Running out of Petrol
Over 15,000 people in the U.K. ran out of fuel on the motorway during a one year period. It turns out that as part of these hard economic times people find themselves strapped for cash and consequently instead of asking to be filled up they ask for five or ten pounds.
Running out of fuel is not considered a legitimate breakdown reason. If you call one of the services to bring you fuel they will apply a premium charge, and should the police stop to determine what the problem is they will charge you with having committed an offence. The simple fact is that breaking down on the highway is a dangerous matter , and as drivers we have no excuse should we allow that to happen to us because of a lack of fuel.
So, what is it with women drivers who are most likely to run out of petrol? Lately I have seen two women filling their stationary cars with fuel from Jerry cans. My wife has encouraged me to drive our car with a fuel level that was very close to empty. To her credit one of those times was when we were taking back our hire car. They say we should bring the car back empty because any fuel that is left is our gift to them.
The culprit here is the car hire company and the governing authority for allowing them to press customers into driving on as little fuel as possible. There was a time when they required that you bring the car back with a full tank. That made much more sense. That way, they gave it to you in a full condition and you brought it back the same way.
The second time my wife had let her fuel run right down and we were driving late at night when most, if not all filling stations were closed. We were going from one station to the next and finding that none were open, and all the while using precious fuel. Finally we came to a self-serve station that is open 24 hours a day. As we were driving along a flat surface the car starting making noises as though it was starved for fuel. Fortunately, I was able to glide up to the pump. More fortunate still, it was in working order.
Women seem to have “a thing” about the gas gauge and the weight machine. They have a difficult time believing either of them. Men, under normal circumstances start to panic when the gauge gets to the half way mark. I only feel comfortable when my gauge is showing full. That seems to be a man thing.
So, apart from men and women things, remember that allowing your vehicle to simply run out of petrol is not only the cause for great inconvenience, it is also a dangerous thing to have happen because while you are unable to drive your car you may be involved in an accident, or someone may stop and take advantage of you. The best case scenario might be that you get a ticket from the police.
Copyright © 2011 Eugene Carmichael
Over 15,000 people in the U.K. ran out of fuel on the motorway during a one year period. It turns out that as part of these hard economic times people find themselves strapped for cash and consequently instead of asking to be filled up they ask for five or ten pounds.
Running out of fuel is not considered a legitimate breakdown reason. If you call one of the services to bring you fuel they will apply a premium charge, and should the police stop to determine what the problem is they will charge you with having committed an offence. The simple fact is that breaking down on the highway is a dangerous matter , and as drivers we have no excuse should we allow that to happen to us because of a lack of fuel.
So, what is it with women drivers who are most likely to run out of petrol? Lately I have seen two women filling their stationary cars with fuel from Jerry cans. My wife has encouraged me to drive our car with a fuel level that was very close to empty. To her credit one of those times was when we were taking back our hire car. They say we should bring the car back empty because any fuel that is left is our gift to them.
The culprit here is the car hire company and the governing authority for allowing them to press customers into driving on as little fuel as possible. There was a time when they required that you bring the car back with a full tank. That made much more sense. That way, they gave it to you in a full condition and you brought it back the same way.
The second time my wife had let her fuel run right down and we were driving late at night when most, if not all filling stations were closed. We were going from one station to the next and finding that none were open, and all the while using precious fuel. Finally we came to a self-serve station that is open 24 hours a day. As we were driving along a flat surface the car starting making noises as though it was starved for fuel. Fortunately, I was able to glide up to the pump. More fortunate still, it was in working order.
Women seem to have “a thing” about the gas gauge and the weight machine. They have a difficult time believing either of them. Men, under normal circumstances start to panic when the gauge gets to the half way mark. I only feel comfortable when my gauge is showing full. That seems to be a man thing.
So, apart from men and women things, remember that allowing your vehicle to simply run out of petrol is not only the cause for great inconvenience, it is also a dangerous thing to have happen because while you are unable to drive your car you may be involved in an accident, or someone may stop and take advantage of you. The best case scenario might be that you get a ticket from the police.
Copyright © 2011 Eugene Carmichael
