Yesterday's gas-up

[sublime0713]

So, after a long and difficult day at work, I leave to go home and notice I'm on reserve. No big deal, I'll stop and fill up at the conveniently located Exxon just before I get on I-35. Well, as I stop at the red light I notice the Exxon on the other side of the intersection looking pretty full, and there's a Shell to the right (at which I've never stopped). So I think, cool, nobody there, here we go. Insert credit card, move tank bag, lean over with nozzle, and it pours gas all over my tank
It seems like it's coming from between the vapor sleeve and the nozzle itself, but either way, WTF??!! Naturally, there are no paper towels outside, so I go in to ask for some, but since I don't have an interpreter my communications are unsuccessful So, I take all the napkins from the hot dog area but of course by then the gas has dried on my tank.
Ok, s**t happens, no big deal. I back up to the next pump, insert card, activate pump, lean over, and nothing happens. The damn pump is broken!! At this point, a string of obscenities flowing from my mouth, I mount up and head to the Exxon where I should have gone in the first place. :spank:

It's nice to vent, thanks again for the cathartic venue Forum :thumbup:.

 

[Tailgate]

No prob venting. I remember once I removed the nozzle from the pump saddle, still holding the nozzle in the air, pushed the button, and diesel (no, My FZ6 doesn't run on diesel) starting spraying all over my van body finish. Some A-HOLE rigged (or neglected to disengage it)the trigger so it was already engaged. I don't know what you could've done differently----except hve gone to the primo Exxon station in the first place. (You didn't want that 10% ethanol Shell crap, anyway, did you?) Happy pumping!

 

[Jblk9695]

Had that happen too and at a Shell
I got on the Shell web site and reported the station, don't know if it did any good but the station seems to have tight nozzles the last few times I've gone back(their in the neighbor hood so I do use them on occasion)

Jerry

 

[VEGASRIDER]

I stopped going to Exxon after the Oil Spill in Alaska.

Maybe if you have dismounted from the bike, you could have prevented it from spilling. Just a thought.

 

[Dennis in NH]

I hear ya. These gas stations need to maintain their pumps -- it's infuriating to have to deal with incompetence. I'm only there for a few minutes and if it has to be a pain, it plain sucks.

And learn English or don't make me have to go into the building to talk to you. That means make sure the pumps work and have paper for receipts.

I try to go to familiar stations but on long trips, it's tough. And on long trips I make an effort to get fuel when I can and not necessarily when I need to -- just for this purpose.

Dennis

 

[sublime0713]

I stopped going to Exxon after the Oil Spill in Alaska.

Maybe if you have dismounted from the bike, you could have prevented it from spilling. Just a thought.

I was dismounted. And whether I was or not wouldn't have made a difference. As far as spilling goes, they've all spilled at one time or another, to varying degrees. Worldwide, the Valdez doesn't even make the top 10 biggest spills in history.

 

[sublime0713]

I hear ya. These gas stations need to maintain their pumps -- it's infuriating to have to deal with incompetence. I'm only there for a few minutes and if it has to be a pain, it plain sucks.

And learn English or don't make me have to go into the building to talk to you. That means make sure the pumps work and have paper for receipts.

I try to go to familiar stations but on long trips, it's tough. And on long trips I make an effort to get fuel when I can and not necessarily when I need to -- just for this purpose.

Dennis

Exactly. I have 2 stations that I hit pretty regularly (both Exxon's; they seem to be the one that has their stuff together the most) and the 1 time I decide to go somewhere else, and look what happens.

 

[Motogiro]

I believe there is a suck-back system that is supposed to always be operational unless that's just us flakey Californians that are worried about the fumes/emissions.

Sounds like the management of the shell is working on starting a fire!.
I've noticed a lot of gas stations have their suck-back pumps turned off. This will pressurize your tank while filling it if the nozzle has a seal. If you're filling your tank and the pump nozzle clicks off and blows fuel out of the seal and vent, the pump has a problem and is actually dangerous. If you pump gas and this happens you should report it because this is much more than just an emission problem.


What Kenny said is excellent advice. Get off the bike. It's easier to deal with a mishap if you're off the bike

I tilt the nozzle skyward, bring the tip over the fill hole, rotate the tip back downward to the fill hole, insert, fill the tank, remove the the nozzle with the tip still over the fill hole, tilt the nozzle skyward and return it to the pump.:Sport:

 

[cap'n]

There's a little local station just down a backroad from work that I go to frequently. When I pull up, the guy comes over and hands me a fresh, clean rag before I even start pumping, just in case anything should spill. I leave it on the barricade next to the pump when I'm done. The place is chock-full of nice guys.

