Who Says Nothing Is Free?
I was with a friend and stopped in at a gas station today to find that the California lawmakers have ensured that air and water at gas stations are free. This must have happened while I was away in Japan, because I remember before leaving that it used to cost $0.50 to get the air pump started at most gas stations.
Personally, it’s kind of a nice thing. The actual cost never really bothered me that much, but just the concept of having to pay for air in the past always rubbed me the wrong way.
The air has been free for years, the requirement has always been that their can be no charge to customers or something like that.
Many stations still have a place for you to deposit the money but just go inside and nicely ask the attendant if they could “hit the button for air.”