas is just one place we can do just that.

Yes, it does employ people who are able to help everyone now, but who would be there for the people with mobility issues if the attendant was not there? I do not care where you are from, I like to have my gas served on hot days and cold days in dry weather and wet weather and I do not like the smell of gas on my hands or on my clothes. I also prefer to reduce my contact with benzene.

Wayne Brooks, Northwest Portland

Gas arguments old news

Brian K. Pinaire's arguments in support of self-service fueling ("Just let us pump our own gas already," July 16) are the same old, lame claims that have been made for years:

Permitting self-service will not mean the end of full-service: Ha! Just try to find help from a non-existent attendant when something goes wrong with your pump mid-transaction.

Prices will go down for self-service gas: Apparently no one told that to Washington gas station owners during my recent travels there. Self-service gas was more expensive than Oregon's full-service gas.

Customers currently have to wait in long lines at full-service stations at busy times: Pinaire is choosing the wrong stations. I can barely turn off my engine and whip out my credit card before an attendant is waiting at my window.

Hopefully Oregonians will continue to see that instituting self-serve gas will lead to a loss of most attendant jobs and reward only station owners.

Sharon Slayton, Southeast Portland