please view

www.killspills.org.uk

and help kill spills

Do you hope to abolish diesel vehicle fuels?

If so, I'm with you all the way; dirty, noisy things that they are :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Abdul
Do you hope to abolish diesel vehicle fuels?

If so, I'm with you all the way; dirty, noisy things that they are :thumbsup:

Is that a joke?

Originally posted by jackthedog
Is that a joke?

Ridding the world of noisy, smoky diesel engines?

No sir; that is my quest

Anything that makes people aware of diesel spills has to be a good thing.:thumbsup:

It was interesting to see the links to all the fast bikes magazines at the bottom of the page!

A cynical reader may link speeding motorbikes with riders coming off their bikes.

I had an RD250 for years and never came off, despite going over all kinds of dubious liquids on the road and being at the mercy of Sheffield's pot holes.

I have rode bikes all my life from small 125's to 750's and come off on numerous times due to no fault at all of mine, just bad road conditions. :mad: But I rode in all weather for a living.

there are far more important things to sort out before we worry about such a minor issue.

Originally posted by Cyclone
there are far more important things to sort out before we worry about such a minor issue. Sorry mate I really don't understand what you mean.:confused:

Originally posted by Bikertec
Sorry mate I really don't understand what you mean.:confused:

given that people have only a limited amount of time and patience to spend looking at and helping schemes for this and that, it's my opinion that this issue is minor and peoples and time and effort would be better utilised trying to ameliorate bigger problems.

Thats fine thats you opinion and I wish you luck with it. :( Thank god theres sensible people out there.;)

Its people like me thats to blame having company fuel cards 'n filling our vehicles to the brim.We dont care if any fuel is spilled cos its not our money using to fill up with.

Originally posted by Bikertec
Thats fine thats you opinion and I wish you luck with it. :( Thank god theres sensible people out there.;)

what's not sensible about it. Why do you think it's a bigger issue than any of the other 'big' issues.

I have a push bike that has an oily chain and i fell off once

I love the biker community even though they take dugs and drive across fields doing wheelies and drink cider.

Originally posted by miniminch
I have a big leaky diesel vehicle that spews its mess all over the carriage way.

Enjoy my slippage biker scum!!!!!!:mad: Or slow the **** down :mad: Doesn't matter how fast you go if you hit diesel your off and as for scum I'm not the person driving an illegal vehicle polluting the air, water and causing a danger to all road users. :mad: (I believe its an MOT failure having a leaking fuel tank):loopy: :mad:

Originally posted by Abdul
Ridding the world of noisy, smoky diesel engines?

No sir; that is my quest

Good luck with that.

To all the jokers on this thread, please think about the issues.

This isn't an us/them thing, it's about safety on our roads, for all users, cars skid and crash too.

To those who think it's all about "speeding bikers", think more carefully, diesel is most dangerous when the roads are wet, the riders you refer to only come out on dry Sunday afternoons, those at risk are the serious riders, and commuters on smaller machines and scooters.

Do you really advocate their safety is taken so lightly?

This really is a serious matter, and if drivers simply do not overfill their tank, or if HGV & PSV vehicles are maintained in a roadworthy manner is easy to tackle.

For a little effort, the roads can be made safer, is that too much to ask?

It "may" not be the most pressing issue out there for everybody, but it is a serious issue that can be solved with relatively little effort, can that be said of these theoretically more worthy causes?

Just think about it, that's all.

:)

here here

many a time tailing a lorry after refuelling and his/her tank is dripping on the road and all the way round roundabouts

very dangerous and unnecessary (all to squeeze a few hundred yards extra)

i find it quite disconcerting that some people seem to take pride in supporting the cause of diesel ON the road rather than off

i for one think heavy fines should be dealt out to all offenders as it is so easily avoided

Really not sure where I stand on this one. My first reaction was of slight disbelief that there's a campaign set up for what initially appears no more of an issue than something falling out of a cupboard. Where do we stop? Will all pavements soon be fenced off in case I fall into the road? Will all doors have McDonald's style finger protectors on? Do I really need protecting from myself?
Then I thought a bit more - part of me thinks that if people aren't driving/riding without "expecting the unexpected" then they've got no right to complain when they encounter it (and if they're going too fast to avoid it then it really is their own fault). The other half of me thinks that anyone causing dangerous conditions for others needs sorting out - quite how is not something I've thought about too much. But then there's still that part of me that thinks this is just a trivial non-issue. I've never seen/heard of a fluid spill on the road of any significance.
Anyone care to convince me either way?

