Drunk man tries to steal jet fuel for his car

Here is a way to not combat high gas prices. Breaking into an airport to steal jet fuel for your car might seem like a good idea, but it’s one of those feats that gains notice–particularly if you’re drunk. At least at the Reid-Hillview Airport near San Jose, California, it does.

This past Sunday a 20-year–old man tried out that exact scenario, but to no avail. He was caught, arrested and charged with breaking into an airport, attempted theft, and to add insult to injury– driving while drunk.

According to the AP article, the plan was foiled before he ever cooked it up. It sounds like you have to buy the gas with a credit card to get it out of the pump.

If he had succeeded, he might have regretted the decision anyway. Unless he had a race car with a special engine, his regular car engine probably would not have liked the jet fuel diet. That’s what I found out when checked out the difference between jet fuel and normal fuel.

Summer travel woes? How about a staycation?

Summer vacation season is upon us here in the United States. Normally the first day of June is our green light to pack a bag, jump into the SUV or hop on an airplane and head out for some well deserved time off. But a variety of forces are conspiring this summer to hold some of us back – high gas prices, continued airline surcharges, and high food prices. It’s been enough to inspire its own trend – the “staycation.”

Several newspapers have been reporting on the phenomenon, in which many Americans are choosing to travel much closer to home this summer on shorter weekend trips or even just maximize their time in the backyard by investing in outdoor furniture or backyard grills.

Are you kidding me? This has to be one of the lamest trends in recent memory. I understand times are tough but there are plenty of creative ways to make that trip to California or even, YES, Europe, happen this summer. Use your frequent flier miles. Cut back on that bottle of wine at dinner. Pack a picnic lunch instead of eating out. Skip a few trips to the bar. My point is this – travel is one of the most important experiences you can have during your lifetime. If there’s a place you really want to visit – don’t let finances or getting time off at work or fears of terrorism be your excuse.

And if you still need inspiration, just look at blogger Grant, who is considering a 4 day trip to Shanghai for the Fourth of July. If he can make it happen, so can you!

Running out of gas before a wedding day

As more people are running out of gas because they are waiting longer to stop for gas because of the high prices, I am reminded of my own woeful tale. For any of you who are getting married in a town where you don’t live, consider yourself warned.

For some reason I thought it would be a grand idea to get married in my grandparents’ church in northern Kentucky. I didn’t realize that the network of highways and bridges leading from Cincinnati to northern Kentucky can be a confusing mess if a person is not from there. Otherwise, I never would have been one of the major drivers before my wedding day.

Instead, there I was driving to pick up friends at the greater Cincinnati airport, taking them to the motel, and then hopping over to my aunt’s house in Florence, Kentucky for who can remember what for? With each trip from my grandparents’ house, where I was staying, I got lost. Before I knew it, I was in Cincinnati, trying to figure out how to get back over the Ohio River to Kentucky.

Each time, I found my way back, but it was like I kept getting amnesia because there I was heading over to Ohio again, shooting past the stadium where the Cincinnati Reds play, cursing under my breath while I figured out where to turn around—again.

All the while, I’m driving, I’m visiting and catching up with my passengers–all friends of mine. None of them are helping me navigate since they are yaking away as well. Not once did my eye glance to the gas gauge until I was heading to the rehearsal with my collection of brides’ maids. When the car starting the bucking and sputtering business, I knew that wasn’t a good sign at all, but thanked my luck that I was next to a gas station and pulled in next to a pump just in time.

Except the station was closed. One friend hopped out of the car to run through Bellevue in search for a phone, a gas can, and some gas. The bowling alley was open and the proprietors were only too happy to help a distressed bride by lending my friend a gas can and their phone.

By this time, my mom, who was driving through town with my brother, saw my friend after she had left the bowling alley and wondered what she was doing running through town. They had the presence of mind to stop, found a gas station and returned to rescue me and my entourage. Although I was late for the rehearsal, I made sure I was at the wedding on time.

Moral of the story: If you are getting married, do take time for a fill up first. Also, keep your cell phone charged. My mishap was before cell phone days.

Gas pump woes: More than just the price

I just read in this New York Times article that the increasing gas prices in the United States are creating problems at some gas pumps–actually all gas pumps. It’s not because people are throwing themselves on the hood of their cars weeping as the total bill climbs.

I just had a flash of a movie scene. Ben Stiller in the persona of his Something About Mary character–the high school prom guy, cleaning the windshield of his car, weeping–his tears are falling in streams, mixing in with the cleaning solution from the gas station squeegee. Those weird serenaders are in the background singing a gas pump price tag lament.

No, this is not what is happening at the pump. What is happening is that some pumps have pump computers too old to handle the $4 plus a gallon amount. They are stuck at $3.99. As a temporary solution until the new computers arrive, gas station owners are charging half the dollar amount at the pump and doubling the total at the cash register. They have official permission to do so, (There is an application process.) I bet that’s a psychological jolt when someone goes to pay. If you happen to come across an old gas station pump in your travels, this is one situation you might come across.

Another interesting point the article makes is that the modern, computerized machines are breaking down more often because of the speed the pump’s mechanism needs to turn to get higher and higher numbers. The higher the numbers, the faster the numbers turn, so the faster there is a breakdown. This is my understanding.

What is the limit of the new pump computers you may wonder? Just how pricey could gas get if one uses them to project ahead? $9.99. This is like Y-2K, but this time there is a problem. It will take about five months for all the pumps to be updated because of the back log with filling orders.

Gadling TAKE FIVE: Week of May 17-23

This has been a week where deal snagging has been a bit elusive and prices are rising.

For example:

  • Grant noted American Airlines announcement that it will start charging $15 for the first checked bag.
  • Jeffrey gave us details about how we can expect the price of plane tickets to keep going up as the availability of flights go down.
  • Aaron made note of the higher gas prices which could affect some travel plans for drivers this three-day weekend.
  • Iva has been searching in Moscow for things that are cheap without much luck, unless one considers the subway, vodka and symphony tickets.

But, on the bright side, Tynan was hooked up once more with his beloved Aloksak Plastic Bags which can help pack items more tightly so they can fit in those carry-ons. Plus, they are waterproof so things like your camera won’t get ruined. That’s money saving.