After a question thrown at Gov. Christie at a town hall this week brought females into the self-serve spotlight debate, we asked on Wednesday's show if there was truth in Christie's statement that nearly 80 percent of women don't want to pump their own gas. We heard all the typical cliches, and I picked the top eight to tackle.

1) "Jersey gas is cheaper because of the ban and it will go up with self-serve!"

Uh, no. Jersey gas is cheaper because our GAS TAX is cheaper. We have (for the time being anyway) the next to lowest gas tax in the nation. The lower price at the pump has nothing to do with the ban on self-serve. In fact, Sal Risalvato, executive director of New Jersey Gasoline Retailers, has even said lifting the ban on self-serve will partially mitigate the looming gas tax hike and economists have said for years that allowing self-serve will cut down on labor costs thus result in a decrease in the cost of gasoline. In fact, if you look at the history of self-serve gas in NJ, which was started by an entrepreneur and stopped by the legislature imposing the ban, you'll see he was offering self-serve gas for less money.

2) "It's the only luxury we have in this state!"

If your idea of luxury is wasting time at a gas station, then I feel sorry for you. Time is indeed wasted, every day, for thousands of New Jerseyans. Besides, if you think New Jersey offers no other luxuries with its access to rural beauty as well as city life, mountain trails as well as gorgeous beaches, suburban life as well as reasonable drive times to two major exciting cities, public schools that rank in the top five nationally year after year, healthcare rankings better than 39 other states, and if you want to talk luxury, we're the only one with real pizza, diners, and delis, and truly great food.

3) "I'd have to get my kids out of the car!"

No, you wouldn't. It's called "pay at the pump." It's called a debit card. Learn it. Embrace it.

4) "Pumping your own gas is a safety issue!"

This one is so stupid, I can't believe it ever comes up. The other 49 states are not exploding, okay? Some of the worst legislation is passed in the name of safety. There is no safety issue in pumping your own gas. These gas attendants are credentialed as a rubber stamp formality. They aren't sent off to some three week safety course. You stick a nozzle in a hole. You squeeze the handle. You pull it out when it shuts off. People aren't dying. Let it go.

5) "I don't want to smell like gas all day!"

You won't. Unless you're doing your best spastic Cosmo Kramer impression at the gas pump, you're not going to be spilling gasoline all over yourself. If you're that paranoid about it, wash your hands. You should be washing your hands at some point during the day anyway. Also, if you honestly insist there's no way to pump gas without dousing yourself, keep in mind this doesn't have to be an all or nothing scenario. Gas stations can always have both self and full serve.

6) "It will cost jobs!"

Sure, and technology moving forward always does. It also always creates new ones. But not nearly as many jobs would be lost as you think. They will always need a worker there as long as the place is open for business. How often do we see only one attendant present anyway? One attendant and half the pumps blocked off with orange cones. Not because those pumps are dry. Because they only have one attendant on duty. Risalvato will back me up on this. Besides, where's your jobs argument when you use countless other self-serve methods? E-ZPass. Redbox to get a movie. The self-serve postage machine in the lobby of the post office. U-Scan at the grocery store. The do-it-yourself car wash bay. The touch pad order kiosk at the QuickChek sandwich counter.

7) "I don't want to get out in the rain!"

Canopy (noun): A roof-like structure suspended on poles or pillars.

8) "I'm a Jersey girl and Jersey girls don't pump their own gas!"

This is possibly the dumbest of them all and I'll tell you why. To claim you don't pump your own gas is kind of like saying there is a choice involved here and you're choosing not to. But with a ban and no choice whatsoever, Jersey girls CAN'T pump their own gas. So really what you're saying is Jersey girls aren't allowed to pump their own gas so Jersey girls don't. Okay great, thanks for describing the status quo to me but that's a ridiculous reason. Now I always thought of Jersey girls as smarter and tougher than the rest. Which, if you were smarter and tougher, then you surely could handle this activity.

However, if you're saying Jersey girls are dumber, weaker, and a bunch of pampered, self-proclaimed "princesses" who think of wasted time as a luxury instead of an unnecessary annoyance, then okay. I think more highly of you than that.

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