Colour me suprised - gas station in the US with litres on the pump

[D1gger]

My wife and I had to make a quick trip into Point Roberts, Washington on Saturday to pick up a book that she ordered on the internet. The book store wouldn't ship to Canada, so she found a mail order handling facility in Port Roberts where we could pick up the shipment.

Neither of us had ever been to Point Roberts before and were pleasantly suprised how cheap the gasoline was and decided to fill the tank while we were there. I was very suprised to see the gas prices advertised in $/litre ($.849/litre) and even more suprised when I pulled up to the pump to see that they are calibrated in litres.

Are there any other places in the US that use litres as the measure of choice for gas?

 

[zinfamous]

who let them commies in there?

 

[mugs]

I guess it could be because it's close to Canada. Back when gas prices were up over $3, some gas stations with older pumps weren't able to display the high prices. I think they started listing prices for half gallons instead. Was it an older pump?

 

[spidey07]

who let them commies in there?

I'd report them to the standards and measures institute. They MUST calibrate the pumps in gallons to be legal. Report them.

 

[gorcorps]

Sounds to me like it's just an accommodation since it's so close to Canada. I know there are (or were) several places down south in TX and CA that took Pesos to accommodate Mexico being so close.

 

[geno]

I've seen that on the two occasions I've been to Montreal. Small towns near the border measure in liters for whatever reason (accommodate the locals, easier to keep it apples to apples if they take delivery from Canadian companies, etc etc)

 

[D1gger]

I guess it could be because it's close to Canada. Back when gas prices were up over $3, some gas stations with older pumps weren't able to display the high prices. I think they started listing prices for half gallons instead. Was it an older pump?

No, the pumps were new enough to accept credit card payment at the pump and were fully digital.

I was suprised that Weights and Measures would allow it, but it must be an accommodation to the number of Canadians who buy their gas there.

For those that don't know, Point Roberts is only accessible by road from Canada. You can't drive from any other part of Washington State into Point Roberts without going through Canada first.

 

[ViviTheMage]

it's begun

 

[Crusty]

After your explanation I don't see why you would be surprised... given that most likely person to be at that gas station would be Canadian.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

No, the pumps were new enough to accept credit card payment at the pump and were fully digital.

I was suprised that Weights and Measures would allow it, but it must be an accommodation to the number of Canadians who buy their gas there.

For those that don't know, Point Roberts is only accessible by road from Canada. You can't drive from any other part of Washington State into Point Roberts without going through Canada first.

Which means they must be filled via truck coming from Canada........

 

[techs]

For some reason this places rings a bell. Is there picture somewhere that shows how you have to drive thru canada to get to this gas station?

 

[Crusty]

For some reason this places rings a bell. Is there picture somewhere that shows how you have to drive thru canada to get to this gas station?

You mean like a map?

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

I'd report them to the standards and measures institute. They MUST calibrate the pumps in gallons to be legal. Report them.

LOLAmerica.

 

[Ramma2]

You mean like a map?

We don't take kindly to that type of common sense here. You best be movin along now...

 

[techs]

For some reason this places rings a bell. Is there picture somewhere that shows how you have to drive thru canada to get to this gas station?

You mean like a map?

No. I think someone once posted an aerial picture of the exact place.

Edit:

 

[InflatableBuddha]

For the lazy:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sour...83,-123.054256&spn=0.081761,0.150032&t=h&z=13

 

[Mike Gayner]

I'd report them to the standards and measures institute. They MUST calibrate the pumps in gallons to be legal. Report them.

LOL, irrational reactionary much?

 

[rockyct]

I'd report them to the standards and measures institute. They MUST calibrate the pumps in gallons to be legal. Report them.

LOLAmerica.

lol

Pot, meet kettle.

 

[spidey07]

LOL, irrational reactionary much?

This is 'Merica god dammit! I don't want that frenchy shit in my country.

 

[mpo]

I'd report them to the standards and measures institute. They MUST calibrate the pumps in gallons to be legal. Report them.

Washington State law about posting motor fuel in liters:
All retail fuel metering and computing devices shall:

(1) Display the price per gallon or price per litre: Provided, That if motor fuel is offered for sale by the litre, the price per litre must be clearly displayed on the dispenser directly adjacent to the corresponding price per gallon, with the information appearing in contrasting letters of at least two inches in height;

(2) Indicate the amount of fuel delivered during a single retail transaction;

(3) Register the selling price per unit;

(4) Register the total selling price for a single retail transaction;

(5) Compute the price per gallon or litre as set forth in National Bureau of Standards Handbook 44.

What does Handbook 44 say:
S.1.2.1. Retail Motor-Fuel Devices. – Deliveries shall be indicated and recorded, if the device is equipped to record, in liters or gallons and decimal subdivisions or fractional equivalents thereof.
(Added 1979)

 

[vshah]

its so canada can refuel their tank without getting confused

 

[marvdmartian]

I guess it could be because it's close to Canada. Back when gas prices were up over $3, some gas stations with older pumps weren't able to display the high prices. I think they started listing prices for half gallons instead. Was it an older pump?

Back when prices first went over $1/gallon, there were a lot of pumps that could only go up to $0.999/gallon. No one thought the price would ever get that high, that quickly, so they weren't able to adjust their pumps to the correct price.

Solution? They got temporary permission from the government to post the price per 1/2 gallon, until the pumps could be upgraded to show prices over $1/gallon. So if their price was $1.01/gallon, the pump showed $0.505/gallon, and they simply multiplied the total x2 once you were done pumping your gas.