A new law that took effect this week in Oregon will allow residents in rural counties to pump their own gas — a divergence from the state’s decadeslong history of having attendants pump gas for drivers.
Under House Bill 2482, which took effect Monday, retailers in counties with a population of fewer than 40,000 are allowed to have self-service gas pumps. Drivers in 15 counties now can pump their own gas any time of day, while those in three other rural counties can do so after business hours, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The internet machine roared, fueled by a local TV station’s now-viral Facebook post last week asking people to react to the new law.