# Carrying Diesel in Germany



## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

Having a conversation with someone this week who has just bought a motorhome, he was told by the seller that he was fined whilst in Germany for not carrying spare diesel in a can. This is the first time I have heard of this. Does anybody know whether this is true or not.


----------



## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

News to me

Perhaps he was fined for running out of fuel - not quite the same thing as fined for not carrying any spare?

This link may shed some light.

Cheers

Dave

Edit - Just found this from the Daily Moan


----------



## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

I don't know about any legal requirement but in view of the consequences of running out of fuel in diesel engines, I'd suggest it is sound common sense.

I always carry an approved container in both the motorhome and our diesel car. Although our aim is to treat 1/4 full on the gauge as 'empty', we have ended up being saved by the backup a couple of times in rural France and Scotland when struggling to find an open filling station.


----------



## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Dave 2004 news article.................. :lol: 

tony


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

rogerblack said:


> Although our aim is to treat 1/4 full on the gauge as 'empty', we have ended up being saved by the backup a couple of times in rural France and Scotland when struggling to find an open filling station.


Very wise Roger

Which is why we always go even further, and regard the 1/2 full mark as fill-up time. That still gives about 300 miles between fills, so no problem.

Got caught out quite seriously once, many years ago. Never again!!

Dave


----------



## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

Zebedee said:


> ... Which is why we always go even further, and regard the 1/2 full mark as fill-up time. That still gives about 300 miles between fills, so no problem...
> 
> Dave


I can't take that advice as I only get 300 miles from a full tank


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Try saying "full fuel filling" several times quickly!


----------



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

rogerblack said:


> I don't know about any legal requirement but in view of the consequences of running out of fuel in diesel engines, I'd suggest it is sound common sense.
> 
> I always carry an approved container in both the motorhome and our diesel car. Although our aim is to treat 1/4 full on the gauge as 'empty', we have ended up being saved by the backup a couple of times in rural France and Scotland when struggling to find an open filling station.


Roger

You are quite right but it is tempting, when crossing the border from a high-priced to a low-priced country (e.g Germany-Poland where it is about GBP 1.10/lt today) to get down to the minimum. But I only do it when I know the exact location of and distance to the filling station.

As you know we are going to Scotland in June/July so I will head your advice in the Highlands. Incidently I have found a parking place just N. of the Firth on the S. side of Dunfermline - easy for Turnhouse (Flight EDI-Katowice direct GBP 70.00 for both of us)

Geoff


----------



## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

The AA doesn't mention any regulations requiring spare fuel.

When travelling in a new country we fill up each morning - have learnt this over the years (but also carry empty container just in case :roll. 

Some stations on the weekends might only open for the morning; rural areas can be dire and who knows when a local festival might impact on the availability of fuel.

How many times though, when you do require fuel, do you see it on the other side of the motorway?! The other rule is that when you are desperate for fuel then it will be the most expensive around. :lol: :lol:


----------



## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

When I first started touring in Europe, my brother who is a truck driver who goes all over the EU and beyond gave me advice.

1.. Never let your tank go below a quarter full.

2.. A lot a German filling stations close on a Sunday's, so make sure you have enough fuel in your tank if you intend driving on Sunday's. he however say filling stations on the autobahn were 24/7, but they could be quite a distance away.

I've just phoned him in Hamburg to check about fines for running out of fuel and he says it's news to him. But added there are signs up on the Blackwall Tunnel about penalties for running out of fuel.


----------



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Zozzer said:


> When I first started touring in Europe, my brother who is a truck driver who goes all over the EU and beyond gave me advice.
> 
> 1.. Never let your tank go below a quarter full.
> 
> ...


But HGVs (with some exceptions) have to park up in Germany, and other countries, on a Sunday.


----------



## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

nicholsong said:


> Zozzer said:
> 
> 
> > When I first started touring in Europe, my brother who is a truck driver who goes all over the EU and beyond gave me advice.
> ...


Yes, but the advice was to me, a non HGV driver, starting touring for the first time.

They also parkup for the day on a bank-holiday which today is in Germany. The autohoff at Hamburg by brother is parked up for day is packed with row upon row HGV's. the barbecue's are out and the sun is cracking the flags. (I'm jealous)


----------



## foxtwo (Jun 23, 2012)

Hi,

there is no obligation at all in Germany to carry a spare fuel can in the car. It will not be checked in police controls.
However, if you run out of fuel and be an obstacle, you would be fined.

