Ran out of Gas! FYI

A buddy once tried to make it all the way back to the u.s. border from the motel we were staying in Quebec. He ended up running out of fuel 20 miles before it. By the time we syphoned enough gas out of the snowmobiles to make it to the nearest gas station, he found the truck wouldn't start. It had to be towed, and the fuel pump replaced. Cost us an extra day up there.

 

When the general public associates a commodity with what they watch on the news, it spurs panic buying. Of the three times in recent years where I had to wait weeks before I could buy fuel, only one was because there was an actual city-devastating hurricane. The other two were false shortages caused by panic buying/hoarding. (Ice storm caused one, a refinery shutdown caused the other)

 

Sounds like it’s time to get solar and make your own fuel for an EV then.

 

I remember that. It was all news media driven. I had a trip to Salado that week and as as soon as you left the DFW area, gas was easy to find. As close as Italy, TX.

 

I almost ran out of gas the other day. I usually know exactly how far I can go beyond the "empty" line, and I still had a little bit of room. truck started to surge as I went up a hill, and luckily made it to the gas station a block away.

Seems like it ran out of gas sooner, either because I started the drive past empty or because of the hill.

 

I remember when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, sure gas was scarce in Houston as expected, but in Dallas everyone made a run so even though Dallas is 4 hours away, no one could find gas there.

 

I was in DFW when Harvey hit. I lived in Houston during Ike. Worst of both worlds.

 

No purge necessary, it started up immediately. However, I was parked on an incline and was worried that the 5 Gal would not be enough.

 

On some level, probably so. The had to pay a ransom to get this pipeline running again.

 

I tend to get gas once I hit a 1/4 tank but if it's convenient and I'm already there I'll fill it up if I'm at a or below a half tank. I have let my tank go to the warning light 100's of times (40 years of driving) and I have never run out of gas, but I feel like I have been neglectful when it gets that low!

 

The number of times the gas light has popped on and surprised me is far larger than I would like to admit.
I swear the bottom half of the tank is mostly air...

 

He must not get the point lol

 

Exactly.

 

This thread made me fuel up on the way home today. On principle.

 

Good. Good.

 

Watching the news, there is little need to worry about terrorists... It is increasingly the nutty guy down the street that you have to watch out for...



I'm barely driving the Taco these days... I am working with the bottom 1/4 tank so I have to get fuel more often to keep fuel fresh(-er).

I do think about the need to head out in a hurry as you guys mention, but nothing happens here (I believe I just heard the 'click' activating the jinx... - so knock on wood, and I hereby invoke all other preventative superstitious buffoonery.)

There are also lots of fuel stations around here and I can at least make it to the next town.

 

Talking with folks who lived in Florida, that's common practice in the summer due to hurricanes. Where I am, it's ice storms knocking out power in the winter (which will also disable the gas station pumps).

 

Follow me, fellers. I know exactly what I'm doing.