Desperate for gas?

Moresco · Mon 21/03/2011 14:47:44

This morning someone tried to pop the gas tank on my car open with, what seems like a screwdriver. Well, it's designed in a way that it can't be popped off like that, but now there are chips in the paint and scratches all over the sides of the cover / car. The car also believes that the gas cover is eternally open. Some part of the inside managed to get pushed in, bent a little, I'm thinking that it's some kind of sensor. Must be desperate for gas....

Anyone else ever had someone try to steal gas from you? I'd report it to the police, but probably no chance anyone can catch the gas bandit.

Ponch · Mon 21/03/2011 14:59:50

Yeah. I've had gas stolen a few times. As the price keeps going up, this sort of thing will become more common.

Just be glad they didn't spike a hole in your gas tank to drain it out!

Anian · Mon 21/03/2011 15:01:28

Long time ago, some punks broke into our car and stole the radio. The big twist in the story is that they found some hard candy that was in the car and the box was also full with fine powdered sugar so there were fingerprints all over the glass (visible with the naked eye), stick, around the hole where the radio was, basically you could find more than a few on the dash board. Police never found the punks and the policeman basically said that it's a lost cause from the start. :

And here is the kicker -everybody in this country gets fingerprinted for their identity card, so from age 16. Troubel is that today still those fingerprints aren't digitized so they're basically useless unless they have an actual suspect to compare the prints to.

TomatoesInTheHead · Mon 21/03/2011 15:16:06

I sometimes pass gas, but I'd never steal it!

Joke aside, I also think reporting it to the police won't help, better report it to your car insurance if you have one.
But maybe ask your neighbors whether they've had similar issues, if there are more cars damaged, the police can probably put some more effort in investigating this...

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Mon 21/03/2011 16:09:29

Definitely a strong case for a garage. Or a shotgun.

Moresco · Mon 21/03/2011 16:16:48

Quote from: ProgZmax on Mon 21/03/2011 16:09:29
Definitely a strong case for a garage. Or a shotgun.

Can I have both? You're an excellent salesman.

Quote
Just be glad they didn't spike a hole in your gas tank to drain it out!

Sweet baby jesus! it's a good thing they didn't, else I'd be knocking down doors in the building demanding everyone turn over their sharp objects to me immediately for inspection! I'd catch the crook, by golly!

Disco · Mon 21/03/2011 16:24:36

Or a bicycle.

I laughed pretty hard when I rode by a Kroger gas station the other day and saw lines at least 4, sometimes 5 vehicles deep at each of the 12 pumps. The price on the sign read $3.32 for regular. About 20 minutes later I went by another station that had only one vehicle pumping $3.65 gas.

Sometimes people will drive by me in their truck and yell some kind of condescending remark in regards to my preferred method of transportation, but I bet this will happen less now. I have only bought small amounts of gasoline occasionally over the last two years, mostly only for rare intercity travel.

InCreator · Mon 21/03/2011 16:34:17

How about a sticker saying something like "This vehicle has 6 claymore anti-personnel mines installed with electric triggers. Touching the car might break electric circuit thus activate mines. Don't gamble with your life, stay the fuck off."

zabnat · Mon 21/03/2011 17:20:54

Quote from: InCreator on Mon 21/03/2011 16:34:17
How about a sticker saying something like "This vehicle has 6 claymore anti-personnel mines installed with electric triggers. Touching the car might break electric circuit thus activate mines. Don't gamble with your life, stay the fuck off."

What would a sticker do? Now if you would put an actual claymore next to it...

Quote from: Disco on Mon 21/03/2011 16:24:36
The price on the sign read $3.32 for regular.

I have no idea if that is cheap or expensive? Because it is probably price for some weird heathen amount of gas.

I just calculated and that's really cheap. Less than half of what I have to pay for gas.

InCreator · Mon 21/03/2011 17:36:31

You wouldn't want to blow up your car over some gas?
A dummy/toy mine wouldn't work too, because someone would report police and before you know, it'll be destroyed with water cannon in heroic attempt at defusal.

