Rant Mode - *ON*
Got back a couple days ago from an extended dry camping trip in the Sierra's. We were going to be pretty far from anywhere-- even the nearest cell phone sight was a 30 minute drive to a remote mountaintop were you might get a call through if you faced the right direction, the moon and stars were in alignment, and the wind was blowing just the right way.;)
Anyway, I thought I'd take a few extra gallons of gas with me, so we could do some running around on the trails up there. (Last time we camped there, I was running on fumes by the time we got to the nearest gas station on the trip back.) Hmmm... I'll just buy a portable gas can, and that will give me plenty of gas to do some off-roading while we are camping. So I went to my local auto-parts store and grabbed a 5-gallon plastic can. This outta work perfect. But what's this on the label...?
"Not For Use On On-Road Vehicles"
What the???? Ok, so it's got one of those funky gas nozzle-tips that only let's you fill lawn mowers and stuff like that by pressing the tip down until it allows the gas to flow without spilling. Due to it's shape, it could never get close enough to my truck's gas cap to work. Fair enough, I'm all for safety. I'll just grab one that IS okay to use on "on-road vehicles" like, for instance-- my truck! So I look and look, but can't find one. Ask the guy at the front desk where he keeps his gas cans for use on Jeeps and other off-road vehicles. I mean, a guy's gotta take his gas with him on an off-road trip, right?
"We can't sell those anymore."
SAY WHAT???? :yikes:
Yep, you can no longer buy the old style portable gas cans with the long spout that let's you just tilt the can and pour out the contents. (in other words : put some gas in your car if your tank runs dry). Or at least I couldn't find anybody who does in my town. Even Amazon.com has links for portable 6-gallon plastic gas cans, equipped with two handles, that would work just fine for putting gas in your car, but the fine print sez "Not For Sale Or Use In Calif."
Grrrrr..... what's up with this state? :confused: Do they think I'm going to spill enough gas from a portable tank to scramble a Haz-Mat team?
Well, it just so happens we are gunna take a trip to Az. for family matters. I think I'll pick up a couple portable gas cans over there and smuggle them across the border. Hope I don't make the California Highway Patrol's "Ten Most Wanted" List. I mean, with all the security concerns we have over people who *might* blow up the Golden Gate Bridge, disable BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), poison water reservoirs, and terrorize other items of similar insignificant worth, I can see why they'd wanna keep a guy like me from owning a gas can he can actually *use*. Sheesh.... I wonder if I fit the profile for a "Gas Can Smuggler"? Somebody wanna stage a diversion and start a protest in Berkley or something so I can sneak back while the cops are busy with crowd control?
Wish me luck. And hopefully, I won't get arrested in the future for using a *non-conforming* gas can. :D
And, as usual... if I'm wrong about this and have been misinformed, somebody please correct me.
Okay, Rant Mode - *OFF*
So, do any of you folks in other states have peculiar laws that just don't make sense?
Quote from: Ab DiverSo, do any of you folks in other states have peculiar laws that just don't make sense?
Yes, no alcohol sales on Sunday in Georgia. :yikes:
This reminds me of what a tour guide at the Harley-Davidson Assembly plant told us last week. Some bikes have a different color on the build sheet. He told us that they go to the "Country of California". A few with a different color go to Japan and the rest of them are sent everywhere else. Glad I live in one of the everywhere else places.
Quote I think I'll pick up a couple portable gas cans over there and smuggle them across the border.
Oddly enough, California is the only state that I've ever gone across where they have check point stations where you cross the state line at. I thought that was kind of odd. I only drove across that state line once, on my way out! And had to stop and surrender my half dozen oranges?!?! :eyecrazy: Last time I saw anything like that was crossing into Canada. BTW, that was in 1976, and I haven't been back there since!
Quote from: Tim5055Yes, no alcohol sales on Sunday in Georgia. :yikes:
Forgot about that Tim! Last time through on I-95, that was a BIG disapointment.
