Running Out Of Gas
@RichardMeister (5328)
Otis Orchards, Washington
April 29, 2016 6:16pm CST
I have both a pickup and a car. One day I had planned to take my pickup somewhere. I rarely drive my pickup so I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to how much gas is in it. Anyway, I jumped into my pickup and fired it up. I noticed the gas gage needle was beyond the E. No real problem. The closest gas station was only about 3 miles away.
I took off thinking there was a slight change I might run out of gas. I got about a mile and a half away from home when my pickup sputtered and quit. I coasted to the side of the road. I locked up my vehicle and walked home. I grabbed a gas can and drove to the gas station.
I returned to my pickup, parked my car, poured the gas into the pickup. I drove my pickup to the gas station and filled it up. Then I drove home and walked back and got my car.
Now if I had a brain, as soon as I noticed the gas gage needle was beyond E, I would had grabbed the gas can, jumped into my car, went to the gas station, brought back a can of gas and put it in the pickup. That way I would have been able to drive my pickup all the way to the gas station, filled it up, then gone on about my business. And it would have been much quicker.
This happened about ten years ago and has never happened since. At least now I know how much gas I have left in my pickup when my needle is beyond the E. I have never ran out of gas in my car. Maybe some day I will take a can of gas and drive my car until it runs out of gas just so I know how far pass the E my car will go before running out of gas. Then again, if I don’t let it get to the E, I will never have to worry about running out.
Anyone have any stories to tell about running out of gas?
5 people like this
5 responses
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Apr 16
I have only run out of gas once (amazingly - I pushed it so many times and could have run out many times). I KNEW I was running on empty (I could just feel it pushing the gas pedal) and sure enough the car totally stopped. Luckily I was right next to a gas station and some friendly folks behind me pushed it up the driveway and to a pump. I was lucky that time. I guess if it were to ever happen again, I can always whip out the number to AAA!
1 person likes this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Apr 16
@RichardMeister I think I was in a hurry to get somewhere and thought I might be able to get gas later on - um, well, and you know what happened. It's sort of a game after that empty light comes on - let's see how far we could push the limits. It's as if we think the car will magically run on gas vapors til we actually get to the gas station. I had a friend who always filled up when her car hit the quarter tank mark - maybe that's the smarter way to do it!
1 person likes this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
1 May 16
@RichardMeister Ah, I didn't even think of that - but you know here we don't have to think about freezing issues. And filling up at the halfway mark assures that you won't run out of gas!!
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
30 Apr 16
I had AAA years ago but after I bought my pickup brand new I dropped it because I felt there was no need for it. I never got it again. Now the big question is, were you headed for that gas station or were you still trying to squeeze every drop of gas out of your vehicle and heading elsewhere?
It's funny what we think when we start to run out of gas. When my pickup started sputtering I still thought it might just sputter to the gas station a mile and a half away. Right now I'm laughing at that thought. It was a totally stupid thought.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159606)
• Boise, Idaho
2 May 16
How about when my ex and I went to Alberta Canada and it was late September, getting a bit nippy in the evenings. We run out of gas and he locks the keys in the car. We get a ride in the back of a guys pickup to the gas station probably ten miles down a windy highway and ten miles back. Back to the car and spend 40 minutes trying to get into the car. By the time we got in we were both freezing. I thoroughly enjoyed our time in Canada but that evening could have gone better.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159606)
• Boise, Idaho
2 May 16
@RichardMeister ....After trying just doodling around for what seemed like forever an older couple came and had a hanger he was able to open the door with. The rest of the trip was marvelous.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159606)
• Boise, Idaho
3 May 16
@RichardMeister ...He was so put out with himself. I just felt it was part of the adventure of travel. I knew we'd be okay. To be honest thought, it was the end of a long day and I was a bit put out that we had to do all of this before we could lay down for the night. And, no dinner yet either. Ugh!
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
3 May 16
@celticeagle That's good. I'm certain your ex didn't run out of gas or locked the keys in the car on purpose. That's no way to impress a woman.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (58188)
• Centralia, Washington
30 Apr 16
You got some exercise anyway. We're about 15 miles from a gas station so you bet I try to keep an eye on the gas gauge. Eons ago we had duel gas tank truck and the bugger would not stay filled with gas. Something was wrong with the dumb tanks. At least I could walk easier in those days.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (58188)
• Centralia, Washington
30 Apr 16
@RichardMeister Moses is full of huge trucks. I often have trouble finding my little car when I head out of the grocery store.
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
30 Apr 16
@sallypup They must like their huge trucks.
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
30 Apr 16
Maybe it burnt more gas than you realized. Trucks tend to really eat up the gas.
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
30 Apr 16
Hmmm. Why do you think that? Did he want to walk with you or did he think he would get in a lot of kissing? Or just some alone time with you?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326340)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 May 16
@RichardMeister It used to be talked about in those days. If the car was out of petrol, that was an excuse to get the girl home later than might be expected by the parents.
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
1 May 16
@JudyEv Yes, I heard about that when I was growing up, but since I lived out in the country where gas stations were few and far apart the last thing someone wanted to do is run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. There were no cell phones in those days so we couldn't just call someone. So no one I knew used that excuse. But I understand it if you lived in or near a city where gas stations are a dime a dozen.
1 person likes this
