Actually, to be fair, in 1978 most people did not pump their own gas and gas stations were full featured. An intendant would come out to pump the gas, check the oil and the wiper fluid. At that time, several states passed laws prohibiting self-service gas stations. In fact as of this year, two still do.
I remember that era albeit by the time I turned 16 and got my license, full service was somewhat rare. Still, I donāt think that changes the point that in certain eras it is generally obligatory to have some familiarity with mechanical, electronic, or digital devices or you have to be prepared to be excluded from certain things.
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Not in the UK , self service fuel dispensing was the norm , and I assume still is judging from TV programs I have watched. I canāt remember a serviced fuel station in my driving time (since 1972).
I emigrated in 1996 so things may have changed ???
Dr. Google says
Still the same just pay at pump more common. We did have some serviced stations though back in the 70ās and 80ās as I remember going to them with my parents. A rare thing mind it felt like a treat to get one.
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Back in '82, I was 16 and about to leave school, I helped out in an independently owned petrol /gas station locally in central England for a couple of weeks and we pumped the fuel, the customer was unable to.
I recall visiting California in the late 80ās and it being mainly attendant pumped gas or you went to the window and handed cash and the cashier loaded the pump with the value, if you needed change you went back for it but usually it was a case of giving them a value you knew the car needed and the pump just cut out and youād drive off.
There are still serviced fuel stations in certain rural areas in the UK. There were a couple in South Devon when I lived there (and I only moved away last November!).
This thread is much more interesting than the thread about software quality. 
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I wonder if we should have a subforum called āFogiesā 
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I remember holidaying in the Lake District and my Dad singing out his refrain to the attendant āĀ£10 of 2 Star please!ā. We moved on to a 4 Star car not long after that!
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I wish more fuel stations supported āpay at pumpā ā¦
Drive in, fill up, pay at pump, drive out ā¦ perfect.
Especially at some stations that have a max spend limitā¦ and the pump cuts out before the tank is full which is annoying.
At my local, who know me, they just reset to pump and then I pay the two bills off in on transactionā¦ but others you gave to go in and pay ā¦ and then top-up and go in, queue and pay a second time. Which not only makes me grumpy but more so the person waiting for me to drive off and clear the pump for their use.
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I am fortunate to live in one of those two statesā¦Oregon.
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Omg 2 star and 4 star Iād forgotten about that
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I donāt know where you are but in the UK I havenāt seen a pay at the pump contactless or credit card and PIN pump, they all make you use an app that you need to register with and sometimes doesnāt work properly, I had Shell, BP and Esso on my phone at one time and sketchy signal and GPS made it not worth the hassle.
I pay at the desk now.
A lot of pay at pump with credit card machines where I am in Wales. Asda seem to be closing all their pay stations booths in this area.
My biggest complaint is that they usually take Ā£100 or more out and then credit it back later.
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I was going to add when I visited Oregon I was shocked to see an attendant come out and insist on filling my tank and washing my windshield 
Had a Rover 3500 that took bloody 5 star!
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is this an octane level?
worst thing about needing gas on the NJ Turnpike.
It was back in the old dark days of UK petroleum.
If I remember correctly there used to be 2,3,4&5 star.
I guess equivalent here would be 87,89,91&93.
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Are you filling a plane? 
Ā£99 a transaction at the pump is a lot of fuelā¦
Judging by the age of the commenters I see here, it might make more sense to make a subforum called āwhippersnappersā.
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