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I'm from a state in the US where all gas is self-service. When traveling to Oregon (where all gas stations are full-service), how does the process work? Do you just pull up to the pump and hand the attendant your credit card? Is tipping required or recommended?

And is it true that it is a crime to actually pump your own gas at a station in Oregon?

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I suspect it is somewhere between "not allowed" and a crime to pump your own gas at any full serve station anywhere, just as it would be weird to go behind the counter at Starbucks and pull your own espresso. In Ontario we have both full and self serve gas and I would never pump my own at a full serve. – Kate Gregory Dec 26 '11 at 13:58
After spending so much time in Asia I find the concept of self service gas cute. D'awwww... :') – Ankur Banerjee♦ Dec 26 '11 at 15:15
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I was weirded out by the fact countries differentiated between self service and non self service. In New Zealand all stations are both, you pull in get out and start pumping or tell the attendant to pump for you. It wasn't till I saw a documentary about New Jersey where it is illegal to pump your own, that i realized that they way I was bought up wasn't the only way. – Stuart Dec 26 '11 at 21:55
@Stuart in most states in the US some gas stations have both self and full service, but full service will cost more. – Karlson Jan 5 '12 at 15:57
@Karlson: Really, which states for example do that? – jrdioko Jan 5 '12 at 17:11
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Haven't been to Oregon but the way it works in New Jersey where law is the same is as follows:

You pull up to the gas station. You wait in the car until an attendant comes. You give him Cash and he pumps the gas. Credit card behavior vary depending on the types of pumps installed. In some gas stations pumps cannot be activated unless an attendant uses his own card to activate the pump. In case the pump can be activated by your own credit card you can pump your own gas and noone will tell you anything about it. One thing to keep in mind though that the register for the gas is usually kept separate from the convenience store so if you decide to pay cash you will need an attendant. Tipping in this case is absolutely your choice. In New Jersey it's not a requirement or recommendation but if you choose to do it. Do it.

Technically under the law in both states it is illegal though I have not seen it enforced.

DumbLaws.com has a good explanation for the existence of this law but if you are concerned about legal implications of certain things in various states in the US you can try a different page on the same site. Makes for an interesting read. :)

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