Gas stations generally are open all days regardless if sunday , bank holiday or normal working days.
However most of the gas stations close after 22.00 till 06:00 in the morning. Except gas stations on highways, they are open 24/7.

Bernd


----------



## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

foxtwo said:


> Hi,
> 
> there is no obligation at all in Germany to carry a spare fuel can in the car. It will not be checked in police controls.
> However, if you run out of fuel and be an obstacle, you would be fined.
> ...


Having previously lived in Germany for many years, I agree - running out of fuel and creating an obstacle is the offence for which the fine will have been levied.

Colin


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Vielen Dank Bernd, I was getting worried at the thought of having to lug a spare tank of fuel around.

Incidentally, you must have watched too much TV from the USA.

*Gas* to us means methane/propane/butane.

Petrol or diesel are not referred to as "gas", even though we may call a place that sells both as a petrol garage!

Oh, and a *station* is a place where a train stops!

I will get told off by UK members for posting this but I can't help being a (British English) pedant, even though I live in Wales, was born in Scotland and raised mainly in England.

Oh, and my first words were (Austrian) German as we had a nanny in Wien in 1945!

PS

What exactly is "Erdgas"?


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

This has got to be the (latest) daftest "apparent" law since WW1 soldiers were told they could avoid going over the top by wearing their underpants on their heads and sticking two knitting needles up their noses!


----------



## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

Many thanks for the replies folks. I als thought it must have been on the Autobahn and thought they had run out of fuel but the elderly couple who sold the van didn't say only that they were fined 90 euros for not having spare fuel.


----------



## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

pippin said:


> ...
> 
> What exactly is "Erdgas"?


Erdgas = Earth/ground gas = natural gas (rather than coal gas)

As regards the Daily Mail link - I was aware it was old news but thought it shed light on the likely reason for the fine which presumably was running out of fuel as I suggested originally.

Cheers

Dave


----------



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Pippin

'Wien in 1945!' ???

Which months of 1945?

Geoff


----------



## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

randonneur said:


> Having a conversation with someone this week who has just bought a motorhome, he was told by the seller that he was fined whilst in Germany for not carrying spare diesel in a can. This is the first time I have heard of this. Does anybody know whether this is true or not.


German law is/used to be clear that you had to carry 5 litres of fuel in a spare can.


----------



## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

When was that Wupert? (and in which Germany...)

I learned to drive in Germany (when you would tend to be made aware of this sort of rule) and lived there on and off for 10 years (Osnabruck, Monchengladbach, Berlin) between 1969 and 1989 and I was never aware of that rule/law.

You were ALLOWED to carry spare fuel - but as far as I know it was not compulsory.

Cheers

Dave


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

If you were to follow the rules of some ferry companies who state they prohibit carrying fuel in containers or indeed empty containers, how could you. Unless you purchased on on the continent and then left it there.

We ran out on the A26 in France on a Single contraflow. We had to freewheel (lucky we were going down hill) across a small gap in the traffic coming in the opposite direction. Ended up on an incline. Filled up from a Gerry can bu there was not enough to flow to the pick up line.

Ended up waiting for a tow and Paid £175 that was reimbursed by the AA.


But, we started looking for diesel way above 1/4 tank. First one we pulled in at, I missed the service station and we could not turn around. Drove to the next one and it was closed for refurbishment. That is when we run out looking for the next one.

That is the problem with a vehicle that does around 20 to the gallon with a 17.5 gallon tank.

TM


----------



## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi!



Wupert said:


> German law is/used to be clear that you had to carry 5 litres of fuel in a spare can.


No.

There is no such requirement. Not at least since I got my German driving licence back in the 1980s.

On the contrary, tax regulations require that the maximum amount of fuel carried in spare cans must not exceed 20 litres. And safety regulations require that these spare cans must be certified for fuel transport.

However, it is true that you can be fined if you run out of fuel on the autobahn.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


----------



## foxtwo (Jun 23, 2012)

Let´s agree on the following procedure:

In case you will be fined for a missing spare can after a routine check by german police .....i´ll pay your ticket.

In case you will *not* be fined for a missing spare can after a routine check by german police .....you pay me a beer.

I´ll be drunken for the rest of my life.

Bernd :lol:


----------



## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

So? - Are we all agreed? - Like I said in the second post on this thread 

1 - It is not compulsory to carry spare fuel

2 - It is illegal to run out of fuel on the Autobahnen ...

Cheers

Dave


----------



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

If you have a solar-powered vehicle can you be fined if the sun goes in? :roll: :lol: 

I am ducking now!


----------

