The Oregon Gas Pumping Law meme stems from the state's historic ban on self-service gas stations, a policy that stood for over 70 years until major changes in 2023. Because Oregonians were legally required to have attendants pump their fuel, the prospect of doing it themselves became a massive internet joke. The meme typically portrays Oregon residents as being hilariously incompetent or terrified when faced with a fuel nozzle for the first time. It gained massive traction on platforms like Twitter and Reddit whenever the law was debated or modified, serving as a lighthearted way to mock the unique 'culture shock' of a state finally catching up to a mundane task the rest of the country takes for granted.