Motorcyclists encounter dangers and enemies every day that most car drivers will barely notice – from the driver pulling out in your path to the gravel-strewn road. However, there is probably one danger that strikes fear into a rider’s heart more than any other – the dreaded diesel spill. However the BMF’s Kill Spills campaign unearthed some devices designed specifically to stop these deadly slicks.
Those rainbow patterns glistening on the tarmac may look pretty but what they create is a grip-free section of road like riding on ice. The lucky or more observant rider will have time to take action. For those less lucky the damage is at best going to stretch to some scuffed bodywork and a dented wallet 9and pride). Of course though, as with any motorcycle’s accident there’s a potential for it to be a lot worse.
While a very small percentage of diesel spills come from private cars, a huge proportion of them come from commercial vans and Lorries. With millions of trucks using the nation’s road network every day just a small number of faulty vehicles will result in a big problem.
The leaking of diesel from a vehicle’s fuel tank is generally down to two reasons. Drivers trying to fill their tank to the absolute brim may think they’re saving time by increasing their range but all they’re actually doing is throwing away a huge amount of money and causing a massive safety issue. As they negotiate their first bend, corner or roundabout the excess fuel gushes out on to the road. Then of course there’s the driver who doesn’t or can’t refit the cap correctly. Whether it stems from poor maintenance or just not being bothered, the result is the same, diesel on the roads.
Possibly the worst case of this we’ve come across was spotted by our eagle-eyed Editor while driving through London. A lorry driver had obviously decided an old bit of rag was much more sufficient than the original fuel cap and stuffed it in the aperture. Certainly not to EU standards we suspect.
Up until now there has also been frustrating lack of concern by haulage companies, the police and the government in tackling this problem. However, there are not the signs of big corporations taking responsibility for their vehicles.
Retail giant Sainsbury’s has recently been presented with the Kill Spills award by the BMF for its efforts in preventing diesel spills. The supermarket chain has taken the lead by fitting all of its new Lorries and a large majority of the older vehicles in its 900+ strong fleet with a special device that prevents over-filling of the fuel tank.
The anti-siphon device is located in the neck of the fuel tank and as well as stopping spillages from over-filling it also stops people siphoning off the fuel in the top of the tank.
Sainsbury’s Head of Engineering Gary King explained why the firm had fitted the product. “We’ve evaluated several different devices and felt the TISS unit was the preferred option. The ball-valve prevents the fuel sloshing around the tank so stops leakages and it is also impossible to fill the tank to the top.
We’ve not had a major problem with diesel fuel being siphoned off or spillages in the past,” Gary continued. “The TISS system has been fitted as a preventative measure. I’ve got a lot of friends who are bikers and we all appreciate the considerable risk that diesel can cause. If just by fitting a relatively cheap item to our fleet we can increase biker safety it has to be a good thing.”
The anti-siphon unit is constructed by TISS and can be retrofitted to almost all trucks and Lorries. Based in Blackpool, TISS identified a need to prevent the theft of fuel from lorry tanks, something that has become even more important with the constant increases in fuel costs. The cost of fitting an anti-siphon unit to a truck can be as low as £64.
“After discussions with hauliers it became obvious that fuel theft was increasingly becoming a problem. As a consequence we developed the anti-siphon,” Matthew Rose from TISS explained. “However we are delighted that an added benefit is the prevention of diesel spills. As well as the obvious fuel savings it more importantly stops the spillages which are so hazardous for motorcyclists.”
Currently TISS has sold over 10,000 units to companies such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s. Other firms that have taken up the mantle include the world’s largest logistics company DHL-Exel and Christian Salvesen.
With such a simple and effective method of stopping diesel spills it is to be hoped that more companies take Sainsbury’s lead and start fitting their vehicles with anti-spill units. It is unlikely that we will completely eradicate the problem in the near future but the possibility of reducing the risk has to be a possibility if more hauliers take up the baton, making it a safer world for motorcyclists.
