If You Drive in New Jersey, This is One Thing You Need to Start Doing Immediately

ng in New Jersey: It's certainly an adventure!

Near the shore, traffic ebbs and flows with the weather, with Shoobies and/or Bennies weaving in and out of traffic, and clogging the passing lanes.

According to the US Department of Transportation, there are 3.6 Million licensed drivers in New Jersey. It's closed to a 50/50 split between males and females.

Here in New Jersey, we're also a state where we don't pump our own gas - it's all full-serve.

(This is where I'd campaign for the opening up of self-serve gas in Jersey, but I'm sure my editor would cut it out, so why bother?)

So, if we're all driving and we're all getting gas, pumped by someone else, there's one thing everyone should start doing immediately:

Tip the gas station attendant.

At least a buck or two.

Yes, they get paid, but not very much. Probably in most cases, it's minimum wage. They are providing a service to you. They're out there in all kinds of weather: heat, cold, wind, rain, snow. They actually deliver in all kinds of weather more than your postal carrier does!

So, how about we make it a practice to tip the guy or girl?

I always have, but that might be because I'm an old gas pumper from way back. My first job when I was 13 was pumping Ethyl. (Ethyl was a higher octane gas "back in the old days.")

I'm always surprised when I have someone in my car and I stop and get gas. "Do you always tip the attendant?"

Yes! I assume everyone does.

If you don't, consider starting. Only a buck. If you can afford to fill up your car for 40 something dollars, an extra dollar won't set you back - but it will help that nice, polite person who's always standing by, ready to help you.

On behalf of attendants everywhere - thank you!