My BMW diesel just ran out of fuel. Not too far from home or nearest garage so got a metal 5 litre can and a funnel from home and off to Sainsburys who refused to serve me. After an argument that I was getting diesel not petrol and in a metal can was legal they served me but not after accusing me of being aggressive. I was merely pointing out that I wasn't doing anything illegal. I assume that this is a scam to sell a plastic fuel can. We wont be able to do anything at all soon in this country.
Was the can designed for the purpose? Was it clearly labelled? If not, the garage might be committing an offence by allowing you to fill it. They don't make the rules but are required to apply them.
Given that you own a diesel car and that an approved plastic container is dirt cheap, why not just invest in one?
That must have taken some real doing. As per mine, I get 80 miles of yellow warning light and *at least* another 40[1] after the range counter says zero miles left.
[1] That's as far as I've managed on fumes[2]
[2] Bloody Wiltshire.
Was the can designed for the purpose? Was it clearly labelled? If not, the garage might be committing an offence by allowing you to fill it. They don't make the rules but are required to apply them.
Given that you own a diesel car and that an approved plastic container is dirt cheap, why not just invest in one?
Tim
I have one, couldn't lay my hands on it. But considering the can originally had white spirit in it surely it is good enough for diesel. Lawful to buy white in a thin plastic container now after all.
Sounds like very good design to me! I like the accuracy!
The cars that I've driven with range counters get to zero when there must be at least 5 litres of fuel remaining (working on what I put in and the manufacturer's specification for the tank capacity). So the range estimate is no more use than the fuel guage itself ... so why bother with it?
So, not clearly labelled or designed for the purpose.
We're not talking about logic, we're talking about what's legal.
Tim
And where does the law say that 5 litres if diesel can't be put in a metal container that was suitable for transporting white spirit. Today I bought litres of paraffin, guess what in a flimsy plastic container. No where does it say it is designed for the purpose of transporting paraffin. Other hazardous liquids that came in plastic containers: Acetone, Isopropyl Alcohol, methanal and of course white spirit and methylated spirits. I assume that the retailers are selling this stuff in appropriate containers. I can't believe that the relative harmless liquid compared to those already mentioned can't be transported in a metal container designed for white spirit. No indication that a metal container can't be used to carry diesel
Breaking the terms of a petroleum licence causes serious amounts of pain for the operator. With the potential for the licence to be withdrawn.
So, you have to have some rules which are over and above the law / terms of your licence in place that are easy to understand for the person behind the till - often the 'responsible person' on site is a cashier, on little more than minimum wage.
Whilst diesel containers aren't regulated in the same way as petrol containers, the easy rule to enforce is that *all* containers used comply with the petrol regulations - you don't want the cashier having to decide what's safe and what isn't.
If you could see what people will try to fill from a tank, you'd probably have a better understanding - members of the public seem to thing that a 2lt pop bottle is a suitable container!
With my sites, I'd be more than happy to back a cashier who has made the call that a container isn't within the rules, or is, in their judgement, not appropriate.
"Petrol and diesel fuel should be stored in no more than two 10 litre metal containers or two 5 litre plastic containers. They should be clearly labeled as to their contents.
Petrol filling stations operate under license conditions, which do not allow drivers to dispense fuel into other types of container."
Any chance you could use a newsreader that doesn't totally f*ck up the quoting? One that doesn't isn't fit for purpose.
Regarding your question, how is the garage supposed to know that your container is suitable for diesel when it's unlabelled? You seem to think that station operatives are highly trained with the ability to think for themselves. That would be nice but unlikely to happen.
I thought that was only for petrol, can I ask what your source is?
I've filled up two 20L jerry cans with diesel a few times for the generator at work and the garages have been fine with it. I know that doesn't mean it's legal but from
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"Petrol filling stations may have their own internal policy on the types and numbers of containers they are prepared to fill - frequently one or two 5 litre plastic and/or one or two 10 litre metal. This is a decision made by the filling station operator and is not a legal requirement.
Petrol filling stations usually have to abide by a licence condition to allow only 'suitable' containers to be filled. This is usually interpreted as metal containers up to a maximum size of 23 litres or plastic containers up to a maximum size of 5 litres. A licence condition has the same effect as a legal requirement. The licence condition does not limit how many containers one customer may fill."
I've filled 20l jerrycans with petrol umpteen times, too - and they've always been fine with it.
I suspect that's because jerrycans look like they're intended for the purpose, unlike a random 5l metal can that once contained white spirit (Anybody like to take a guess at the age of the can? Because I'm pretty damn sure that white spirit hasn't come in anything as expensive as a metal can for _decades_...).
So what about me taking a 15L motorcycle tank? Dead easy to remove, turn tap off, spring clips and pull hoses off, unlock and lift seat. Pull the rubber mount off the rear and lift it away rearwards. (bet that the 70's Honda rubber mount isn't allowed any more and they all have to bolt on.)
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