North Carolina recently made news with our law against co-habitation
Quote from: Ab DiverRant Mode - *ON*
Got back a couple days ago from an extended dry camping trip in the Sierra's. We were going to be pretty far from anywhere-- even the nearest cell phone sight was a 30 minute drive to a remote mountaintop were you might get a call through if you faced the right direction, the moon and stars were in alignment, and the wind was blowing just the right way.;)
Anyway, I thought I'd take a few extra gallons of gas with me, so we could do some running around on the trails up there. (Last time we camped there, I was running on fumes by the time we got to the nearest gas station on the trip back.) Hmmm... I'll just buy a portable gas can, and that will give me plenty of gas to do some off-roading while we are camping. So I went to my local auto-parts store and grabbed a 5-gallon plastic can. This outta work perfect. But what's this on the label...?
"Not For Use On On-Road Vehicles"
What the???? Ok, so it's got one of those funky gas nozzle-tips that only let's you fill lawn mowers and stuff like that by pressing the tip down until it allows the gas to flow without spilling. Due to it's shape, it could never get close enough to my truck's gas cap to work. Fair enough, I'm all for safety. I'll just grab one that IS okay to use on "on-road vehicles" like, for instance-- my truck! So I look and look, but can't find one. Ask the guy at the front desk where he keeps his gas cans for use on Jeeps and other off-road vehicles. I mean, a guy's gotta take his gas with him on an off-road trip, right?
"We can't sell those anymore."
SAY WHAT???? :yikes:
Yep, you can no longer buy the old style portable gas cans with the long spout that let's you just tilt the can and pour out the contents. (in other words : put some gas in your car if your tank runs dry). Or at least I couldn't find anybody who does in my town. Even Amazon.com has links for portable 6-gallon plastic gas cans, equipped with two handles, that would work just fine for putting gas in your car, but the fine print sez "Not For Sale Or Use In Calif."
Grrrrr..... what's up with this state? :confused: Do they think I'm going to spill enough gas from a portable tank to scramble a Haz-Mat team?
Well, it just so happens we are gunna take a trip to Az. for family matters. I think I'll pick up a couple portable gas cans over there and smuggle them across the border. Hope I don't make the California Highway Patrol's "Ten Most Wanted" List. I mean, with all the security concerns we have over people who *might* blow up the Golden Gate Bridge, disable BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), poison water reservoirs, and terrorize other items of similar insignificant worth, I can see why they'd wanna keep a guy like me from owning a gas can he can actually *use*. Sheesh.... I wonder if I fit the profile for a "Gas Can Smuggler"? Somebody wanna stage a diversion and start a protest in Berkley or something so I can sneak back while the cops are busy with crowd control?
Wish me luck. And hopefully, I won't get arrested in the future for using a *non-conforming* gas can. :D
And, as usual... if I'm wrong about this and have been misinformed, somebody please correct me.
Okay, Rant Mode - *OFF*
So, do any of you folks in other states have peculiar laws that just don't make sense?
Rant Mode *ON*
Well, I think that the unavailability of gas cans in California is due to SMOG regulations. We have a big thing with not allowing gas vapors to escape into the atmosphere, these vapors contribute to SMOG. All of our gas pumps have vapor recovery. You can't even leave your gas cap on your car loose or missing, the check engine light will come on!
What doesn't make sense to me is, that fueling off road vehicels with portable cans produces the same amount of vapors as fueling on road vehicles!
Even our lawn mowers must now have emmision controls, and our charcol lighter fluid has to be low volatility formulated. Hamburger joints need to have polution monitoring for their smokestack emmissions (I'm not making this up).
Unfortunately, in this grand state, there is no sense of keeping things in perspective. We always read in the paper thing like: "wood burning fireplaces in the LA area cause XX million tons of polution each year". This is because we have millions of homes! To be crude, just the gas passed by the residents of So Cal would cause XX millions of tons pollution to be released to the atomsphere.
A final point. The infamous South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has offices in Diamond Bar, CA. I pass by there often. It seems as if all employees of AQMD have company cars that they commute in, at our (taxpayers) expense. I have NEVER seen ANY one of them, EVER with more than the DRIVER in the car. No car pooling for them! And, I have even seen their vehicles belching, smoking, and poluting!
Rant Mode *OFF*.
There. Now I feel better. Thank you.
