BETA
Chapter 1
The battle of Hackensack
Chapter 2
The science of the pump
Chapter 3
Jobs, lobbies, and Jersey culture
Chapter 4
Oregon and the shifting landscape
YOUR GOAL
Master of The New Jersey gas law
Ch 1 · The battle of Hackensack
andy New Jersey Gas Pumping Law
No self-service fuel, that's New Jersey's way / A 1949 law, sparked by a price war, they say.
andy The New Jersey Legislature passed the Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act of 1949, legally banning self-service gas stations.
andy Rival gas station owners desperately tried to shut down Irving Reingold's discount business, even resorting to drive-by shootings at his station.
Fun Fact
Discount gas war: In 1948, Hackensack gas station owner Irving Reingold was shot at by rivals for undercutting their prices by three cents.
Glossary
self-service (noun)
The practice of serving oneself, especially when purchasing goods or services. In 1949, Irving Reingold opened a station in Hackensack where customers pumped their own fuel.
The practice of serving oneself, especially when purchasing goods or services. In 1949, Irving Reingold opened a station in Hackensack where customers pumped their own fuel.
Quiz
What was the primary public reason cited by legislators for banning self-service gas in 1949?
Quiz
What was the name of the official act passed in 1949 that banned self-serve gas in New Jersey?
Quiz
Which organization lobbied the New Jersey legislature to ban self-service gas in 1949?
Quiz
How many pumps did Irving Reingold's revolutionary Hackensack gas station have when it opened in 1948?
Quiz
What was the standard price of gas per gallon charged by Irving Reingold's competitors in 1948?