So, a sticker would be best. Might work better if you live in Texas or something, though. Or in Russia/Mexico, you could simply write "this car belongs to close ones of <local criminal authority name here>"

Disco · Mon 21/03/2011 18:08:38

Quote from: zabnat on Mon 21/03/2011 17:20:54
I have no idea if that is cheap or expensive? Because it is probably price for some weird heathen amount of gas.
I just calculated and that's really cheap. Less than half of what I have to pay for gas.

That price is for nearly 4 litres, and is considered expensive (many would say "rip-off") here. Many in the US tend to complain whether or not they know they pay much less than most of the world does for distilled petroleum, almost to the point of believing the world somehow owes them inexpensive fuel.

zabnat · Mon 21/03/2011 18:17:17

Quote from: Disco on Mon 21/03/2011 18:08:38
Many in the US tend to complain whether or not they know they pay much less than most of the world does for distilled petroleum, almost to the point of believing the world somehow owes them inexpensive fuel.

Of course the world owes them. So much of it comes from middle-east and US has saved them from many evil leaders and brought democracy to them as a gift.

Baron · Tue 22/03/2011 01:18:44

I own a very beat-up old truck as a secondary vehicle. Since the gas gauge broke a year ago I just fill it up every 200 km just to be on the safe side, but the vehicle can easily do 1000 km on a tank. So at today's market rates the gas is actually worth more than the truck (although since I filled it up a year ago when gas was cheap I didn't pay that much for it). Fortunately I live on the main street with lots of pedestrian traffic, so it would be quite the ballsy bandit to start prying out in the open like that. Nevertheless, if they ever do get my pot of gold, I'd be better off spending my money on another car than filling this one back up.

Dualnames · Tue 22/03/2011 03:22:54

Quote from: ProgZmax on Mon 21/03/2011 16:09:29
Definitely a strong case for a garage. Or a shotgun.

Instead of actually even bothering to fix the problem, let's just get a gun. That's always a solution for anything.

"Mom, kids at school pick on me!!"
"Here's a shotgun. Get some ammo with you."

Moresco · Tue 22/03/2011 03:38:58

Quote from: Dualnames on Tue 22/03/2011 03:22:54
Quote from: ProgZmax on Mon 21/03/2011 16:09:29
Definitely a strong case for a garage. Or a shotgun.

Instead of actually even bothering to fix the problem, let's just get a gun. That's always a solution for anything.

"Mom, kids at school pick on me!!"
"Here's a shotgun. Get some ammo with you."

Unfortunately you can't fix the problem, you can only bandaid it. People are going to vandalize other people's stuff because some people just don't give a shit about you or your things. Take cops for example, they're supposed to stop or deter burglaries. But, if someone wants your stuff and has no regard for what you feel is "right", there's nothing in this world that's going to stop them from breaking into your home or vehicle short of force or a bullet. Or maybe electro-shock therapy. I'm kidding about the bullet part, I don't believe in gun-violence. Electro-shock therapy on the other hand....seems promising.

voh · Tue 22/03/2011 16:02:35

That's because police is mostly reactionary.

This is why thoughtcrimes and the punishment thereof need to be incorporated into the law!

Dualnames · Tue 22/03/2011 20:50:29

Quote from: voh on Tue 22/03/2011 16:02:35
That's because police is mostly reactionary.

This is why thoughtcrimes and the punishment thereof need to be incorporated into the law!

Dualnames creates Thought Police

Dualnames declares war to Eurasia

LimpingFish · Tue 22/03/2011 21:19:22

I have legs. They run on pie.

Ponch · Wed 23/03/2011 00:09:36

Quote from: Dualnames on Tue 22/03/2011 20:50:29
Dualnames creates Thought Police

Dualnames declares war to Eurasia

We have always been at war with Eastasia!

Moresco · Wed 23/03/2011 01:36:17

Quote from: voh on Tue 22/03/2011 16:02:35
This is why thoughtcrimes and the punishment thereof need to be incorporated into the law!

YES! First we read their thoughts and catch them in the act of thinking a horrible thing. There will be trillions of offenses per minute, but that's ok, the computer can log them all and you can get to them one at a time! That's ok...shh shh, don't cry, I'm deputizing you since it was your idea. That's only fair.

Now then, for punishment..hmm...oh I know, how about electro-shock therapy?! Good idea, man!