My old gas can died and I had to buy one of those "new" low emission cans. What a joke. I put the spout in the mower to fill it and it over filled it and spilled all over. Now I take the spout off and pour carefully and spill a couple of teaspoons of gas, not cups. Very frustrating.
Moose
Get some new or used 5-gal NATO fuel cans at the below link. They also have a nozzle that fits them. (Do a search for FUEL. Their site doesn't allow direct links).
Cheaper than dirt (//cheaperthandirt.com)
All you need to go is go to a military base, go in the commissary and buy one. IF you don't know anyone on the base, go to a nearby barber shop (espeically a marine base like 29 Palms) tell the sgt getting his hair cut that it is word a case of MGD, and he will get you one from the commisary.
As to the check point stations, they are on the border with other states and are looking for produce and plants. No such check points are on the sourthern border.
HMMMM...
Well, they took away my half dozen oranges. Perhaps they thought I was gonna denonate them somewhere in Arizona!!! :eyecrazy:
Quote from: Gone-CampingWell, they took away my half dozen oranges. Perhaps they thought I was gonna denonate them somewhere in Arizona!!! :eyecrazy:
whats a trail cruiser?
nope, got relatives on the left coast, visited a few times, wasn't impressed. fruits and nuts covers it. I'll take the rightr coast any day.
Have you tried a motorcycle shop? We have "racing" gas cans....(Jugs) that we purchased at the local motorcycle ATV shop. They are 5 gall plastic bottles with handle, large screw top and spout with 1/2" tubing with a cap for the end of the tube. We use this for jet skies, ATV's and dune buggies. The tube is about 12" long. Longer tubes can be purchased at the hardware store. :-()
R
Let's not forget that the bulk of the nations produce comes from California. Fruit that comes in often brings in pests that destroy the crops, costing millions of dollars in losses.
There is a logical reason for the california checkpoints. And yes there is one at the southern border. It's the customs checkpoint from Mexico into California. And yes it is American and yes they asked about fruits, etc.
This is similiar to Michigans prohibition of firewood (in whatever form it takes) because of the, I think they are called, wood beetle which is damaging trees in epidemic proportions right now.
Find out and ask questions before ranting and raving...lol lol
LCMS Pastor...
This is a Trail Cruiser...
(http://www.gonecamping.net/images/trailcruiser/sherando.jpg)
Cliff,
That pix looks like a travel trailer which has devoured 2/3 of a popup! LOL :yikes:
ahhh a modified tin can
More like a fiberglass box! But it has full fridge w/freezer, full bath, and more space than I know what to do with, all with a base weight of 3025# (about 3300# dry)!! And when it come right down to it, I climb into bed under canvas...just like you do!!! :D
Quote from: boncrabLet's not forget that the bulk of the nations produce comes from California. Fruit that comes in often brings in pests that destroy the crops, costing millions of dollars in losses.
Well that would explain why they won't let fruit
into California, but Gone-Camping says they took his oranges from him on the way
out! I guess they are concerned about their pests getting out of California! But if that was the case, Michael Moore wouldn't be on the loose..... :-() :D
Quote from: Gone-CampingMore like a fiberglass box! But it has full fridge w/freezer, full bath, and more space than I know what to do with, all with a base weight of 3025# (about 3300# dry)!! And when it come right down to it, I climb into bed under canvas...just like you do!!! :D
Ahhh - well, maybe I will check them out at the rv show in October - but I have to tell ya - the new class from Fleetwood is incredible..
QuoteWell that would explain why they won't let fruit into California, but Gone-Camping says they took his oranges from him on the way out! I guess they are concerned about their pests getting out of California! But if that was the case, Michael Moore wouldn't be on the loose.....
Maybe someone who was smuggling gas cans into California smuggled him out. :p
i know what to bring to the rally auction next year! (gas cans)
But they won't be able to import it to their country, remember thay have highway patrols at the entrances and exists of their country checking everything. Sheeesh, I do not think I would want to live in CA (heheheh just kidding)
Quote from: dee106i know what to bring to the rally auction next year! (gas cans)
by the way - we don't let the fruit leave...because we need them to pay taxes....
or as Ahnold says thhaxes...
