Autoblog

Ultralight makes a runway-free gas and go

Zach Bowman — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:28:00 EST

We will never stop being bitter about the lack of flying cars in our personal lives. It's not that we trust the drivers on the road with us to have yet another axis of travel to concern themselves with, but rather that we've been promised personal flying transportation our entire lives.

One ultralight pilot seems to have taken matters into his own hands, by stopping at a standard fuel station to top off his tanks. After he's finished at the pumps, he simply fires up his engine, taxis to the highway and takes off into the wild blue yonder.

Is the move safe? Probably not, but the path to excellence is often littered with danger. You can watch the whole show in the video below for yourself. As for us, we're going to start shopping for a personal aircraft of our very own.

Continue reading Ultralight makes a runway-free gas and go

Ultralight makes a runway-free gas and go originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch this man's natural-gas pickup explode as he refuels it

Seyth Miersma — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:44:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Middle East

We've reported before on the proliferation of natural-gas powered vehicles in the heavily oil-sanctioned state of Iran. Now we've got some further very dramatic circumstantial evidence that not all of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles are as safe as their Iranian owners would hope.

It's hard to say just what caused the violent ending in this pickup refilling video - a KTLA rebroadcast from an unidentified news source - but the result is terrifying. In light of this catastrophic clip, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that CNG vehicles have an excellent safety record here in the US. Follow on below to watch the video clip.

Continue reading Watch this man's natural-gas pickup explode as he refuels it

Watch this man's natural-gas pickup explode as he refuels it originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is what happens when you play with cigarette lighters while pumping gas

Zach Bowman — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Australia

It's easy to forget just how dangerous fueling your vehicle can be. Drivers visit gas stations hundreds of times a year, and topping off the tank is as second nature as tying your shoelaces.

However, that doesn't mean gasoline has suddenly turned less flammable. Just ask one absent-minded guy in Australia. While waiting for the pump to shut off, the gentleman checked to see if his cigarette lighter was in working order. Sure enough, a small flame popped up with the first flick of the flint, and the fumes from the gushing gas pump quickly followed suit.

Our wicked fire-starter took the time to hop his open car door instead of simply closing it, and sprinted right past a clearly visible fire extinguisher in an attempt to save his own skin. Fortunately, the station operator had the presence of mind to shut down the pump, and a bystander took it upon himself to douse the flames with water. Authorities say everyone involved was only seconds from going extra crispy. Check out the video below.

Continue reading This is what happens when you play with cigarette lighters while pumping gas

This is what happens when you play with cigarette lighters while pumping gas originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New pump technology prevents gas theft, lets you pay after pumping [w/poll]

Chris Paukert — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos

Depending on where you live and what gas stations you frequent, finding a pump that will let you pay after filling up is getting tougher and tougher. In an effort to curb absconders who drive off without paying, gas station owners have been forced to ratchet up security measures, leading most to go prepay only, whether that's inside the store or by swiping one's card at the pump.

But prepaying can be an inconvenience - particularly if you're settling up with cash - resulting in multiple trips to the storefront to plunk down dollars, then to return for the change and receipt. It's a small thing, but it can be an annoyance - particularly in places that experience real winters like Michigan. Thus, it should come as no surprise that a Saginaw, Michigan Marathon station is one of the first to try out a new anti drive-off security measure called Post-Pay. The system allows motorists to fill up their vehicle without paying first - provided they swipe their driver's license into the card reader.

Bob Hohn, President of Paxson Oil Company, invented the measure, having grown tired of his stores losing hundreds of dollars a week to drive-offs. According to a report by WJR-TV, the Connecticut-made Post-Pay system does not keep the buyer's information on file unless he or she is reported as a drive-off, at which point both the police and gas station are furnished with the offender's particulars. In fact, the station attendant never even sees the consumer's information under normal circumstances. Naturally, the Post-Pay system still accommodates people who'd rather pay with cash or card up front.

In the two months since the system was adopted, WJR-TV reports that the Marathon station has had just one drive off - as opposed to the three or four it averaged weekly before Post-Pay was installed. What's more, the would-be thief was subsequently caught, as his license information allowed police to track him down.

