Yesterday as is our habit, we took the dee-oh-gee for a walk at about 5.30pm.
The place we chose was Riverside, along the Liesbeek in Newlands. To get there, you can park along the M3, almost opposite Paradise Motors, a Shell garage.
For days, I had the intention to fill up the car's tank but I reckoned I was still OK as I watch the trip meter and the car's fuel consumption is pretty stable.
Anyway, we had a nice walk in cold, crisp air and when we got back to the car, it wouldn't start and I realised the tank was empty :headbanger:
I had no wallet and only my driver's licence so the only option was voetslaan back to Kenilworth to fetch a 5l plastic can, a funnel and some money.
The expedition took about an hour both ways when I finally arrived at the Shell garage.
I asked for 5l unleaded and the pump attentant informed me they will not fill my plastic can. The only alternative he said, was to buy a metal can for R35 which they will fill.
They produced a 5l 'blik' plastered with fire warning signs and the can had no lid or even a spout - just a hole on top.
I refused to pay R35 for such dangerous rubbish and the manager then agreed to fill their blik without lid as my car was parked almost directly opposite the garage but their container was evidently so precious that the pump attendant had to accompany me.
Despite using the large (plastic) funnel I brought with me, the bloke spilled about 2l of fuel down the side of my car :baseball: Strangely, he had no objection about pouring petrol through a plastic funnel into the car's tank :roll:
They say the law is an ass but I think Shell is a frackin' ass.
Anyway, the episode was entirely my fault and I do know about plastic, fuel and static electricity but I think this new way of ripping off motorists is taking things a bit too far.
Have you ever experienced something like this - refusing to fill plastic cans with fuel?
For the last 40 years I have stored 2 5l cans of fuel for my garden machines with never any mishap or incident.
mafioso
The place we chose was Riverside, along the Liesbeek in Newlands. To get there, you can park along the M3, almost opposite Paradise Motors, a Shell garage.
For days, I had the intention to fill up the car's tank but I reckoned I was still OK as I watch the trip meter and the car's fuel consumption is pretty stable.
Anyway, we had a nice walk in cold, crisp air and when we got back to the car, it wouldn't start and I realised the tank was empty :headbanger:
I had no wallet and only my driver's licence so the only option was voetslaan back to Kenilworth to fetch a 5l plastic can, a funnel and some money.
The expedition took about an hour both ways when I finally arrived at the Shell garage.
I asked for 5l unleaded and the pump attentant informed me they will not fill my plastic can. The only alternative he said, was to buy a metal can for R35 which they will fill.
They produced a 5l 'blik' plastered with fire warning signs and the can had no lid or even a spout - just a hole on top.
I refused to pay R35 for such dangerous rubbish and the manager then agreed to fill their blik without lid as my car was parked almost directly opposite the garage but their container was evidently so precious that the pump attendant had to accompany me.
Despite using the large (plastic) funnel I brought with me, the bloke spilled about 2l of fuel down the side of my car :baseball: Strangely, he had no objection about pouring petrol through a plastic funnel into the car's tank :roll:
They say the law is an ass but I think Shell is a frackin' ass.
Anyway, the episode was entirely my fault and I do know about plastic, fuel and static electricity but I think this new way of ripping off motorists is taking things a bit too far.
Have you ever experienced something like this - refusing to fill plastic cans with fuel?
For the last 40 years I have stored 2 5l cans of fuel for my garden machines with never any mishap or incident.
mafioso
