To have run the petrol down to 40 miles left

[Baby3or]

I recently drove 115 miles on a motorway back to London suburbs. I was watching the petrol number the whole way (it gives it in miles left to go before it’s empty) and at 70 I was considering stopping for petrol (lots of places on the motorway and then lots of places in city suburbs on the way to our house). I decided not to stop as baby was asleep and also our older child was keen to get home after a long journey.

we live less than a mile from a big supermarket with a petrol station and also plenty of other places to fill up.

husband had a go at me saying ‘what would I have done if we had run out of petrol / how had I let myself get in that situation’ I said I was fully aware how much was left and I made a decision not to refuel as on balance it was low but not empty.

AIBU??

Hi.
It’s one thing to know you really ought to LTB and another to meet a tsunami of LTBs on MN. It’s quite demoralising, although meant supportively I’m sure (for the most part). And you will have your own reasons for staying in an abusive relationship. It’s not as easy as just sailing off. Often the alternative is worse than the situation you’re in. People don’t appreciate that when they shout LTB!!! It seems so cut and dry to them, and when you don’t LTB you feel a huge amount of shame and like you’ve frustrated people or let them down. I’ve been there. It’s really an impossible situation.

You’re where you are for whatever reasons and it’s for no one to judge. He sounds like a dick - but you already know that. In which case all you can do for now is make your situation more bearable. Try and irritate him on purpose if it amuses you (as long as this wouldn’t place you in danger). Find the humour in it. Or enjoy just not rising to his bait and watching him huff and puff. Post about it on AIBU. Whatever floats your boat and gets you through the day.

Obviously 40 miles left in the tank is perfectly reasonable. You had children in the car. No one was going to run out of petrol. As you say, it’s just a way to criticise and scold you like a naughty child. Good on you for not rising to it. If it were me I would take great pleasure in doing things I knew would annoy him and winding him up but that’s because I am a petulant arse!

This isn’t your forever. It’s just for now. One day you can leave, when the time is right. Until then stay safe and do what you need to bring some much needed light into your life.

What a lovely post.

Haven't rtft but just came to say when I test drove my car it had 5miles on the range!

No, it's not. It used to be VERY bad for cars as it pulled all the sludge off the bottom of the tank, through the engine. It's not such a big deal with modern cars and filter, but it's still better for the car not to wait until it very low.

I usually fill mine before 1/4 tank, but occasionally I let it get lower. I need to go out in the direction of Costco on Thursday & it's much cheaper, (about 18p p/l) so I'm planning on filling up there. It's only going to save me a few quid, but it's the satisfaction 😂

@Baby3or

that's no way to 'live' (waste your life) are you getting your 🦆🦆🦆 in a tow??? to leave. Don't 'stay for the kids'. They're better off with you apart & happy, than miserable together.

Take care xx

Tell your husband to fill it himself or get you an electric car 🤣.

Ignore all the old codswallop about not running it low because of sludge etc. Modern cars have filters and plastic fuel tanks, so they are not full of rust like older cars used to suffer.

Apologies, not read the entire thread but have read the OPs posts.

Assuming he's a worrier and looking for any excuse to have a go, and noticing in one post that the joint account is often very low or empty, you might try the reasoning that petrol at motorway stations is significantly more expensive than it is anywhere else especially supermarkets.

Well he would love me - I practically run on fumes half the time 🤣

Car usually gives a ‘time to refuel’ message when the sensor detects only a gallon or so is left in the tank. My OHs car would run out with 70 miles showing…but then, it’s a Range Rover and they are notoriously rubbish. Obviously his gauge wasn’t working as it should.
. I’ve done 50 miles on zero on the motorway, in my sports car, ( missed one exit due to roadworks , rain, dark,) heart in mouth, but made it to a petrol station. It’s not a bad idea to test the boundary of the gauge , with a full can in the boot just in case.

If he is always having a go, putting you in the wrong, you have a bigger problem , but what you do there is obviously up to you. Personally, I’d dump him..well, that’s what I did, but good on you for not rising to the bait. It’s the main reason he does this if he’s like mine. Get you upset then leave the room, job done.

Unless you live very rurally, this isn’t an issue. I’m in London so when the light comes on I can easily find a petrol station within about 10 mins!

Eh? 40 miles left in the tank is fine!! Once mine has reached zero I still often drive around for another 5 or 10 miles before filling up! (The miles left indicator is generally higher than the reality) Your partner needs to lighten up! 😜

Yes your husband is right.
You drove right past fuel locations, which would have caused minimal delay, even if woke baby.

In any case, you will now have fill up urgently, more time and urgency?

Plus, numerous motoring writers, including 'honestjohn' Telegraph, say you shouldn't run down right to the dregs in your tank as it isn't good for the engine.

As to whether your husband is a 'controlling dickhead' is an entirely unrelated issue, no doubt worthy of a separate post.

40 isn’t bad, however my OH does this on a regular basis, whereas I always leave some petrol in for the next person who uses it.
It does niggle me but I think the sleeping baby is more than a decent excuse here!

My brother-in-law always used to fill a can with a few litres of fuel to put in the boot of a new (to him) car, and then drive it around until the tank was empty, so that he knew how many miles he could get out of the end of the tank. It's the sort of thing that would make me nervous.

I did have one drive home where I knew I was going to need to fill up on the way back, and then the fuel station I was planning to use was closed already, and I felt lucky that I made it to the next one five minutes before they closed - but actually there were at least two more I had the miles to reach that are open 24 hours.

I know I am a bit of a worrywart, but I'm getting better at not inflicting my worries onto other people.

I have been known to run mine down to 0 miles on many occasions 😂 Arse literally squeaking as I pull up the petrol station. Amazing feeling of relief that I made it there 😂

OP started her journey on the motorway, but was then in the suburbs where there are lots of petrol stations. Are you suggesting for a 250+ mile trip I do regularly I need to repeatedly refuel so as not to go below, what a 100 mile range, ‘in case’ of an accident/tail-back?

I think some posters are missing the context/risk here. What OP described was really very low risk.

How weird. I ran my last car between 10 and 20 miles for a couple of weeks whilst awaiting delivery of my new car, no way was I giving away any more fuel than that.

My car ran out once (years ago) even though it looked like there was a good bit left on the gauge. Took the mechanic a while to work out why it wasn't going! Anyway, I have never let it go too low since in case the gauge was off. Though that might not happen with newer cars.

My old car would go in to minus 😅. That was stressful but I never ran out .new car doesn't tell me miles- just beeps the light on and I have to pray but it's not always convenient to fill up. Dh needs to chill. 40 miles left is loads!

The only time I've ever run out, the car didn't have a light. I think I didn't know that and was waiting for it to come on before topping up. I had to walk approx 2 miles in my love heart pyjamas and fluffy monster slippers to the petrol station. I looked like an absolute bellend.

How do you know how many miles are left? Is it something new and fancy?

Nah, you're fine with 40 miles. And do you have breakdown cover if you did run out? But you're talking to someone who has run out once before (amazingly was at supermarket and could walk to the forecourt and get jerry can but I really was pushing my luck!) so you might be talking to the wrong person. Never again! 🫣😳

I never fill up until the light comes on at 20 miles left. I’ve been known to run on fumes though not on a motorway. You made a judgement call. Ignore DH.

Isn’t it a relief to hear the hiss as you open the petrol tank knowing you’ve made it just in time.

Mildura · Yesterday 15:06

I don't think many cars these days have a carburettor in them!

No, even motorbikes have injectors these days, apart from small capacity ones. The first bike with injectors I had was in 2003.