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Comment by mirmor23 | Hacker News Reader

> Most decent emergency / contingency plans will have the fire department, police or whatever local group show up at one or two designated gas stations to provide power, or require these stations to have on-site emergency power.

this is just nonsense.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Iberian_Peninsula_blackou...

while traveling i got caught up in this. no restaurants, no credit cards working, no grocery stores, no cell connection, no navigation with phone, no gas station. the goddam list goes on. fortunately this was less than 16 hours.

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As a local, it was actually rather fun. And my kid was amazed. For a traveler it must have sucked, though (and also for some people with special needs, and in places where it's actually common, etc.).

If you used cash as a reasonable person you would not even notice that cards aren't working.

How many shops will be open without power? No till, no light, no refrigerator... not sure how much will help you having cash, beyond a couple of very basic needs - I can't even tell which, nor can you, it's gonna be an adventure either way.

Bread doesn't need a refrigerator and you can sell it directly from a truck.

Bread needs power to get made, and with no electricity the gas pumps that no longer work are not filling up any delivery trucks either.

Fortunately PV and wind and local batteries are getting deployed everywhere fast and electric trucks are starting to become a thing. Some places might even have enough for basic logistics in a war that cuts out their oil supply like wars tend to because they're obvious weak points.

The only place I've been where that might happen is rural mountainous Mexico where the "gas station" is a huachicolero funneling fuel into your car from a plastic water bottle next to a construction paper sign with "GAS" scribbled on it.

Everywhere else, gas stations aren't open if there's no power because nothing works, not even the cash register.

But I'm starting to see the uni freshman libertarian vibes here having been there once myself.

> If you used cash as a reasonable person you would not even notice that cards aren't working.

lol. i see. gas stations were closed since pumps were out. similar story with other facilities. luckily, gas station snack shops accepted cash, so buying some water/snacks was possible.

cash is of no use if facilities are not open. now that everything has been spelled out, i'm sure you are able to comprehend ;)

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