I SHALLS RETURNNNNNSSSSS !!!! :)
I like Arnold as an artist, watched all of his movies, loved the COmmando the first time I watched it, still one of my favorites. How is he doing as a Governor ? I hope this no gas container thing is not one of his initiatives ....
Quote from: LCMS pastorby the way - we don't let the fruit leave...because we need them to pay taxes....
or as Ahnold says thhaxes...
Quote from: birolI SHALLS RETURNNNNNSSSSS !!!! :)
I like Arnold as an artist, watched all of his movies, loved the COmmando the first time I watched it, still one of my favorites. How is he doing as a Governor ? I hope this no gas container thing is not one of his initiatives ....
So far I am happy with him, in that he equally ticks off the republicans and the democrats. I wish he was more socially consiervative, and that he was not so close to Theodore Kennedy.... but..
it is better than davis.
Dt
I agree with LCMS Pastor, it is fun to see a Governor tick off the Legislature. As a State employee for 31 years I have seen them come and go, but with Wilson working for him we are seeing the Wilson politics coming through some times.
"RANT MODE ON"
What really irritates me is that they (the Legislature) always want to try to balance the budget on the State employees backs when we are only 1% of the total state budget! It is the same thing every year. State employees didn't get their 5% raise last year and are working one day a month for free (earn time instead of money) then this year they wanted to cut us another 7% (our 5% raise for this year, 1% in health benefits, and 1% in retirement) but due to the overwhelming calls to our Legislators by State employees, we will be getting our 5% raise in October, the State will pick up the 1% health benefit and the retirement thing has worked out where new employees will contribute 5% to a interest bearing fund and after 2 years the employee will have the choice of taking the money out or moving it over into their retirement. The state will then start paying their retirement. This is kind of like the 2 tier system that was implemented during the Wilson era. Tier 1 is where the State matches the employee's retirement contribution. Tier 2 was where the State didn't pay any retirement and the only contribution was by the employee. Tier 2 was abolished a few years ago. This new one is a different type of Tier 2.
"RANT MODE OFF"
You know, it all boiles down to he is just as good as the next guy, the politics and priorities are just different. He is not taking a salary (however his retirement from the State will be huge) and I don't see many of the Legislatores cutting or giving up their large salaries so it is all just a political game.
Boy this has gone way off the topic of Gas Cans, but I guess it comes under "other".
Joan
Gee - I hope killer and buddy don't mate... that would be a wierd looking dog
Quote from: LCMS pastorGee - I hope killer and buddy don't mate... that would be a wierd looking dog
I picture a Chihuahua with a gargatuan head and jaws.:eyecrazy:
Actually it would never happen as their both fixed.
Besides I don't think Killer could carry a litter of pups that large.
Sal
Quote from: MartoriousWell that would explain why they won't let fruit into California, but Gone-Camping says they took his oranges from him on the way out! I guess they are concerned about their pests getting out of California! But if that was the case, Michael Moore wouldn't be on the loose..... :-() :D
I was pregnant with my son during the medfly crisis here in California and they were spraying with helicopters over out cities during the evenings. It looked like something from Apocolypse Now. If them checking for fruit going out of CA keeps the rest of you from having to put up with spraying like that, I'll put up with the inconvenience.
Funny story (how did we go from gas cans to this topic?) -- my family was coming back into the state from Oregon and at the checkpoint they asked my dad if he had any fruits or vegetables in the car. He said no. Then my older sister piped up and said, "But we have a nut in the back seat!" (referring to my other sister.) They made my dad unpack the entire car to prove he didn't really have any nuts he was smuggling in. It's funny now, but I'll bet he didn't think it was so funny!
As for Michael Moore -- somebody, please take him! We'll gladly give him up.
...... maybe a large funnel and one of the new type cans will work. Put the funnel in the tank, pour the fuel into the funnel.
Quote from: Gone-CampingWell, they took away my half dozen oranges. Perhaps they thought I was gonna denonate them somewhere in Arizona!!! :eyecrazy:
actually they were just hungry and your oranges looked good ;)