Do We Have To Keep Making Everything So Complicated?

[Bailey Guns]

With some things, "new and improved" is good. I enjoy a lot of comforts and conveniences provided by modern technology and by the fact I was fortunate enough to be born a citizen of the greatest, most prosperous nation in the history of the planet. But sometimes, can't it be possible to leave well enough alone?

I needed a gas can. A simple container to hold and transport gasoline from a dispenser into a tank attached to an internal combustion engine. Now, I haven't bought a "gas can" in ages...decades maybe. In simpler times a gas can was a simple contraption made of metal with a metal spout. The fancy ones had a flexible metal spout. They were simple, they worked and they lasted a long, long time assuming you took care of it.

Apparently, all gas cans these days (or at least the ones I could find locally) are made of plastic and they're "new and improved" to avoid spills and the destruction of the planet. I didn't realize the few drops of gas that dripped out of my old metal can spouts were destroying the environment, but apparently it's a real problem. For someone.

So I paid almost $20 for a plastic "can", with a "handy, no spill spout" at Home Depot. What they don't tell you is these are like crew-served weapons systems...you need several people to effective operate one and pour gas into your vehicle. And so spill my ass! The slightest amount of pressure applied sideways to the nozzle that's been inserted into the vehicle port results in more gas spilling to the ground than is going into the vehicle. No matter how many times I stopped and reapplied the spout assembly it leaked because of flexing in the mouth of the can. And I need all three of my hands to operate the damned thing.

I guess I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and buy a genuine Made in the USA, modern, metal gas can complete with funnel. Who'da thought you'd see the day you would pay upwards of $40 or more for a freakin' gas can?

[Jamnanc]

Construction supply stores have metal vented ones that actually work.

[68Charger]

One word: California

They required the stupid

[Holger Danske]

If there is a Big R nearly, then check if they have "after market" spout kits to replace the CA compliant ones.

[CO Hugh]

stockpile and sell on craigslist

[theGinsue]

I finally bought a snow blower in January when we that big snow. I'd read up on them and kept seeing how you needed a fuel additive to avoid a common problem with the engines. The guy at Lowes told me as much too and said that Troy-Bilt recommended using Sta-Bil 360 Performance. Okay, why not? But, since I'd use this fuel just for the snow blower I need a new gas can. I bought one, a plastic one with the anti-spill spout, filled it on the way home, & added the Sta-Bil's. When I got home and tried to pour the fuel into the snow blower which required getting a little thing on the spout pushed in by the lip of the gas tank, the damned anti-spill devoce snapped off. Now, to ise the damned thing I have to use oje hand to hold the gas can and the other to manually push up the remnants of the anti-spill device to get the fuel to pour.

Yeah, I agree with you; these "advancements" suck.

[Zundfolge]

See the problem is that you want one of those high capacity, high powered assault gas cans and those are just too dangerous for us proles.

[Bailey Guns]

Construction supply stores have metal vented ones that actually work.

OK. I'll look into that. Otherwise, it's Amazon.

If there is a Big R nearly, then check if they have "after market" spout kits to replace the CA compliant ones.

No Big R. There are a few similar stores in town and Home Depot but they all have the CA Compliant, no spill, no work, POS containers.

[davsel]

Same thing happened to me when I bought a new can last summer. Walmart sells regular nozzles separately. However you still have the problem of no longer having a vent hole in the can.
I assume some government entity (EPA) had to approve of the design of these new "no-spill" nozzles. Likely some paper pusher who has never actually used a gas can in their entire lives.

[Zundfolge]

Same thing happened to me when I bought a new can last summer. Walmart sells regular nozzles separately. However you still have the problem of no longer having a vent hole in the can.

Drill hole, insert screw, profit.