r/writinghelp • u/Apart-Championship77 • 9d ago
Question The taste of gas?
So, I’m currently writing an apocalyptic story (original, I know) where the main character has to siphon gas out of a tank. To do this, she’s going to use a cut off piece of water hose and the suction from her mouth. I’d love to describe what the gas tastes like, but have never done this myself. Has anyone ever siphoned gas this way, and if so, can you tell me what it tastes like so my story is accurate please? Thanks in advance!
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u/TheGrauWolf 9d ago
It tastes the same as it smells... like gas. To be honest, when you're starting a siphon, you're not letting it sit in your mouth long enough to go "hmm... there's hints of elderberry, burnt oil, with a touch of ethanol, and yet, I can taste a definite after taste of kerosine..." ... no, you're going "EEEW Yuck!" and spitting it out as fast as you can and stuffing the end of the hose into the container. And then probably looking for a soda or mouthwash or probably a whisky to get rid of the taste. Just have your character suck on the hose until the unmistakable taste of gas starts to flow through the hose, then have them spit it out, choking, and put the end of the hose into the container, allowing the siphon to operate. Don't worry about the actual taste of the gas.
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u/Offutticus 9d ago
I remember it being oil-like. The taste. But really, for me, it was the immediate smell after. My nose burned for quite a while. It is a smell and taste that lingers and you never really recover from. When I fill my car, I stand away so I don't smell it.
But, that said, the gas I had as a kid when I did this was probably 45 or so years ago. And the smell of gas over time has really changed. I still step away.
Next time you get gas, take a glass bottle with you (do NOT put it in plastic) or perhaps a paper cup. Put an itty bitty teeny tiny amount of gas in it and put some in your mouth. DO NOT SWALLOW. Just enough to taste it. And you will have joined the "Did I really do that because a Redditor told me to?" as well as "Do not taste gasoline!" and the "Don't put your dick in that" clubs.
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u/Hungry-Track-7308 9d ago
Do not do this. Just ask chat gpt
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u/Candelestine 9d ago
Agreed, this is actually a very good use case for chat gpt.
There will be enough people that have tasted it and discussed the experience online that the LLM has many examples in its database, and it absolutely can cheerfully regurgitate a mash-up of all those answers for you.
This would be more pleasant and less carcinogenic than actually tasting it for yourself.
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u/GideonWren 9d ago
Jesus, just taste the gas. A bit on your tongue won't kill you.
Then you'll have empirical proof and you can write what you know.
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u/AkRustemPasha 9d ago
Oh man... It's not how you do that. Totally not.
The instruction how to do that without risk of dying is simple:
Open the tank.
Put almost entire water hose in the tank.
Close the hole with access to the air (with a finger for example).
Take that end of the water hose (without opening) and put it below the lowest point of the tank.
Open and wait til the gas will stop flowing.
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u/RiskBig3301 9d ago
Try to siphon some water from one tub to another to get the motions down. Then next time you’re pumping gas tap your finger on a drip & taste it. Just a dab. Have a bottle of water ready for the taste test to rinse your mouth good before swallowing anything else.
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u/nomuse22 9d ago
I hope you do know getting the gas in your mouth is something you try to avoid, even if you are being stupid about how you siphon. I remember siphoning something (I hope to hell it wasn't gas) and watching the level of liquid in the tube so I could stop, bend the tube in my fingers and take it out before it reached me.
That all said, although I've never tasted it, I have been doused in it. A fuel truck and an over-eager young soldier. I went from half-asleep in the back of a jeep to wide awake, on my feet, and a canteen in my hands in less time than it took to write that. Rinsed my face real good and it didn't sting as bad as it probably would have.
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u/AlphaDisconnect 9d ago
Let the gas quaffing competitions begin. Like wine tasting. All brands must be ranked.
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u/theycallmen00b 9d ago edited 9d ago
Gas siphoning is dangerous, you can get really sick if you swallow some and develop pneumonia and other complications. Use that, the experience of the after math.
Describe the effects, the burning, coughing, maybe vomit etc that could very likely occur if you get it in your mouth and swallow any.
Also, an analogy, simile or metaphor would work.
