Have you or do you run out of gasoline in your vehicle?

[angela in ohio]

I'm curious after a conversation with some ladies who apparently do this frequently...

 

(I just put a limited number of options. Choose the closest, even if it isn't exact.)

Edited July 17, 2012 by angela in ohio

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I have never run out of gas, ever.

 

I've been driving for 10 years with 6 different cars.

[stripe]

Sounds frightening.

[My3Munchkins]

I ran out of gas once while in college. Ever since then, I've been paranoid about it.

[Dana]

Used to happen to my husband often when we were dating.

[Amy in NH]

I used to run out of gas somewhat frequently, but that was because my gas gauge was broken and there were some other problems with the vehicle. In hindsight, I'm wondering if there was also a leak somewhere in the gas line...

 

I kept a gas can in the back, and was finally able to replace the vehicle this past spring.

[Mama Geek]

I ran out of gas after a vehicle had been out of commission for awhile. We fixed it ourselves and I drove it to work. I didn't make it back home. For some dumb reason I didn't look at the gas gauge. That was probably 10 years ago. A Texas cowboy was nice enough to give me a ride the 2 or 3 miles home. As soon as dh walked in the door he asked why I ran the vehicle out of gas.:glare:

[GoVanGogh]

I've never run out of gas.

My current truck was recalled because the gas tank sensor didn't work. I took it in three times (all day project - they had to drain out all gas, lower gas tank...) to get it fixed. It still doesn't work properly. :glare: After a few close calls, I now fill it up as soon as it hits half empty mark.

 

My DH? He has run out of gas twice... and has locked his keys in his vehicle several times. :lol:

My favorite - he ran out of gas when we were "home" for the holidays. He walked to someone's house to ask to use their phone. (Long before cell phones.) I stayed in the truck with our dog. It was freezing cold out. DH crashed some family's Christmas Eve celebration. They thought they were saving the world by taking in some poor stranger on Christmas Eve and would hardly let DH leave! :lol:

[magnificent_baby]

Only twice in my life (high school) and due to a broken gas guage. Now, anytime I near 1/4 of a tank, I fill up just to be on the safe side.

[Dory]

I've run out of gas twice before but both times it was just me not checking my fuel gauge before I left town.

[Brilliant]

I had to vote "once" but I was 16 so I don't think it should count against me. :)

[PinkInTheBlue]

Once a couple of years ago. I don't think it had ever happened before that. I had just pushed the timing too hard and knew I was dangerously close. What a pain!

[Joani]

Once, when I was about 22, I didn't have enough gas to get home, but I had just enough to get to a gas station. I didn't have any money with me and had to call my dad to come bail me out. That's the closest I've come to running out of gas.

[Dobela]

I ran out of gas once, about 3 years ago, during a stressful, distracted time in my life. I was in the middle of a busy street at a dangerous intersection during a busy traffic time of day. I had my children with me and was terrified as cars nearly rammed into me. I was less than 50 ft from a gas station and had to call my dh from work 3 miles away because no one would help me. Now, it hits a quarter tank and I start looking for gas.

[Jenny in Florida]

I've been driving for 10 years with 6 different cars.

 

Ten years? That's it?

 

Goodness, I feel old.

 

It's happened to me once or twice in the 30 years I've been driving. I remember only one time, actually, and it was over 25 years ago. I was young and extremely broke and hoping I'd make it to work to collect my paycheck. I didn't.

[Mimm]

I've never run out of gas. And right now I have a very unreliable gas gauge.

[nd293]

I've only run out of petrol (as we'd call it) a few times, ever, but have done it twice in the past three years. The second time was heat-wave hot and I'd left the kids at home alone - luckily though, I was able to coast to a stop under a tree, and the automobile assistance service arrived to rescue me promptly. In the past 3yrs they've helped me twice with petrol, once with a flat tire, three times with a flat battery and once when I locked myself out of dh's car!

 

I was less than 50 ft from a gas station and had to call my dh from work 3 miles away because no one would help me.

 

Isn't that sad? A friend once ran out of petrol, with two children, including a baby, in the middle of summer (in the Middle East, so we are talking hot). A taxi driver stopped, moved her and her children into his taxi (for the airconditioning), and then went and got them petrol.

Edited July 17, 2012 by nd293

[LMV]

I haven't, but my dad raised me to always fill up at a quarter of a tank [and I've been fortunate to never have some kind of a gas sensor or whatever malfunction].

[hthnmamax2]

I did once. My excuse is that we were overseas and the gas gauge was broken - it was stuck at the half full mark. I'd only had it for a month and never could tell how much gas was in the thing. After that, as long was we didn't go on long trips, I would drive it five times then fill it up! Trust me, being stranded on the side of the road in 120 degree heat with only Umbrella Girls (AKA prostitutes) there to keep you company, teaches you a valuable lesson. About many things! :lol:

[SKL]

I ran out of gas once when I was 18. Those were the good old days before cell phones, and I was in the boonies. It was a valuable learning experience. I don't recall ever running out of gas again.

[Desert Rat]

I voted never, but I actually ran out of gas one time. I was picking up a kid I babysat in their car. The father left me with an empty tank! I was so scared! I was only 17 and had a 4 year old and newborn in the car. Yikes! It has never happened again and the mom was super mad!