Check out WJR-TV News' story in the video after the jump, then vote in our poll and leave a comment to let fellow readers how if you'd be comfortable using such a system or whether you view it as a potential invasion of privacy.

View Poll

Continue reading New pump technology prevents gas theft, lets you pay after pumping [w/poll]

New pump technology prevents gas theft, lets you pay after pumping [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Speed's new show Pumped! is like Cash Cab at the gas station

Zach Bowman — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos

Believe it or not, we cherish our time at the gas pump. Topping off the tank is a good excuse to step outside for a moment and let our minds wander for a spell. It's a little slice of meditation we've been practicing since before we could legally drive, so the thought of being dragged into an impromptu game show while at the local gas station is enough to turn your author's stomach. That's premise behind the new reality show Pumped! on Speed. Comedian host Greg Fitzsimmons pounces on motorists just trying to get on their way and offers them cash and Sonoco gas cards if they answer a set of questions correctly, so at least there's an incentive. It's all a bit like Discovery Channel's long-running New York taxi trivia show, Cash Cab.

The teaser clip after the jump features a newlywed couple fresh from the altar on their way to take photos and meet up with family and friends at the reception. The questions range from U.S. history to NASCAR trivia and basic automotive knowledge, and the couple fares about as well as we would expect. Hit the jump to check the clip for yourself, and let us know if you'd be happy be ambushed by these guys at your local gas station in Comments.

Continue reading Speed's new show Pumped! is like Cash Cab at the gas station

Speed's new show Pumped! is like Cash Cab at the gas station originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Italian beauty and absurdity extend to gas stations in Cuneo, Italy

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 30 May 2011 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Design/Style

Italian gas station by Damilano Studio Architects - Click above for high-res image gallery

When luxury becomes a commodity, there's little left but to make commodities luxurious. This is a newly constructed gas station in Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy, designed by Damilano Studio Architects, and it's rather pleasant to look at if modern architecture is your thing. Reinforced concrete enclosing a glass wall creates staggered, latitudinal forms that are sliced by aluminum canopies front and back, with blood red fuel pumps.

We have no idea if a beautiful station sells more fuel or makes the Skittles taste better, but a little more pulchritude in one's day never hurt, did it? As to that absurdity, around back is a red steel block bearing a work of art that looks like a long armed, dog-headed man on a toilet. It is actually "a wolf howling, illuminated at night, draw[ing] attention to the urgent needs." Now that will definitely make the Skittles taste better. Thanks for the tip, John!

Italian beauty and absurdity extend to gas stations in Cuneo, Italy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why New Jersey motorists still can't pump their own gas

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

Ding! There goes the charming little reminder that your car is getting low on fuel, as most new cars come straight from the factory with an audible reminder that it's time to fill up. No big deal, right? Just takes a quick second to remember which side the filler is on, then you get out, unscrew the cap and insert the nozzle. Fill 'er up... couldn't be easier.

Unless you live in New Jersey or Oregon, notes The Wall Street Journal, where it's still illegal to pump your own gas. According to Bikram Gill, a businessman who bought up 26 gas stations in New Jersey, "Any idiot can do it." We know for a fact that there are idiots in all 50 states, and in 48 of them, those idiots are free to handle the somewhat volatile fuel themselves. In 1951, though, the Supreme Court of New Jersey decided it was too dangerous to allow just anyone to pump gas, suggesting that the process of refueling is best left to the professionals.

Predictably, there have been attempts to change the law. In 1988, a judge issued a ruling that it was unconstitutional to disallow Americans the right to pump their own gas, but it was later overturned by a court of appeals. And again in 2006, governor John Corzine attempted to put self-service stations along the Turnpike, but the voting public said 'No Thanks.'

And so it remains illegal to pump your own gas in Jersey. Of course, the next time it's raining or snowing or sleeting and you need to fill up, something tells us you'll understand...

[Source: The Wall Street Journal | Image: /\ \/\/ /\ C.C. 2.0]

Why New Jersey motorists still can't pump their own gas originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Half of California gas stations could face closure for failing to install costly new nozzles

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:20:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, Technology, Earnings/Financials

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, California gas station operators have known since 2000 that they would have to install new nozzles on their gas pumps by tomorrow's deadline. And yet at least 2,000 of the 3,900 stations in the Southern California region and 60 percent of stations statewide have failed to do exactly that. The California Air Resources Board ruled nine years ago that gas pumps would have to be equipped with enhanced vapor recovery nozzles that capture and recirculate the gasoline vapors that inevitably escape while pumping gas.