 

[Philippe1985]

When I pull up, the guy comes over and hands me a fresh, clean rag before I even start pumping, just in case anything should spill. I leave it on the barricade next to the pump when I'm done. The place is chock-full of nice guys.

This sounds actually a bit gay. Just joking.

 

[sublime0713]

Ok just for the record, since I neglected to include in my OP, I got off the bike to fill it up. I always do, because as Cliff said, the more control the better. And my fill up procedure is identical to yours, Cliff. :thumbup:

I will probably report the station online, as English is obviously an issue at the store.

 

[cap'n]

This sounds actually a bit gay. Just joking.

...come to think of it he DOES put his hand on my thigh a lot more than you would expect from a station attendant...

 

[VEGASRIDER]

There's a little local station just down a backroad from work that I go to frequently. When I pull up, the guy comes over and hands me a fresh, clean rag before I even start pumping, just in case anything should spill. I leave it on the barricade next to the pump when I'm done. The place is chock-full of nice guys.

This sounds actually a bit gay. Just joking.

Freaking Hilarious!
:rof:

 

[Hutchmaster34]

Some A-HOLE rigged (or neglected to disengage it)the trigger so it was already engaged.

Same thing happened to me on my bike!!! Just selected the octane turned to my bike, nozzle in hand and it just sprayed the S*** out of my bike before I could disengage the lever lock. Luckily my visor was still down because I was screaming a steady flow of swear words. An old lady must have caught a couple words and was looking at me like I was a crazy person.

 

[Drinky]

Freaking Hilarious!
:rof:

:rof: thats just wrong lol.

The shell stations in the netherlands are together with BP and Total one of the best maintained places to go.
Texaco is pretty expensive and looks old, all the other gas stations are of adequate quality. Never had any sort of spilling issues. At least where I live.

Total actually has a moto point, it has a soft helmet holder, and special cleaning brushes to use in the bike wash
almost forgot, it even has a shorter nozzle for a better fit in our petrol tanks

 

[sublime0713]

Total actually has a moto point, it has a soft helmet holder, and special cleaning brushes to use in the bike wash
almost forgot, it even has a shorter nozzle for a better fit in our petrol tanks

Another example of Europe being much more bike friendly than the good ol' US of A.

 

[blitzcraig]

i've come close to total disaster at the pump when im pumping the gas in... ok, ok, almost to the top, let go of handle... and the handle lock got flicked down and it won't release! crap! so in a flash i disengage it and narrowly avoid a gasoline bath. it's happened a few times. life and death sitations everywhere i turn :cheer:

 

[deeptekkie]

So, after a long and difficult day at work, I leave to go home and notice I'm on reserve. No big deal, I'll stop and fill up at the conveniently located Exxon just before I get on I-35. Well, as I stop at the red light I notice the Exxon on the other side of the intersection looking pretty full, and there's a Shell to the right (at which I've never stopped). So I think, cool, nobody there, here we go. Insert credit card, move tank bag, lean over with nozzle, and it pours gas all over my tank
It seems like it's coming from between the vapor sleeve and the nozzle itself, but either way, WTF??!! Naturally, there are no paper towels outside, so I go in to ask for some, but since I don't have an interpreter my communications are unsuccessful So, I take all the napkins from the hot dog area but of course by then the gas has dried on my tank.
Ok, s**t happens, no big deal. I back up to the next pump, insert card, activate pump, lean over, and nothing happens. The damn pump is broken!! At this point, a string of obscenities flowing from my mouth, I mount up and head to the Exxon where I should have gone in the first place. :spank:

It's nice to vent, thanks again for the cathartic venue Forum :thumbup:.

I know what you mean. Some days it just doesn't pay to gnaw through the restraints!

 

[FB400]

Ok guys, this is too funny. I read this thread at noon. By 5pm I was at the gas station and what do you think happened?!!

I've filled this bike up about a dozen times since I've had it. I usually go to this same station, most of the time using the same pump. I had to chuckle when a large sploosh of gas got all over the front half of the tank.

 

[McLovin]

Reminds me of that saying..the long route you know is always shorter than the shortcut you are not familiar with..