Originally posted by hotphil
Anyone care to convince me either way?
Your wish is my command. ;)

Found this by following the link provided by the OP.
It's from an article in the trade publication FUEL OIL NEWS.

"FUEL OIL NEWS February 2004
The danger of spilt diesel
On 18th October 2003, a group of bikers met up at the Cat and Fiddle, a well known biker meeting point in Derbyshire. One of the bikers was (name removed) who, after meeting his fellow bikers decided to extend his Saturday morning ride into North Wales, Whilst returning over the Horseshoe Pass, he hit a patch of diesel, lost control and skidded into the path of an oncoming car, He was killed instantly. He was travelling at just 40mph.
A fellow biker that fateful Saturday morning was Stephen Edwards, group treasurer at Manchester Airport. Stephen immediately got together a team of bikers to launch The Road Users Campaign to Kill diesel Spills, known as KillSpills, full details, of which, can be found at www.killspills.org.uk.
Stephen explained his intensions to FON: “Although the campaign is managed in our spare time, we do adopt a professional approach. We already have the support of some notable organisations including the Freight Transport Association, RAC Foundation, the Motorcycle Action Group, British Motorcycle Foundation, Motorcycle Industry Association and most recently ASDA supermarket chain, who have agreed to display our poster at all vehicle refuelling points.”
“Changes to legislation are unlikely but there is a real, urgent need to make people more aware of the dangers of spilt diesel. Diesel spills do not just affect bikers they affect ALL road users. Via our website, we heard from Catalonia in Spain where a police car engaged in a vehicle chase skidded on diesel and crashed into a group of elderly pedestrians. Sadly three ladies lost their lives. In that case, the owner of the lorry, which spilt the diesel was traced, caught and prosecuted.
“In most cases, however, it is virtually impossible to trace the source of spilt diesel. The main aim of KillSpills is to educate all drivers, particularly LGV’s and HGV’s, to take extra care when filling up. We would also like to talk to fuel tanker manufacturers about possible improvements in design to prevent overfilling.”
“We have been very encouraged by the response to the campaign so far with over 5,000 signatures submitted to the on-line petition. We still have a long way to go but with help we believe we will get there.”
Supporters can add their electronic signature at www.killspills.org.uk.
The KillSpills diesel flyer was also printed."

I think it makes some relevant points.

:)

I'm actually a bit surprised that tanks can be overfilled and then leak.
I presume this doesn't happen with petrol tanks? I always fill the car until the splashback cuts off the pump and i've never seen it dripping out from underneath (that would be a fire hazard surely).

the thing about it is its so easy to put an end to diesel spill, is a lorry knows that its just spilt diesel they can call the police or council to clear it up its not difficult. Anyone that doesnt care out another road users safety shouldnt be on the road.

Originally posted by f_g
the thing about it is its so easy to put an end to diesel spill, is a lorry knows that its just spilt diesel they can call the police or council to clear it up its not difficult. Anyone that doesnt care out another road users safety shouldnt be on the road.

How will our signing an online partition make that happen?

I am the masked diesel spiller. Under the cover of dark i spread the diesel using nothing more than a simple watering can and a jolly smile.

I do it cos i'm EVIL!!!!!!!!

From my years of motorcling I used to find that the worst time for diesel spilling problems was the first rain after a dry spell. When this happens the spilled diesel comes to the surface and makes the roundabout or junction like a skating rink.

Most motorcylists are acutely aware of the road surface as they have very real feedback from their 2 wheels, whereas in a car, most drivers are oblivious, to overbanding, bad surfaces, spilled diesel and loose stones at the bottom of hills etc..

Even now I notice that cars have collisions on roundabouts more often when the first rain for a while had brought it to the surface.

diesil more like DESIESIL !!!!

Originally posted by Cyclone
How will our signing an online partition make that happen?
If the campaign organisers can get public support then the issue can be brought forward in government and the media.