[gardenmom5]

I have never run out of gas. HOWEVER, dh has run out of gas with me as a passengar three or four times. on the freeway in the middle of nowhere, on a major highway during rush hour (at least it was only a block to a gas station), on a country road as we were rushing to catch a ferry . . . . . . I'm pretty sure there was one more time.

 

dh likes to push limits. that includes testing the limits of what the gas gauge says. :glare:

[justamouse]

Once. Then we realized the gague had broken and read 1/4 tank off, so now when it reaches 1/4 we know that's E and we fill er up.

[Mrs Mungo]

The gas gauge did not work in my first car. I ran out a couple of times, but then I was paranoid.

 

Just recently, when dd was driving around because my foot was broken we ran out of gas in the driveway, lol. She wasn't used to driving constantly and was so embarrassed that I don't think she will do it again.

[Ellie]

It has happened to me twice. After the second time I determined it would never happen again.

 

When I'm driving, the first time I look at the gas gauge and think, "Hmmm...I wonder if I should get gas?" I stop at the next gas station and get gas (or if I'm close to home, I wait until I get to the gas station around the corner from my house).

 

I never put the car in the garage with an almost-empty tank. I hate getting in the car and finding that I have to get gas before I can go do...whatever it is I have to do.

 

I think I have turned into my grandmother...:001_huh:

[Ravin]

This has happened to me once or twice, only in a vehicle with a broken gas gauge. Specifically, our van ran out of gas once and it cost a pretty penny to repair the resulting damage. We haven't let it happen again by assuming it gets a bit worse gas mileage than it probably does and rounding down the estimate. Only having $15 or $20 at a time to put in the tank does not help this, nor does the fact that it only gets about 10mpg. I'm REALLY looking forward to getting the brakes fixed and tags renewed on our other vehicle.

 

When it happened in the van, I was on my way home from work and she stalled at a long light where I was going to turn left. Fortunately someone helped me push it through the intersection into the parking lot (the street made a T), and then gave me a ride to the nearest gas station (about half a mile away) and back. It was our only vehicle and DH was home with DD. This was how we found out the gas gauge didn't work!

Edited July 17, 2012 by Ravin

[Jean in Newcastle]

Used to happen to my husband often when we were dating.

 

Hmmm. I wonder if that was on purpose? :D

[jewellsmommy]

Thankfully it has never happened to me. I may have pushed it close a time or two, but I have never run out. Now if you were to ask me how mant times I have locked my keys in the car...:blush:.

[Lily of the Valley]

I had to vote "once" but I was 16 so I don't think it should count against me. :)

 

Same here. I was so clueless, it didn't even occur to me to check the gas gauge when my car suddenly died. I thought there was a serious issue, until someone more knowledgeable came along and informed me I was out of gas! I was really embarrassed.

[angela in ohio]

Okay, so I asked because I had a few women in my home whom I don't really know, and they were talking about running out of gas like it was no big deal (and it wasn't a money issue, I know.) They do it frequently. I never have, and it seemed a bit odd to me, but thought maybe it was normal.

 

Dh ran out once. His gas gauge broke, and he didn't know it until his van stopped. AAA towed him to the local garage, and they ran all sorts of tests before realizing what it was. The best thing about living in a small town - no charge from the garage! :001_smile:

[Mommyof4ks]

No, I have never run out of gas. That scares me! My dummy light has come on a few times, but I always go straight to the gas station at that point.

[Dana]

Hmmm. I wonder if that was on purpose? :D

 

:lol:

 

I could see that if it happened when we were together...

He only locked the keys in the car when we were out together.

[sgilli3]

Never happened to me.

The petrol gauge in my first car didn't work, so each day on way to work, I would put $5 in.

Upgraded to newer cars over the years and I never let fuel drop below 1/4 of a tank (really hate the thought of running out!)

 

Current car has 2 fuel tanks. Drove into town today and petrol light came on during trip home. So,I flicked the switch and started using fuel from 2nd tank- even though realistically I probably could have made it home, and back into town again (20 mins). Once this tank hits 1/4, I will fill main tank again.

[Meriwether]

I have never run out of gas, but I get low frequently. One time I went thirty miles on E and drifted into a station on fumes and a prayer.

[Isabella]

Its never happened to me, but it's been mighty close about 3 or 4 times. A couple of times my own fault, and a couple not. It's very stressful!! Mostly now I'm more aware of how much I'm going to be using the car over the next few days and make sure I have a full tank.

[chepyl]

Never when I was driving, but we ran out in DH's truck last summer. He just failed to look at the gas gauge. My babysitter ran out with us a couple of times with my sister and I in the car. I also rescued a friend who ran out while pregnant. I am surprised I have not run out of gas ;) but we have a 7eleven on every corner around our house, if it is low, I have a quarter mile or less to get to a gas station.

 

I have always been more prone to killing the battery! I used to leave my phone plugged in, interior lights on, abd in dh's old car- I left the headlights on all the file.