Unfortunately, the narrow margins of gas retailing and high cost of the nozzles has made stations owners reluctant to spend the money. The equipment costs roughly $11,000 per pump.

Starting April 1, stations that haven't upgraded will start to face fines that will be ramped up toward the end of this year. Stations that haven't made the changes by the end of 2009 face closure.

[Source: Los Angeles Daily News | Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]

REPORT: Half of California gas stations could face closure for failing to install costly new nozzles originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flying rat poop leads to collapse of gas station canopy

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Humor

Pigeons -- flying rats, rock doves, what have you -- are probably not on anyone's favorite list of fowl, but lately they've been bringing the house down. Well, not houses exactly, but bridges and awnings if you believe the news. Last year it was reported pigeon poop helped cause the bridge collapse in Minnesota -- pigeon excreta being remarkably effective at rusting things out. Now, at a Yuma, Arizona gas station, an awning collapsed under the weight of wet guano. The folks in charge let up to five inches of dung collect on the flat awning, and when it rained, the mass of that mess brought the whole thing tumbling down. Lost in the hail of excrement: a BMW and a HUMMER. Let this be a lesson to you: beware the Columbidae.

[Source: MSNBC]

Flying rat poop leads to collapse of gas station canopy originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man gets caught with custom-built gas-stealing truck

Chris Shunk — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Government/Legal, Ford

With gas prices exceeding $4 per gallon, it's no surprise that fuel stealing is on the rise. What's amazing is the lengths to which thieves are willing to go to swindle the pricey commodity in larger-than-normal quantities. An Orlando man was recently arrested for having a hidden, professionally welded 800-gallon gas tank retrofitted to a Ford truck that police say was expressly used for stealing petrol. The man also had a key that disables pump meters, which should scare the hell out of gas station owners.

He was caught after a Hess gas station attendant became suspicious of the inordinate amount of time he was spending pump-side and called the police. Law enforcement officials say that due to the elaborate setup of the gas-stealing truck and the theif's possession of the pump meter-disabling key, he is likely one part of a larger gas-stealing syndicate that resells the fuel for profit. It isn't surprising that some unscrupulous folks would be attracted to the possibility of netting $3,200 in about a half hour, but since they are going to so much trouble to remain undetected, you'd think they wouldn't try to steal all the gas at once. Thanks for the tip, Eric!

[Source: Local6]

Man gets caught with custom-built gas-stealing truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 HUMMER H2 and H2 SUT will be E85 compatible

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Etc., Hummer

In Dallas, a businessman has spent half a million dollars to install nine pumps that dispense E85, E10, and biodiesel. The catch: the businessman is a HUMMER dealer, and the pumps are next to his dealership. The station is called Classic Clean Fuels, and it is intended to make a statement for next year's H2 and H2 SUT, which will be the first production models to be Flex-fuel capable.

You won't need to drive a HUMMER to get E85 at the station. The pumps are open to the public, a first for a dealer-owned gas station. By 2010, GM has said all HUMMERs will be biofuel-capable. GM plans to market 15 Flexfuel models next year, but only one percent of the country's service stations sell E85. GM is using that as an opportunity to open the public's (and dealers') minds to putting alternative fuel stations in alternative places.

Said GM's Larry Burns, "Down the road we may even want to consider hydrogen dispensers at dealerships."

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]

2009 HUMMER H2 and H2 SUT will be E85 compatible originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Felipe Massa shills for Shell, makes us chuckle

Alex Nunez — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ferrari

Shell's PR people appear to have a handle on how best to exploit the company's relationship with Scuderia Ferrari. Whether it's the spine-tingling spot that depicts historic Ferrari grand prix cars running on the streets in famous locales, or the very amusing "What will Schumi do next?" series (there were two spots), the videos offer a pleasant respite from the daily grind.

