Hauling Gasoline in a Car

[Bevo71]

Been in the Hill Country, away from my Houston home since last Thursday. I have heard about the gas shortages, long lines. A relative told me I should fill up some gas containers and bring them down when I return.
If I had a truck, no problem. I'm a bit jittery about putting full gas containers in the trunk of my car for the drive back later this week.

 

[accuratehorn]

It isn't the safest thing to do, but if you are going to do it, here's what you should do: use gasoline approved safety cans, and tie securely so they cannot slide around the trunk or tip over.
The fumes are not good to breathe-put your car's A/C setting on outside air instead of on recirculate, so fresh air is always being drawn in from outside.
Try not to get any on your hands, arms when pouring into the tank-consider disposable neoprene (?) gloves. I think auto parts stores have them.
Have a good funnel that will push the spring loaded flap in your tank open, and don't push it too far in there or you will have trouble getting it back out-might require a long screwdriver to hold that flap open to remove the funnel. Try not to get any on the paint finish, wipe it off right away.
If you don't need the gas on the trip, use it as soon as possible on the way home.
Beware of tailgaters.

 

[Bevo71]

Think I'll take my chances on getting gas down there after tanking up in Sealy or Columbus.

 

[lostman]

We pretty much did what accuratehorn said, except the neoprene gloves when we got my brother's generator Saturday. Drove from Luling to Houston (west side) with 4 10 gallon cans in the way back of the MDX. Windows open, air on recirculate, cans secured so they don't slide around, covered with a sheet to help cut down on fumes too. Would not want to do it again, but we got back OK. And knew we would not find gas anywhere near Houston that day. The good thing is we don't have to fill them when we return them.

 

[Mr. Longhorn]

I live in Katy and I have not had to wait 1 minute for gas on 2 separate occasions.

 

[flaco]

I remember when I was a kid and my dad worked for Humble at the time and could get an employee discount for gas at $.25/gallon. He put a 55 gallon barrel in the trunk of our '71 Grand Prix and plumbed it into the gas line and used it as as second tank.

Good times.

 

[Bevo71]

Flaco..my dad and my grand-dad worked for Humble as well!

 

[accuratehorn]

We used to race cars, and for a while raced in Mexico, and the quality of gas could be poor down there. We hauled our own gas, in barrels, in the back of a truck from Houston or Austin, to Monterrey, Mexico City and Guadalajara on several occasions. We filled the barrels and the race car up at the airport with high octane aviation fuel, they used to sell 140 octane gas for big propellor driven planes.
Not the safest thing to do, in retrospect.
We are all carrying a tank of flammable, cancer-causing gasoline in our cars, so I didn't mean to say you absolutely shouldn't carry any extra, just put in safe containers and handle it with the same safety precautions you use with the regular gas tank in your vehicle.
It's one of those dangerous products, like electricity, that we have accepted as a necessary evil for the benefit of consumers.

 

[TXHookem]

Gas stations are getting back on track - we now have 2 stations within a 5 minute drive with gas and no lines. Gradually, things are getting normal (gas-wise).