Milton and I were (no idea where we were but may have been Sichuan) somewhere, and it was one of the stupid teapot provinces and at a station where it was strictly enforced. There were 2 small pots each big enough to make tea for an entire 30 person danwei but no more. Milton got in early getting the "good pot". I got the leaky one. Yeah, leaky one!!

There I was carrying it from the pump to my bike which of course was parked 30m away against the right hand side of the gas station. The walk to the bike created a stream of gasoline from pump to bike from the leaking pot. When I arrive at the Jialing and tried to get the spout into (or somewhere near) the opening on my gas tank I discovered that too was damaged. Now I have gasoline leaking from not just the bottom but now also the top and now all over my bike and over Motokai. As I was trying to salvage this ever so delicately Milton was my advocate firing at the attendant how in the world this could be safer than filling up at the pump??

Gasoline everywhere: Ground, Bike, Clothes, Motokai

Really? This is safer?


Motokai File Photo: Inner Mongolia

* The best is when the station which by law must enforces the policy (I get that) actually puts care into their teapots. I appreciate those who attach the Garden Hose to the spout so you can actually pour the gasoline into your tank without risking self-immolation.