[Melissa in Australia]

I haven't but DH has. Our cars have broken fuel gages, so we need to count km's. He was on the way tot eh petrol station when he ran out.

[Dad 4 Boys]

It's happened to me twice.

 

Once, when our first child was an infant, we were travelling between GA and MO. We were getting low on gas and pulled into a gas station. The baby needed to eat, so we pulled off to the side of the lot to take care of that prior to filling up. It was hot, so I left the car running while my wife fed the baby. We ran out of gas before she finished. Luckily, we were able to just push the car over to the pump and fill up.

 

The second time I pushed it too far after the low fuel light had come on. I ran out of gas in the turn lane by the gas station near our house. Unfortunately, it's a busy intersection and a little uphill. I couldn't push it over to the gas station. I called my wife who brought me the mower gas can, which was enough to get me started and on to the gas station.

[ThisIsTheDay]

I don't think that it "happens" to people unless the gas gauge breaks during that trip and you do not know it yet. :D

 

I'm a bit paranoid about it. I get low, but I've never run out of gas and voted accordingly.

[Unscripted]

E is for Excitement!!! ;)

 

I ran out once- in college. Totally humiliating. That said- I have been close... *knocks on wood* but haven't done it again.

[The Girls' Mom]

Never have, although my dh insists that I flirt with danger because I let it get below an 1/8 of a tank quite often. I HAVE come very close a time or two, but in my usual running around I'm never far from a gas station.

 

Since my dh is a former mechanic, he would have a crow if I ever actually let it run out. He has informed me that it is very hard on the engine. In fact, he says letting it get as low as I do, as often as I do, is also hard on it. :glare:

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I voted I used to, because I had a car with a broken gas gauge, so I ran out of gas a few times. Now, I let the tank get pretty empty before filling it, but haven't run out in a very long time. Knocking on wood now.

[Scuff]

You need a once-in-awhile. It's happened to me a handfull of times. (and too recent to say "used to".) When the kids were little, I ran out at a stop light just before the gas station. Almost made it. :) we walked the rest of the way and it was fine. More recently, I ran out at one of the kids' activities. My own absent-mindedness. I knew I needed gas, but we didn't have time to stop and get there on time. I figured we'd be fine if we went afterwards as long as we went straight there. Well, then dd got crabby and needed a nap, and I, being first trimester pregnant, needed one, too. So I decided to take us out to the car for a nap. It was winter, so I let the car idle for the heat. We had a nice half hour nap when it chugged off and I remembered. Oops. Thankfully, a few of the other moms helped us out.

[BarbecueMom]

It's never happened to me, but I had a date once early in high school that ended with being stuck and out of gas. The guy was running on E, thought he could make it another 15 miles to my house (um... no), and decided to race his Ford Escort hatchback against some guy in a big truck. After the car started to sputter, he turned into a gas station, but since the road went downhill, it started running better.

 

Did he still stop for gas? No! He goes UP the hill past the gas station to turn around and get back on the main road and gets stuck in the next parking lot over. We're next to a gas station and a Kmart, and instead of being a man, buying a gas can, and refueling, he calls his dad to tow his car back to the station.

 

And that wasn't even the worst part of the date. He shut his finger in his car door when we went to the mini golf place and cried through the first five holes.

[Parrothead]

I think I ran out of gas once when I was 16 or 17. I don't have a clear memory of it.

[MomtoCandJ]

I ran out of gas on pay day once. I was lucky enough to be able to coast into the gas station :) Usually I don't have problem with gas lasting but that week we had to make a few unexpected trips (like close to 50 miles round trips)

[happypamama]

I have never actually run out of gas, but I've barely made it a few times.

 

One time, I got seriously lost in the middle of nowhere and ended up driving something like 20 miles -- after my Expedition had already been on completely empty for several miles. (I was trying to get somewhere before closing; it should have taken me 20 minutes, and I left with 90. I ended up getting there 5 minutes before closing, which was indeed sufficient.) I absolutely have no doubt that there was divine intervention that day.

[Night Elf]

It's never happened. DH laughs at me because I freak out when the gas light comes on. He says there is still lots of gas in the car. I say if the car is warning you, you pay attention!

[dirty ethel rackham]

:mad::mad:It happened to me twice. Once when I was 16 and a fairly new driver, not used to all the things I was supposed to check. The second time happened when I was a college student. I have a reasonable excuse that time - the gas gauge was broken and I knew I had enough gas to get me to and from work until the weekend when I would have money to fill it up. However, nobody told me that my little sister took the car the night before and drove 60 miles. I ran out of gas on the way to work.

[jenn-]

I've never run out of gas (you know we've all cursed ourselves now).

 

I had a buddy in college that loved to run his car to E. I told him that I wasn't pushing if it ever ran out. I lucked out that I wasn't with them the day that it happened because him and his buddy had the brilliant idea of pushing it up the hill so they could coast down to the gas station. This went well until they hit the top of the hill and suddenly the car started going faster than the person designated to jump into the car to steer (he was a big boy to say the least). The car rolled down the hill, across traffic, and slammed into an old tree. I used to tease him that I was going to rat him out to his professors because he was a physics/math major and should have realized that the rate of acceleration was going to be too great as it was a steep hill.