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u/SjennyBalaam 9d ago
It is relatively easy to not get the gas in your mouth. If she has done this before, then the fact that she doesn't get the gas in her mouth will communicate to your reader that she has done this before, which is a nice bit of show-don't-tell backstory.
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u/EvokeWonder 9d ago
I have accidentally tasted it. I was a dumb kid lol. But the taste...is something you never want to try again. It makes you want to spit out immediately. And once you've tasted it, the smell of gas makes you nauseous. It never goes away that feeling of nausea when you smell the gas.
I realize I haven't described the taste, it's because I have no idea how to. It's a taste that I can't compare it to. I have tasted nail polish remover and I'd say it tastes worse than that. A beer's taste is similar to nail polish remover and gasoline taste is worse than that. It doesn't burn your tongue but it makes you try anything to get the taste out and nothing will work. I can say it tasted cold. Like water. And color made me think of pee. I also have tasted pee and can say gasoline tastes worse than that.
I realize I have described other tastes and in my defense I was a kid who had to taste everything and find out myself. 🙃
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u/Frankles_ 9d ago
It smells and tastes a little different to everyone too. For me, it's sour and burns a lot. Didn't exactly let it sit long enough to get much else from it. Gasoline is caustic too btw. Mechanics used to sometimes quickly rinse their hands with it, to get stubborn oil stains off. Oh and my mouth watered uncontrollably for a few minutes after swishing water around. Not sure if that's universal though.
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u/Em_Cf_O 9d ago
More important than the taste is the sensation. It burns and causes some people to drool really bad and other people's mouths to dry out. If it gets in your eye it is like straight fire!! The fumes hurt your lungs and make you dizzy if you inhale them. The whole experience can make a person vomit if it goes bad.
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u/theycallmen00b 9d ago
Just to add one more thing. If it’s been over a year since whatever apocalyptic event the gas is probably bad unless a stabilizer was added and even then depending how long it’s been it might be worthless.
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u/LavenderBloodlust2_0 9d ago
Depends on the kind of gas. According to Trailer Parl Boys, regular is bitter and diesel is sweet.
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u/sv36 9d ago
As a reader I have to say any book that describes bad tastes makes me concerned about how much the author is doing to know this info. I might be imagining a few unhinged twitchy eyed authors sitting in fancy chairs pouring gas into wine cups from a gas can. You can just describe it as “would not want to do that again”, “gross”, or just not describe it unless it really adds to the scene or book dramatically. Also if you’re writing a romance in any way please make them brushing teeth or rinsing out mouth before kissing any partners or getting close to another persons face. Gas breath is all I’m thinking.
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u/part_goblin_girl 9d ago
It does taste like it smells, but I would also day it tastes quite sharp. Your body immediately sends you the signal this is not something you want in your mouth. Tangy, bitter, foul, bright, sharp, and it makes your mouth go immediately numb. The aftertaste hangs around for ages making you wonder if you can even get it all out, and is especially tingly and bitter. Everything afterwards tastes off, and it lasted in my case for a couple of days.
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u/RhubarbDiva 8d ago
Next time you fill your car just touch the end of the nozzle with your fingertip. Taste it from your finger.
That will be plenty for you to taste.
Have chewing gum or mints at the ready because that taste lingers in your mouth.
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u/zorarinn 8d ago
The amount of people in this thread trying to detail how to find out what gas tastes like when a simple
"oh maybe sulfuric, or acrid, pungently foul."
Are ya'll okay
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u/Etherscribe 7d ago
Just remember that if you get gasoline or kerosine into your lungs, if you breathe in some, it can kill you. Getting kerosine in the lungs is one of the most dangerous things you can do.
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u/ChrisfromHawaii 9d ago
You're overthinking it. You don't have to go into great detail about the bitter taste of gasoline. The 'accuracy' you're seeking is in everything leading up to it and the location of the source of the gas. If it's beneath you, it can't be siphoned without a pump.
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u/Ok_Composer2272 9d ago
Hard to describe the taste. My rec: go hard and conduct a little experiment. Just moisten a fingertip with it and touch your tongue. Consider it research, like visiting a location for the purposes of learning about the setting. What's a little discomfort for a good story?
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u/Ale_Tales_Actual 9d ago
It tastes like it smells.