Do you push in at petrol stations?

[Jody]

No, but I'm rarely in a rush.

Maybe my 'tude will change when I get a KTM690 next week ?

[Asian Boss]

If I was in a car and a bike pushed in I'd kick the fuck out of him, maybe.

I love riding bikes, but I hate and detest folk who ride bikes who think they have special rights.

I'd be getting the bat out of the boot of the Astra.

If there's a free pump and someone ahead isn't using it, I'll go and use it; whether that's because the hose is not on the side they prefer or because there's a car next to a pump which means their approach is slightly impeded.

[MrLongbeard]

I've never had to queue before these interesting times, so no.

I did circle the block and go in the exit last week as the plebs queuing out on to the road weren't using the pay at pump pumps, a few horn blasts and shouted words were received, and answered in kind.

[Supermofo]

I wouldn't at the moment, tempers are running high and not really cricket to jump the queue.

[Taipan]

In normal times I ride in and if I see a pump that queueing cars can't get to, then yes I push in and use it. No one has ever said anything to me when doing this. I wouldn't do it now in the managed queues, but this morning I rode into a garage with queues of only 2-3 cars and I was able to get to an empty pump that the cars couldn't.

[gremlin]

Today I did, sort of. I joined a two lane queue that quickly became four lanes on the forecourt, but there were people trying to cross lanes to get to the pump next to their filler cap, leaving empty pumps as cars couldn't get through.

Sorry, but me sitting in a queue isn't helping at all, so I went forward, occupied a space at a pump that nobody else could, and filled up (inc. jerry can) as quick a possible then wheeled my bike forward so other folk could get to the pump. When I paid and came back out, both the pump I'd used and the one behind were vacant, due to some woman trying to cross lanes and blocking all four 'inner' pumps off for the other car users. I did think to tell her that the hoses were long enough to reach the other side, but I figured if she couldn't figure that one out, not least because there are signs on the pumps saying 'Extra long hoses', I didn't stand any chance of persuading her.

Flame away.

[The Spin Doctor]

Having syphoned half a tank out the Hornet, I'd got a full tank on the XJ6 today which I was going to need as I was training in Oxford - estimated 175 miles riding, with a tank range of... 175 - 180.

Predictably, the filling station at the end of the road had fuel but a queue disappearing out of sight, so carried on to Oxford. Had to filter round a quarter of the North Circ due to an extinction rebellion protest blocking Hanger Lane, which cost me the 15 minutes I'd added to my normal journey time to allow me to amble down the motorway at a fuel saving 55, so had to do 70-ish instead.

None of the filling stations I passed on the way out of London appeared to have fuel, but fortunately the A34/A44 services where I was meeting the trainee DID have fuel and no queue, so I topped off and filled the gallon can I had in the topbox.

After that, the training disrupted by a road closure which forced me onto a diversion, then a closed junction for a cycle race (I guessed correctly it was the women's Tour of Britain), we eventually finished the session (one very happy lady incidentally) and I headed back to the Smoke via the old A40 just to see if I could top up at a couple of petrol stations - no joy. I avoided Hanger Lane on the way back and did pass one petrol station at Wembley Park with petrol (and queues round the block) and the local one at the end of the road was still dispensing but the queue for that was still out of sight.

It's an effing mess, and after ten days and more of shortages it can't STILL be panic-buying.

Oh, and a Zero S buzzed past at one point whilst we were having a kerbside chat. If only the SR/Z had a 175 mile range, I'd be thinking very seriously about one!

[JackyJoll]

My club was supposed to be doing a big ride out (60 bikes) last weekend which has been pushed to next weekend

That’s a long push.

[Trinity765]

I've just ordered a 5L steel jerry can. Do all plastic ones leak? Mine did and so have all the other plastic ones that I've come across so I wasn't confident to stick it in a pannier. This one however looks like the dogs danglies and is slim so it "should" fit upright in a pannier and has a metal safety pin to stop it accidentally opening - I feel like a proper road warrior I will be able to do an extra 60 miles - life changing.

[cheb]

You'll do well to buy a spout that fits it too, otherwise a lot of the fuel might be wasted. There's plenty on Ebay.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Always handy, carrying round 5KG of highly flammable liquid in a country with loads of petrol stations.

Be even better when the ethanol in the petrol absorbs water and rots the steel.

[Dodgy69]

What about these.

[Trinity765]

You'll do well to buy a spout that fits it too, otherwise a lot of the fuel might be wasted. There's plenty on Ebay.

I ordered a collapsible funnel.

[Trinity765]

Always handy, carrying round 5KG of highly flammable liquid in a country with loads of petrol stations.

Be even better when the ethanol in the petrol absorbs water and rots the steel.

Petrol stations that have fuel? I don't know where you are but down here in the south east fuel is hard to get right now. It's a matter of luck, being at the right station at the right time.

Mine has special paint on the inside apparently.

[Trinity765]

What about these.

I'd hope it wouldn't leak for that price. If this goes on for much longer, I would consider it. I'm hoping it really will be over by the weekend, in which case, I've only wasted £30.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Trinity 765 and a friend in the near future

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[The Spin Doctor]

Someone's just created an interactive map of petrol stations that have fuel. It seems to be mostly London area at the moment, but might help a few people. https://www.ziggerwebdesign.co.uk/fuel-availability

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Not every filling station is shown - it depends on user reports, so I'd guess that it's probably showing more stations WITH fuel than without.

Still very limited supplies here in NW London right now.

[Mussels]

No, but I have a car with the filler on the passenger side, I often drive past a load of people waiting for the pumps that are on the drivers side of the car.

Why do they do that? The hoses will reach any side of a car.

Not always, I used one on the wrong side last week and it only just reached with the nozzle upside down and my car isn't tall.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

No, but I have a car with the filler on the passenger side, I often drive past a load of people waiting for the pumps that are on the drivers side of the car.

Why do they do that? The hoses will reach any side of a car.

Not always, I used one on the wrong side last week and it only just reached with the nozzle upside down and my car isn't tall.

My dad had a Ford Zodiac Mk4 where the filler cap was in the centre of the rear panel, hidden behind the number plate, so it didn't matter which side the pump was on.

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Picture for anyone under 50

[Skub]

My dad had a Ford Zodiac Mk4 where the filler cap was in the centre of the rear panel, hidden behind the number plate, so it didn't matter which side the pump was on.

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Picture for anyone under 50

In certain areas over here that number plate may cause the owner some bother.