New Jersey starts odd-even gas rationing in 12 counties at noon on Saturday.

[randomness]

From The Star-Ledger:

[R]ationing will take place in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties.

According to the order, all retail gasoline dealers are required to sell fuel for use in a passenger vehicle according to the last number appearing on a vehicle's license plate.

Vehicles with license plates, the last number of which is an odd number, can fill up at stations in these counties only on odd-numbered days of the month, the order said.

Vehicles with license plates, the last number of which is an even number, can fill up only on even-numbered days.

Zero is considered an even number.

The order does not apply to the purchase of fuel by individuals with gas canisters. Walk-ups are still permitted.

All license plates not displaying a number, such as vanity plates, are considered odd, and should fill up on odd numbered days of the month, the order said.

Comments

[jab2.livejournal.com]

That sounds more like an article from the Onion than from the Star-ledger...

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

I am especially impressed that the Star-Ledger feels it is important to tell people that zero is considered an even number!
Sigh.

[allessindra.livejournal.com]

The Ledger was probably quoting the press release verbatim.

I don't understand what about it sounds deadpan-over-the-top like the Onion. I'll note that that is just over half the counties in NJ, and the most densely populated cities in the country are in Hudson County.

Our two cars are even, the house mate's is odd. They have police at the gas stations, enforcing the order. People are standing in line with gas cans, along the highway, in the cold.

Not the Onion.

[frobzwiththingz.livejournal.com]

fascinating. It's unclear to me why this would have any overall effect on the average queue length at a gas station. Can anyone explain?