Vapors leaking out of the tank are a problem for the owner.

For example. if 2% of a 6,000 gallon tank leaks as vapor then the owner can't sell that portion of the delivery. They paid for that 120 gallons.

A number of years back, a stream at the southern end of South Park began showing hydrocarbon pollution (Brownsville and Piney Fork Roads if you look for South Park PA on Google Maps.) (Both the Township and the County Park share the same name)

Well, one of my retired coworkers (Bob is his real name) worked for Allegheny County as a consultant and they ultimately discovered that a gas station about 5 miles north and beyond the northern end of the South Park parklands had a leaking tank and the water table was such that the pollution didn't show above ground for that distance. (If you look on Google maps, it's the intersection of Library, Broughton and Bethel Church roads at the Hillcrest Shopping Center. It's a funky intersection.) We were amazed at how far that pollution made it underground.

So please don't think that a gas station tank leaking shows up right away or even nearby.

If it wasn't Bob (my buddy) who did all the work to solve the water table, I wouldn't have believed it but the gas station owner had to replace his tanks and sure enough, the one was bad and leaking and after replacement, the pollution stopped.

Some years ago a boat knocked down the bridge connecting Tampa to south Florida.

A terrible gas shortage developed because the gas trucks had to go around the bridge.

After a week or so of long lines and tension the local gas station owners instituted a new

policy. They set the minimum purchase at 8 gallons. That ended the gas crisis.

People had been driving from station to station and refilling their tanks.

Sweetpickle (imported) wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:39 pm They set the minimum purchase at 8 gallons. That ended the gas crisis.

I love it when somebody uses their noodle to come up with a simple solution. No regulations. No enforcement. Just common sense.

Off topic, but Dave's comment about people pumping gas with lit cigarettes reminded me of once down in the Venezuela jungle I came across a local claim owner with his old beater vehicle on the side of the road. The hood was up. He was sitting up on the engine compartment, had a cigar in one hand, the carburator was off and he was looking down the hole into the motor. I stopped to ask if I could help. He looked at me and asked if I had a match. I cracked up because it was the last thing I was expecting him to say. I had visions of him lighting the match and dropping it down into the motor.