What happens when a perfectly good, utilitarian, item is ruined by regulations passed by clueless bureaucrats.
Have you recently purchased a new gas can? By “recently”, I mean in the past six years. The picture (above) is what a new gas can, as mandated by the EPA, now looks like. The long and short of it is that the EPA, via regulation, has transformed a perfectly utilitarian item into an item that no longer successfully performs its primary (or any other) purpose. Ironically, the intent of the new regulations was to prevent gasoline spills.
From Five Years of Gas Can Hell!
It happened again but to tell the story I have to admit something a bit embarrassing. My gas meter on my car doesn’t work. I could get it fixed but it seems like a waste when I only need to calculate gas use carefully. I don’t always, which means I sometimes just run out, at inconvenient times.
This happened yesterday, so I had to get a can of gas from the local car shop. I started to pour it in. But, hmmm, this is strange. The nozzle doesn’t quite go in. I tilted it up and tried to jam it in.
I waited. Then I noticed gas pouring all down the side of the car. So I pulled it out and experimented by pouring it on the ground. There was some weird contraption on the outside and it wasn’t clear how it worked.
I poured more and more on the ground. Some got on my shoe. Some got on my hands. Some got on my suit.
Americans being Americans, immediately some backyard or garage mechanic warrior saw a need to fix what the EPA has wrought, and developed a kit to sell at your local Ace Hardware. I doubt it was a boater – they’re too busy fixing their boats.
If you want to tackle this on your own without a kit, there are videos that tell you how to do that too:
If you aren’t handy, you can probably find an old gas can at a garage sale, but it might take a bit of looking.
This is just another example of the string of disfunctional products resulting from annoying government regulation. Others are no-phosphate dishwasher detergent, that doesn’t wash properly, and wiggly light bulbs that don’t illuminate your living room properly.
By the way, you can still buy regular incandescent light bulbs and phosphate-containing dish detergent and laundry detergent. Why? Because the regulations don’t apply to businesses. The government only annoys the voters, because we don’t have lobbyists. I won’t put links here, because I don’t want to call wrath down on any particular businesses, but you can figure it out, if you are motivated. Of course, it will cost you, and you have to fib and say you are a business. What used to be an inexpensive item – a light bulb – now comes at a premium price, and you have to pay to have it shipped to your home.
It fascinates me to see how these regulations give rise to market-based workarounds. I’ve elsewhere called this the speak-easy economy. The government bans something. No one likes the ban. People are determined to get on with their lives, regardless. They step outside the narrow bounds of the law.
It wouldn’t surprise me to find, for example, a sudden proliferation of heavy-duty “water cans” in 1- and 5-gallon sizes, complete with nice spouts and vents, looking almost exactly like the gas cans you could get anywhere just a few years ago. How very interesting to discover this.
Of course, this law-abiding writer would never advocate buying one of these and using it for some purpose other than what is written on the package. Doing something like that would show profound disrespect for our betters in the bureaucracies. And if I did suggest something like that, there’s no telling the trouble that it would bring down on my head.
Ask yourself this: If they can wreck such a normal and traditional item like this, and do it largely under the radar screen, what else have they mandatorily malfunctioned? How many other things in our daily lives have been distorted, deformed and destroyed by government regulations?
If some product annoys you in surprising ways, there’s a good chance that it is not the invisible hand at work, but rather the regulatory grip that is squeezing the life out of civilization itself.
Stella's Place 
Boy, is this one of my pet peeves. The stupid gas can spouts. Grrrr.
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I ordered light bulbs before the import ban a couple of years ago, so I’m legal anyway.
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Me too! I ordered about 200 old fashioned light bulbs. 75 and 100 watt! They should last me for some time!
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I’m good I have old metal gas cans and old plastic gas cans. I have cans for gas, cans for diesel, cans for the chainsaws, cans for the boat, lawnmowers.
I pay attention and stock up on these things before they enforce them, such as light bulbs and gas cans and then I add to my stock anytime I see them for sale at garage sales, flea markets or auctions.
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The first thing I can remember them messing up was the toilet. They came up with the idea of water saving toilets which made you have to flush anything more than water two or three times to make it go down. 🙄
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That was the Goreacle. HE said we could flush a terd with a teaspoon of water and got a law passed. Teh Momma always attributed that law to the Goreacle.
As it should have been. A bigger terd (or, turd, however y’all been raised) has never in my lifetime graced my lifeline.
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😯 LOL
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Mandatory since 2007, they’re already phasing out those stupid curly bulbs…..in favor of LED. While they are cheaper than they used to be and a much better lighting source than CFL, I’m betting that they don’t last anywhere near the 22 years that GE claims. But an LED don’t work for shiite in your pump house during the winter. Thanks Dubya. 👿
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2016/02/02/general-electric-cfl-led-lights-bulbs-energy/79696276/
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I’m trying out Cree bulbs. They’re expensive. The first 3 I inserted were done over 2 years ago – they still glow. But at my age I’m puttin’ ’em in the overheads because I won’t be able to get up there in a few years. Yes – they’re supposed to last 20 – 22 years.
I’ma thinkin’ if I do it now it won’t be my problemo. 😀 😀 😀
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So……I gotta wait 18-19 years to see how long yours last? That ain’t gonna work out real well for me. 😉 😆 😆
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Well it’s not like I won’t tellya! Or b!tch, when one’a my high-dollah bulbs gives out.
I’ll be pi$$ed.
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Get you a brooder heat lamp, not as cheap as a light bulb, but if you get the clear bulbs they’ll put out plenty of light plus heat. Of course you’ll need an electrical plug in your pump house or string an extension cord.
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We’re fine now, and I’ve got a secret stash of 100W heaters that should last most of my lifetime, but good info to have. 🙂
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The amount of incandescents (all sizes) that I bought will last me the rest of my life. And may feature in my will–unless I have to black market them to support me in my declining years.
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I bought some of the curly bulbs through a grandchild school fundraiser. I use them in my front porch fixture, and in the basement.
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Don’t let them break, whatever you do. Unless you have a hazmat suit ready.
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Any y’all seen the Edison Bulb reproductions?? They’re interesting as hell. $9.95 or so apiece, but I love the shape.
Not buying any, but jus’ sayin’.
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That woman on Rehab Addict uses them all the time in her old-time fixtures.
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More like here – long, narrow, and….. odd.
https://www.1000bulbs.com/category/antique-edison-light-bulbs/
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Frankenstein-y.
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Them’z weird. 😯
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I saw a bunch of ’em and just picked one. 😉
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Look familiar?
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Water im bottles cost more than gas now.
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SWIM-Someone Who Isn’t Me has noted that sodium phosphate is readily available online. That same person allegedly adds this to the supermarket dishwasher detergent and has gotten excellent results. Just like old times. Until recently one could buy commercial dishwasher detergent by the case with phosphate, but recently phosphate was taken out of even commercial stuff.
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There is still dishwasher detergent containing phosphate, which can be ordered either direct from the manufacturer or via Amazon. It is called Bubble Bandit. I use it, and now even the inside of my dishwasher is squeaky clean. They also make powdered laundry detergent.
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http://www.bubblebandit.com/
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