Jogeephus
Well-known member
I found yesterday as a prime example of how obscure rules and regulations impede productivity. I had been looking at lawnmowers and was thinking of getting a ZTR mower and was looking at the different models. One of the dealers suggested I take one home and give it a try so I loaded it up and carried it to the gas station to top off the tank. After filling, the gas gauge only registered a little over half a tank. Anyhow, I carried home and mowed most of the yard and noticed the fuel gauge showed the tank was on a quarter. I again carried the mower to the gas station and filled it to the rim with 2.9 gallons. I then looked at the design of the fuel tank and noticed how it had a anti-slosh throat in the mouth of it which extended down into the tank about six inches. This throat had no ventilation so it was creating a large air pocket on one side of the tank making it impossible for gasoline to fill this void. I then returned the mower to the dealer and told him there was a problem. Two mechanics and I pulled the fuel gauge assembly and tested it and it worked fine and we both agreed it would work fine if the tank could actually be filled completely up. I then talked to the dealer explaining the problem and he said I was the only person who had voiced any concern about this and they had sold twenty something this month. The mechanic and I then explained to him what we suspected was the problem - no ventilation. The dealer then called the manufacturer and spoke with the head honcho who informed him that the federal government came into their plant and told them they could no longer sell lawnmowers for home use if the fuel capacity was over 11 gallons of gasoline so they had to install this throat which in effect reduced the amount of fuel the tank could hold by 4 gallons. Unfortunately, with thousands of fuel gauges already in inventory they could not stop production this time of the season so they installed the old gauges and planned on doing a recall later in the year when they got new modified gauges.
I then left the mower dealer and dropped by the co op to pay my fertilizer bill. As I'm standing there a fella comes in to pick up the soybean seed he had ordered. The salesman apologized to him and told him he could not pick up the seed because the department of agriculture had come in and audited the warehouse and found that the soybean seed had some noxious weed types in the noxious weed percentage that was not listed on the label. Apparently, in the case of some noxious weeds simply saying there is 2% noxious weed is not enough and certain ones must be listed. Therefore, they could not sell the seed and it would be quarantined until such time they got new labels that actually listed the noxious weed types in the 2%. Since drought has set back planting and it wasn't until now that we have optimal soil moisture to plant this fella wasn't very happy about not getting his seed. He was on the verge of having a temper tantrum when I butted in and affirmed that the department of agriculture would shut the co op down if they did not abide by this order. I'm sure many of you would find this hard to believe but I began a slight and heated tirade voicing my love of government and how the government worked on the peter principle with people being promoted to their highest level of incompetance. As it turns out, this fella changed from his anger of the situation to defense of the very system he was so made with moments earlier. Turns out he was a retired colonel. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
In summary, I learned that bureaucracy sticks together and if you are a terrorist and you are wanting to run a lawn mower into a government building you are going to have to make due with 11 gallons and not 16. Oh, and stepping on some people's toes does feel good at times.
I then left the mower dealer and dropped by the co op to pay my fertilizer bill. As I'm standing there a fella comes in to pick up the soybean seed he had ordered. The salesman apologized to him and told him he could not pick up the seed because the department of agriculture had come in and audited the warehouse and found that the soybean seed had some noxious weed types in the noxious weed percentage that was not listed on the label. Apparently, in the case of some noxious weeds simply saying there is 2% noxious weed is not enough and certain ones must be listed. Therefore, they could not sell the seed and it would be quarantined until such time they got new labels that actually listed the noxious weed types in the 2%. Since drought has set back planting and it wasn't until now that we have optimal soil moisture to plant this fella wasn't very happy about not getting his seed. He was on the verge of having a temper tantrum when I butted in and affirmed that the department of agriculture would shut the co op down if they did not abide by this order. I'm sure many of you would find this hard to believe but I began a slight and heated tirade voicing my love of government and how the government worked on the peter principle with people being promoted to their highest level of incompetance. As it turns out, this fella changed from his anger of the situation to defense of the very system he was so made with moments earlier. Turns out he was a retired colonel. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
In summary, I learned that bureaucracy sticks together and if you are a terrorist and you are wanting to run a lawn mower into a government building you are going to have to make due with 11 gallons and not 16. Oh, and stepping on some people's toes does feel good at times.
