Chalk One Up For The Valley, Part Deux

In recent months, I've been visiting the smog-trapping, greenhouse-like environment that characterizes the frightening model for urban sprawl and suburbia that is The Valley a bit more often than I'd like to admit; However, due to these more frequent visits, I've discovered another reason that indicates the valley may not completely suck.

Consider the average gas station in your coastal Los Angeles borough with its rising gas prices, sometimes insane lines and... its annoying ass vapor-recovery nozzles.

These nozzles are tasked with curbing air pollution and saving the gas consumer from inhaling fumes. Super.

While I appreciate the concern for my fume inhalation, I hate to break it, but... It's a gas station. No efforts to mask it with perfume or candles, or trap it with a nozzle thingie can change the fact that I'm standing on top of huge tanks of gasoline that could explode with one stray spark and [spoiler] smell like gas.

"It can't hurt to try," you say? WRONG. These vapor-recovery nozzles rule out the possibility of a pump-handle-holder-thingie, quite possibly the only thing that could ever be enjoyable about the gas station experience.

Last night at about 3 am (long story) I stopped to pump some gas in The Valley and was pleasantly surprised to find my savior. When I'm too tired or lazy to even think about squeezing a gas pump handle, nothing hits the spot like the pump-handle-holder-thingie.

Also amazing? You don't have to fight against a vapor-recovery nozzle, constantly pushing against you as you push against it, automatically shutting the pump off when you provide inadequate pressure, and ultimately leaking gasoline all over the side of your car as you go to pull it out.

Boo to vapor-recovery nozzles, but props to the valley, once again, for resisting change and remaining content in their abundance of greenhouse gasses and not even attempting to control them.