Of course, I remember the Good Ol Days when the air line was connected to the compressor in the shop and air was free.
Now git off my lawn, you rotten kid!
and air was free.”
It’s amazing how far we have come. We now pay for canned air, bottled water and fertilizer. Our grandparents have to be turning over in their graves.
I actually drive regularly to the one gas station that has free air even though there are others close by.
There are decent, inexpensive compressors you can carry with you. I bought a relatively pricy model from Costco for $75. It is built around a car battery that can start your car, pump up your tires or provide emergency lighting. I have used it for all those things.
Problems with having to depend on the availability of pay devices is having change, having machines that actually work, and they’re frequently in neighborhoods I’d rather not stop in.