Today we got word that Shell's back at it, and its new viral video star is Ferrari driver Felipe Massa. In the spot above, Massa's diminutive Fiat leaves a pair of musclecar drivers speechless, and in the one we've pasted after the jump, Felipe interacts with customers at a gas station via a hidden camera/closed-circuit TV setup. His challenge to them: imitate the sound of a racing Ferrari. Suffice to say, Michael Winslow's career is secure.

[Source: Shell via YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Felipe Massa shills for Shell, makes us chuckle

VIDEO: Felipe Massa shills for Shell, makes us chuckle originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Union 76's balls removed, museums get to hold them

Chris Tutor — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:04:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising

Not too long ago, the 8-foot tall orange Union 76 globes towering over gas stations could be found almost as easily as a Starbucks can today. But as those stations were renovated or as new ones were built, the glowing balls were taken down and newly built outlets got more conventional (i.e. cheaper) signage. After being acquired several times, the Union 76 brand ended up in ConocoPhillips' ever-growing portfolio. And that's when trouble started. Conoco's marketing department embarked on a mission to overhaul the 76 image and mandated that all surviving 76 balls be taken down. Automobilia collectors and museums alike were angered by the insistence of Conoco that the iconic signs be destroyed. Letters, pleas and petitions ensued.

But this story ends happily. While the plan to remove the orbs will go through, some of them will be donated for preservation to museums (including The Smithsonian and the Peterson Automotive Museum). And in another turn of events, the marketing team heard all those complaints and has decided to return the glowing 76 ball to as many as 100 gas stations in western states.

[Sources: The Wall Street Journal via The Car Connection and Save the 76 Ball]

Union 76's balls removed, museums get to hold them originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FuelCard.org launches in the United States

Erin Mays — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Etc.

Mimicking a similar project in the UK, a US-based organization has launched FuelCard.org to help drivers save some cash on gas. The idea is seemingly simple: get a bunch of people together and give them a gas discount card, promise a popular, nationwide gas station chain that the group of people will only buy their gas, and the card holders in question get 10-20 cents off per gallon of gas. The site evidently started up last week, so we're not sure who the gas retailer will be, but if this program flies, it could be a great thing for many of us looking at $50+ a tank.

Thanks to Bob for the tip.

[Source: FuelCard.org]

FuelCard.org launches in the United States originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM's newest incentive - $1.99/gallon gasoline in Florida and California

Eric Bryant — Wed, 24 May 2006 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, Pontiac

General Motors promised that it would develop some innovative sales promotions this summer, and we have to say that it delivers with a newly-announced offer for Florida and California residents who buy selected SUVs and midsize sedans.

Buyers will be issued a pre-paid credit card, which will be credited monthly with reimbursement for gasoline costs above and beyond $1.99/gallon until December of 2007. The credit will be based on the published AAA price for premium fuel and the actual mileage driven (tracked via OnStar, natch), and so those who rack up the miles could end up with a substantial chunk of change back in their pockets - especially if gas prices continue towards pessimists' projections of $4/gallon (or worse).

The gas credit applies to the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, Monte Carlo, and Impala; the GMC Yukon, Hummer's H2 and H3, the Cadillac SRX, Pontiac's Grand Prix, and Buick's new Lucerne. GM claims that the vehicles were selected for their "outstanding fuel economy and great consumer appeal".

Check out the full press release from the General after the jump...

[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM's newest incentive - $1.99/gallon gasoline in Florida and California

GM's newest incentive - $1.99/gallon gasoline in Florida and California originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 May 2006 10:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas stations in Texas run dry

Stuart Waterman — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:19:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing

Filling stations in the heart of the oil industry were out of gasoline Friday after logistical problems delayed distribution of ethanol to fuel terminals.

The problem surfaced as oil companies switch from MTBE to ethanol as an anti-smog additive. Similar problems caused supply problems on the U.S. East Coast last week.

Because ethanol-based reformulated gasoline is easily contaminated by water, the gasoline and ethanol must be sent separately to distribution terminals (like the facility shown at right) and mixed at the terminal before being trucked to gas stations. MTBE-based gasoline was sent to the terminal via pipeline, ready for distribution. Getting the ethanol to the terminals has proven to be more of a challenge than expected.

[Source: CNN/Money]

Gas stations in Texas run dry originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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