It's as much about education about the problems caused as enforcement of the (existing) regulations.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
diesil more like DESIESIL !!!!

Don't blame the fuel.
Blame the people who brim the tank.

Originally posted by jackthedog
Don't blame the fuel.
Blame the people who brim the tank.
It takes a long time to fill up an HGV tank many drivers have a little clip which holds the trigger open on the fuel pumps so they don't have to stand with their hand cramped in the same position for 12 minutes, or sometimes longer, while they stand in the cold fuelling up.
A better solution would be better diesel nozzles which prevent overfilling, coupled with enforcement.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
It takes a long time to fill up an HGV tank many drivers have a little clip which holds the trigger open on the fuel pumps so they don't have to stand with their hand cramped in the same position for 12 minutes, or sometimes longer, while they stand in the cold fuelling up.
A better solution would be better diesel nozzles which prevent overfilling, coupled with enforcement.

I have read all the posts and the killspills website and have an honest question. Please don't shout me down for this....

I don't understand what is causing the spills on the road??

If the tank is overfilled at the petrol station as outlined above, I would think that the spill would be on the petrol station forecourt and not on the road?

Does the overfilling cause a discharge of fuel later in the journey? If so, How? Is this done accidentally or at the drivers will ?

Petrol, if it is spilled evaporates fairly quickly, whereas diesel is a sticky and slippery hazard, which soaks into the road surface, and when the road is wet comes to the surface and forms a slick on top which is extremely slippy. This is dangerous to all traffic and is the cause of many accidents and deaths.
Commercial drivers often fill their tanks to the brim because the pump stops when the fuel is at the top. but there are 2 problems. Some people try to fill it right up the neck in the belief that it will get them further before they have to stop again.
And in summer due to expansion, you often get blowback where the fuel doesn't stop straight away when it's full and spill some onto the forecourt and over the bottom of the vehicle sometimes.
Apart from a few small drips all is well, but whan the brimmed tank is driven around a corner some fuel spills out of the top if it is overfull. There has to be small breathing holes near the filler cap otherwise the fuel wouldn't go down as the tank would be in a vacuum, which would stop the engine.

I have witnessed, spills, a few times when I used to drive up and down the motorways as vehicles came out of the forecourt with fuel sloshing onto the road.

Originally posted by muddycoffee

Commercial drivers often fill their tanks to the brim because the pump stops when the fuel is at the top. but there are 2 problems. Some people try to fill it right up the neck in the belief that it will get them further before they have to stop again.
And in summer due to expansion, you often get blowback where the fuel doesn't stop straight away when it's full and spill some onto the forecourt and over the bottom of the vehicle sometimes.
Apart from a few small drips all is well, but whan the brimmed tank is driven around a corner some fuel spills out of the top if it is overfull. There has to be small breathing holes near the filler cap otherwise the fuel wouldn't go down as the tank would be in a vacuum, which would stop the engine.

I have witnessed, spills, a few times when I used to drive up and down the motorways as vehicles came out of the forecourt with fuel sloshing onto the road.

Thank you for such a detailed reply ...... I understand the seriousness of diesel on the road causing accidents which is why i'm trying to understand how it gets there.

From your explanation above - overfilling at the forecourts, causing spillages on the forecourts : doesn't clearly explain how it gets on to roads in derbyshire (if they are not near petrol stations.)

So road spills appear to be more due to diesel coming through the breathing holes as overfilled vehicles turn corners... This i understand, thanks.

My next question is what is the 'killspills' campaign campaiging for ?

Is it to highlight the issue and try to use peoples raised awareness to prevent overfilling?

or are they campaigning to change fuel tank design? or bring in new legislation??

This is not clear from the website

I can only speculate that when trucks with overfilled engines break suddenly, then some of the fuel starts to come out of the top and dribbles / spills onto the road.
It is not only trucks though. I was once behind an old range rover which was going around a roundabout with fuel coming out and going all over the back wing before spilling onto the road. This was a bit of a knackered looking vehicle and was leaning quite heavily around the corner as if the suspension needed replacing.

I haven't read anything about the campaign yet though, maybe someone else can say what solution(s) exactly they are campaigning for.