Restrictions on buying race petrol

[john.r.davies]

Reports elsewhere of filling stations forbidding the filling of more than one fuel can for racing, probably scared of being complicit in building Molotov cocktails. I'm indebted to PaulD of TenTenths for the following information:

 

"... in search of the actual laws on this, and eventually found the relevant info on the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) website, which, as it's a government department, I think we can assume is gospel: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosi...oleum/faqs.htm

 

For those that can't be bothered reading all that, I can sum up the relevant parts for us racers as thus: if it's for personal (non-commercial) use, then there is no legal limt on the amount of fuel that can be purchased in a single transaction in containers, as long as the containers are 'suitable' and have a capacity limit of 5 litres (plastic) or 23 litres (metal) per container. But you can fill as many as like within that, and I don't think you can get a much more suitable container than a military spec jerry can with burst-proof cap can you?

 

On the second point of transportation - once again, if it's for personal use, you can effectively carry as much fuel as you like as long as it's in the correct containers and secured in the vehicle in such a way as to minimise the possibility of spillage.

 

So, basically, from a legal standpoint, we can purchase and transport as much fuel as we like for personal use as long as we use proper fuel cans. The law is really only interested in how we might store that fuel (within a property), but that has absolutely nothing to do with the petrol retailer.

 

The bottom line is this: if the jobsworth had told me that it was simply against Tesco policy to allow me to buy that much in cans, then I would have accepted that - but no, she assured me, more than once, that I was actually breaking the law, which I now know I wasn't. I take offence at being accused of that when I'm clearly in the right. Needless to say, the complaint has gone off to Tesco - I await their response! I know Tesco like to think of themselves as a pretty powerful force in the marketplace, but I don't think they can quite make up new laws as it suits them!"

 

Another poster finds that H&SE also says that filling stations may set their own policy on 'only one can' or even 'only 5litre cans'.

 

Just so you know!

 

John

Edited August 12, 2011 by john.r.davies