Gasoline when you live in an earthquake prone country

Yesterday I wrote how I never let dishes build up in the sink when living in Japan, because you don't know when there will be an earthquake that might cut off your water supply. It is just one of the behaviors I have adopted living in an earthquake prone country such as Japan. Another has to do with gasoline.

I think I've wrote about it here before, how that when the triple disaster happened in 2011 you couldn't get gasoline for days on end. We were very lucky that our local gasoline stand, who we have a long running relationship with and a business account with, rang us when gasoline came back in. They stayed open late at night so that people could fill up their cars when the deliveries came in.

Ever since then I am reluctant to let gasoline run low in my car. If a large earthquake does hit, I suggest that after you pick up bottled water, toilet paper and emergency food supplies, your next stop should be the gasoline stand. Get a full tank before the gasoline runs out. Particularly if it is summer, because you might need to rely on your car for air conditioning.

My worst fear is for a large earthquake that cuts out water and electricity to happen in the height of summer, when we cannot live without air conditioning. If it were to happen the temporary solution would be to drive around in the car all day with the air conditioning on! Therefore, I keep my gasoline tank full when I am here in the summer, despite the cost.

These might seem like strange habits if you've never experienced a large earthquake. But they are necessary considerations when you live in a country that is prone to earthquakes.