Obviously nature, conservation and preserving the environment are the most important thing but getting to the outdoors, for me anyway, is predominately done by car. Using less fuel or higher miles to the gallon is better for the environment surely??
With rising fuel costs getting to the hills is getting more and more expensive. Our busy lifestyles these days means public transport is really too time consuming to use for short jaunts on a Sunday. We are lucky enough to live relatively close to the heights of Scotland and the Lakes aren’t out of reach for a day trip.
I got this information below from my father-in-law via email. I don’t know its origins or how factual it is but I looks like it could be accurate (not a scientist or brain box in any way). You may have already seen this, apparently it’s being doing the rounds. If you haven’t it might be useful –
TIPS ON PUMPING PETROL
I don't know what you guys are paying for petrol. I am paying up to £1.35 to £1.50 per litre. My line of work has been in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every litre:
Here at the Shell Pipeline where I work, we deliver about 4 million litres in a 24-hour period. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and petrol, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 Litres.
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the petrol, when it gets warmer petrol expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening; your litre is not exactly a litre. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the petrol, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.
A 1 degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimising the vapours that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapour return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapour. Those vapours are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your petrol tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this is the more petrol you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Petrol evaporates faster than you can imagine. Petrol storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the petrol and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every litre is actually the exact amount.
Another reminder - If there is a petrol truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy petrol, DO NOT fill up; most likely the petrol is being stirred up as the petrol is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
I don't know what you guys are paying for petrol. I am paying up to £1.35 to £1.50 per litre. My line of work has been in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every litre:
Here at the Shell Pipeline where I work, we deliver about 4 million litres in a 24-hour period. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and petrol, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 Litres.
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the petrol, when it gets warmer petrol expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening; your litre is not exactly a litre. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the petrol, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.
A 1 degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimising the vapours that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapour return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapour. Those vapours are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your petrol tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this is the more petrol you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Petrol evaporates faster than you can imagine. Petrol storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the petrol and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every litre is actually the exact amount.
Another reminder - If there is a petrol truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy petrol, DO NOT fill up; most likely the petrol is being stirred up as the petrol is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
 |
I haven’t tried these tips out yet but anything’s worth a shot in these days increasing fuel costs.
Happy Hiking (and getting there)
