one_strange_texan
Beaumont, TX
Senior Member
Joined: 08/05/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
 Offline
|
I ran into what has to be one of the worst configurations ever for a gas pump island at a filling station in Iowa last week.
The station advertised diesel fuel. The island was the last on the end and marked “diesel.” There were four filling nozzles and the one on the far left was green and separated from the others. I topped off my diesel tank and after completing the fill I looked closer. You guessed it – regular gasoline. On closer inspection, the diesel nozzle was yellow (with a green hose) and mixed in, actually in the middle, of the two other premium gasoline nozzles. You could see the two nozzles in question were crudely labeled with faded magic marker “Gas” & “Diesel,” so obviously I was not the first to make this mistake.
Fortunately, I only topped off a quarter of a tank. We had primarily made a restroom stop. The truck ran fine after that. If I had filled a more nearly empty tank, the incident would have been much more serious.
I admit I share some of the blame for operating “on automatic” and not paying closer attention. However, the set up was ripe for human error.
Make a note to assume nothing as you stop to fill. This particular station was a BP station at the welcome area on Interstate 35 just coming into Iowa from Minnesota on the north.
I know BP uses green in their color scheme and yellow is also used to denote diesel, but do all BP stations have this configuration and color coding? I do not usually stop at BP.
one_strange_texan
Beaumont, TX
2005 Montana 3295RK
2004 Dodge Diesel 2500 4WD
|
Big Bruce
Anthony Fl.
Senior Member
Joined: 01/03/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
We have a new BP station down the road and the diesel handle is black.
Big Bruce
2006 Dodge, Dually, CTD, Quad Cab, 4 X 4, Automatic/ 2006 31' Cougar F/W
Hauling (1) 2009 Harley Heritage Classic and (1) 2009 Softail Deluxe.
Or Gone Fishing - 17' Carolina Skiff with Yamaha 75Hp 4 Stroke.
|
RVJohn
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 10/04/2003
View Profile
|
Well if its not marked with the print of "desel"I would be lost in as i`am totally color blind.
tow vehicle-2004.5 Dodge 3500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4-600 Cummins Turbo Diesel-4-speed automatic,48RE,short bed-SRW
Prodigy brake controllar
2001 3280RL Montana
reese 16K slider,roll&lock bed cover
Yahama EF300iSEB
Garmin 7200 GPS
5th Air Borne/sidewinder
|
skipnchar
Google Kansas USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/17/2003
View Profile
|
Ran into a SIMILAR situation during our trip to ALASKA this summer. IN Canada Diesel pumps are yellow not green. The pump merely said "natures fuel" and NOTHING about gas or diesel. Natures fuel meant NOTHING to me so I put some 20 liters in before noticing the smell wasn't right. Finished my 25 gallon fill up with the 'OTHER' diesel pump, doubled the additive in that tank and never knew the difference in the way it ran. The attendant told me that someone did that same thing about once a week. (Usually some dumb yank like me) 
2004 F-250 SCREW Long Bed (new)
OR 2004 F-150 HD (85,000 towing miles)
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
|
hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/04/2003
View Profile
 Online
|
I'd take a picture of it and confront the operation for damages. Contact the BBB and a local radio/TV station with your story, they eat that stuff up.
hershey - albuquerque, nm
Someday Finally Got Here
My wife does all the driving - I just get to hold the steering wheel.
Superman was an illegal alien.
Expedition - Suzuki Grand Viagra
NASCAR 14 - 99 - 5
|
|
|
Horsedoc
Dixie --- N. Georgia
Senior Member
Joined: 09/30/2002
View Profile
Online
|
Hard to claim damages when several hundred people per day or week DO NOT make this mistake.
|
Hardtack
Gone
Senior Member
Joined: 06/20/2009
View Profile
|
one_strange_texan wrote:I admit I share some of the blame for operating “on automatic” and not paying closer attention. However, the set up was ripe for human error.
hershey wrote:I'd take a picture of it and confront the operation for damages. Contact the BBB and a local radio/TV station with your story, they eat that stuff up.
petanqueur99 wrote:How about the person, driving a Class A, used the cruise control and went back to make coffee, as if the cruise control was an automatic pilot. After the obvious accident, he sued the rv manufacturer, and won, for not having cautioned him not to leave the steering wheel?
Now I understand why McDonald's was sued for 'Hot Coffee'....scheeesh!
Al/Reeni wrote:Sorry, sounds like operator error. If you have an RV, know how to fuel it.
Ditto!
|
1100Sabre
Missouri
Senior Member
Joined: 06/04/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
85 octane gasoline in Colorado a few years ago was with yellow nozzles.
I always check to make sure it is diesel before I fill. I just put the nozzle in the tank and slightly squeeze it to make sure. I have seen pumps with the handles switched, wrong color, etc.
2009 4X4 Chevrolet Duramax/Allison 3500HD Crew Cab DRW
2007 Sportsman Sportster KZ 33P Toy Hauler
"It's not the destination, it's the journey."
|
wny_pat
Western NYS
Senior Member
Joined: 08/11/2007
View Profile
Online
|
one_strange_texan wrote:I know BP uses green in their color scheme and yellow is also used to denote diesel, but do all BP stations have this configuration and color coding? There is no industry wide standard for product color code identification. Each company has their own product color code. Green or Yellow are usually identified with diesel. White for unleaded gas and Red or Blue for Premium unleaded gas. You can not go by the handle cover on the nozzle because they have people working at stations who have no clue! A brand new station is usually up to par that way but as things wear out....
|
FLIRGUY
Ridgecrest, Ca.
Senior Member
Joined: 07/19/2009
View Profile
|
Your not the first and defenatly the last. I had a driver bringing me equipment out of LA. He stopped at Mojave to refuel. Filled his truck with regular. He made it about a mile out of town. Needless to say my deliverie was late and didn't make it in time to flight test.
2007 Crossroads Zinger 270RL
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD
1975 Cadillac Eldorado
20 Year USN Ret.
One Shar Pei Soon
Will never marry again!
|
|
|
