Unsettling experience

[Itsbeginingtolookalotlikechristma]

I was at the petrol pump and I was looking for the petrol pump for petrol, not unleaded, obviously it wasn't there, I stood for a few seconds not knowing what to do. I then saw a sticker saying that E10 unleaded was suitable for all car's, so I used the unleaded.

Whilst paying I asked the woman when did the petrol pumps change, she said - donkeys year's ago.

This shook me up because I have no recollection of ever using the unleaded pump in my car, only the old petrol.

It took me about 2 days to come to terms with this.

Was I in a time lapse or am I going senile?

I'm 66.

I miss the smell of 4 star. I was trying to describe it to the dcs the other day.

.... perhaps something is in the air as I just spent about 5 minutes trying to figure out how petrol can make you sterile. I thought ''she must mean senile'' and you did!
I'm not even 30 yet so am I going senile or sterile?

I know my mind was confused, what I meant was I wasn't confused by the different pumps - just that the one I "wanted" wasn't there!

This sort of thing happens to everyone at times OP especially if you're a bit stressed.

I once sat patiently waiting for my train and wishing the train hogging its spot on the tracks would shift so my train could get in. It was only when it finally disappeared into the distance I realized it was in fact my train and I'd confused the departure and arrival times.
My MIL wheeled my DH to the shops in his pram (as a baby obviously) did her shopping and got the bus home, before realising shed left him parked outside the butcher's!
Neither of us have got early onset dementia.

I think there was a way to add the lead... possibly not the right terminology but mum had a 4star car and she did something.

This sort of thing happens to me -frequently! May l suggest you buy a notebook and write these slippages or 'lapses' down just in case. Regrettably, l didn't and now can't remember the occasions it has happened.😒 l have mild memory loss in other ways too, so it is being investigated, but when my doctor asked me what sorts of things l forget, l couldn't give her more than one example.🙄

Im 62 and my brain farts are becoming more prevalent. Not had a petrol one yet but I always triple check which pump I've picked up to make sure it's the right one.
Last night I was watching that programme about Bradley Walsh. A famous actor was featured who is a favourite of mine. I couldn't bloody remember his name!!
In the end I had to Google one of the films I knew he was in.......Ray Winstone!!

Are you particularly stressed OP? I’m only in my thirties but I have these brain farts (what I call them) when I’m stressed. I once drove to an old house on autopilot!

Violetladygrantham.
That's a good idea, thank you.

Sounds like the pump changing to E10 stirred up an old memory. Your brain has to rewire now from looking for unleaded to looking for E10 and it's gone a bit glitchy briefly. Like a sort of deja vu thing.

Sorry that wasn't clear - what I mean is your brain has gone back to a time when 4 star changed to unleaded as it's only previous experience of this situation (unleaded changing to E10)

Lockdown really stressed me, I don't think I have recovered from it.
I've had a stressful 7years with an aged mother, she died in February.
So now I should be stress free really🤔

I’m sure it was only last year they changed something on the forecourt or even this year? It wasn’t labelled E10 as obviously before. It used to say unleaded and premium unleaded and diesel? Didn’t it?

No idea what you’re talking about, sorry.

No, stress will affect bits of your brain for a long time.

I recognised this immediately as I haven't recovered from lockdown and currently deal with an elderly mum.

my sister keeps telling me about a particular concert we went to a few years back - I have no recollection whatsoever, to the point I think she is wrong. I'm 46.

Something in petrol changed last year but I forget what, I just fill up mum's car and go.

The name has changed fairly recently hasn't it? I had to fill up a cab for the lawnmower a few months ago and was v confused by the E10 thing

I hope your dealings with your mother are a lot happier than mine, she made my life a misery.

I too sometimes have no recollection of past events that friends mention, but then I sometimes remember stuff they don't!

If it helps …. E5 strength petrol was standard at all pumps so you likely used this. There were also diesel and premium unleaded options. Last year they replaced e5 with e10 strength petrol. Those of us with much older cars (b4 2002 usually) still really need to use e5 (it says e5 inside our petrol caps) so have to use premium unleaded now (which is the only e5 option available, and sadly more expensive). Unlike putting diesel in a no diesel car, it won’t automatically kill your car to stick e10 in an e5 car but it can cause longer term issues.

I'm 46yrs and get disoriented at times. I do wonder if I'll have cognitive problems as l get older. I can't remember names of people l have worked with for years, have little recall of past memories and unless l set reminder alarms on my phone - l won't remember things eg food shopping delivery

I am exactly the same, have been since I was 40, I had early menopause at 35, so I put it down to that.

I had something similar. My dh was talking to me about something and I had no clue what he was on about. And he was so insistent about this conversation we had, where we were, that I thought I was losing my marbles. Turns out this conversation he had most definitely with me was in fact with our dd! But it is a worry to know when your reality starts to skew a bit and I agree with a pp to write it down. The story above was going to be one I documented just in case

Thank you,but it wasn't a petrol confusion, more a brain one!

So, now you are all terrifying me. What's all this E stuff?
I've been merrily making sure I put in unleaded petrol, not diesel. Sometimes there's fancy petrol.

I thought E numbers were food additives. Have I missed something important? Can I just carry on putting petrol in?

If you have a petrol car, keep going for the green pump. There is e5 which is premium with higher octane and e10 which is cheaper and fine for use in most cars.

E5 petrol is made up of 95 per cent unleaded petrol plus 5 per cent ethanol (which is why it's named 'E5'). E10 petrol is much more beneficial to the environment, containing 10% ethanol and 90% regular unleaded petrol. The result of this change is that CO2 emissions from our vehicle are cut down.