Just another step to the complete infantilization of citizens by the government. If you can't pour a liquid into another container, you have no business being outdoors.
Yes, and this does in fact infantalize people. But it's an unintended consequence of it's functional purpose: job creation (regardless of the stated justification for the law).
It's only partly a jobs program. Really, the jobs are mostly a side effect. Jersey people love their full service stations and are very protective of it. In and out, don't get out of the car, don't mess up your precious hair and hands dealing with the elements or the pump, back on the road. I don't identify with the attitude at all, but it's a real part of the culture. I've been chased back into my car by attendants more than once in Jersey. Nowadays I typically fill up before crossing state lines and drive across the state nonstop, even though the gas tax is lower in Jersey.
I can understand not bothering to drive to Jersey just to get gas (though it is cheaper), but spending more to fill up before crossing the border solely to avoid the experience of someone else pumping gas for you seems a little extreme. Is there more to your dislike of NJ gas stations? Whatever the reason, I respect you for having the courage of your convictions, especially this time of year!
On the other hand, when strapped for cash, many citizens will stop doing it. You can make it illegal to drive with that tank empty, but that still won't make many citizens do it. The environment is better off this way.
Well, running the engine (or not to) with empty AdBlue tank has nothing to do with topping it up yourself.
- You can let the tank go empty and not turn up to the workshop for the fill up, how does disallowing to top it up yourself prevent that?
- Many current cars with AdBlue will flash increasingly annoying warnings at you, and although many people drive with check engine lights lit, running out of urea will display you a counter of remaining kilometers and the car will simply refuse to start when empty. Again, nothing to do with whether you push the car to the dealership on foot or fill the tank yourself from the bottle (and actually, there are very foolproof anti-spill bottles, which let the liquid go only when tightly screwed onto the DEF tank).
Perhaps they could mandate another additive to diesel that gives it a very apparent coloured plume in its exhaust; and then another additive to AdBlue that oxidizes/reduces that additive. Then you just tell police to pull over anyone with black fumes coming from their cars.
There's no need for any of this. DEF diesel engines already go into limp mode not long after the fluid runs dry (after ignoring many warnings). There are sensors such that just replacing with any arbitrary diesel-compatible fluid won't fool it (thought that would be stupid to do). And most states have annual inspections that include emissions, you would not pass with a dry Adblue tank. No need for dramatic exhaust; the cops can run your plates and see your inspection is expired.
That one is simple, just make the vehicle not run when certain conditions aren't met. Most diesel trucks already do this from the factory, if you don't follow the regen. cycle the truck just turns off.
