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Original poster

Running out of petrol

478 replies

jmh740 · 07/03/2025 15:51

So after a discussion with Oh yesterday can I ask how many times you have ever run out of petrol and how many years you have been driving.

Person A run out once in 25 years of driving.

Person B run out 4 times in 30 years of driving.

Person A thinks B is irresponsible and most people have never run out. Person B thinks 4 times in 30 years is not much.

OP posts:
Bluenotgreen · 07/03/2025 17:08

Never run out in 42 years of driving.

WiddlinDiddlin · 07/03/2025 17:08

Once - as wet behind the ears teenagers we did not realise that a/the fuel guage was not very accurate and b/ that the dealer we bought it from would have left the vehicle running on fumes.

And my Mother who bought us the van forgot to give me £20 to put in the fuel tank (my £20 id transferred to her to turn into cash!) and forgot she was following us home down the motorway to see us home safely and sailed past us on the fucking hard shoulder having run out between junctions!

RAC bloke filled us up enough to get to a fuel station with the red diesel he was carrying 'for his lawn mower' and gave us a note should we get stopped and dipped (i doubt that would have saved us though)... and we went to the nearest fuel station, which then turned out only took cards (unmanned) and we had no cards on us... so we had to get someone to get in a taxi to fuel us up...

And that was sufficiently embarrassing and nightmareish that I have NEVER run out of fuel ever again.

TooTiredToType77 · 07/03/2025 17:08

Never. 34 years driving. Came v close a couple of times, and was driving to the nearest petrol station not knowing if I would make it, but have never actually run out

Cushionseams · 07/03/2025 17:09

Once in 35 years, petrol gauge was broken. Didn't happen again.

ebts · 07/03/2025 17:09

55 years of driving, and ran out of petrol once. It transpired that the petrol gauge was faulty. I never let the tank below half full now. I am generally a very anxious person, the sort of person who aims to get to the airport at least four hours before my flight, even when I've already checked in online.

SoftPillow · 07/03/2025 17:09

20 years, never run out

Goody2ShoesAndTheFilthyBeast · 07/03/2025 17:10

Me (20 years) never, my husband (40+) bloody loads. He appears to enjoy orange light chicken.

irregularegular · 07/03/2025 17:10

Neither DH or I have ever run out, though I have pushed it pretty close sometimes. Also driving over 30 years. I think 4 times is not normal!

JustMyView13 · 07/03/2025 17:11

16 Years driving and never run out of petrol.

My parents have combined almost 90years of driving and also ran out of petrol exactly no times.

It might be a position of privilege though, as I once worked with a lady who was so financially strapped she would add £5 of fuel per day and pray it was enough for the commute and school run. Frankly, I couldn’t live with that type of stress. But I guess the car is maxing out the MPG with that empty fuel tank. No idea how many times she broke down, hopefully she sees this and comments.

Imveryold · 07/03/2025 17:11

I’ve been driving for 50 years (changed my name specially for this post!)

I have never run out of petrol.

I can understand it happening once, but after that I would have thought the driver would take care that it didn't happen again.

Dis626 · 07/03/2025 17:12

I've been driving for 25 years and have never run out of petrol.

BeaTwix · 07/03/2025 17:12

Driving 29 years. Never run out.

Came very close during one of the fuel shortages a couple of years ago and was very twitchy driving to the filling station that had fuel with car alarming I had 6 miles worth left (it wasn’t six miles away but that is the lowest I’ve ever got)

IWillAlwaysBeinaClubWithYouin1973 · 07/03/2025 17:12

I'm the biggest flake I know, but running out of petrol is one of my biggest fears - I got to the point where the indicator was flashing recently and I was nearly sick with anxiety. I've also put too much petrol in a hire car, literally filled the tank up for the next person for free, as I was so worried about running out!

Changed18 · 07/03/2025 17:12

Twice in 30 years. The second time I did have petrol but was parked on a road with a steep camber so it didn’t read properly. But not for many years now.

Mummyoflittledragon · 07/03/2025 17:12

Once in 36 years and about year after passing my test. My petrol gauge wasn’t working and I knew I was low but I was poor and trying to eek things out til the last moment. I was on my way to fill up and hadn’t accounted for going up a steep hill. The car conked out.

MaryGreenhill · 07/03/2025 17:13

45 years of driving never run out

Yellowhammer09 · 07/03/2025 17:13

19 years and I've never run out. I had 4 miles left on the ol' range-ometer two years ago but I knew I could make it to a specific petrol station 😆

JoyousGreyOrca · 07/03/2025 17:13

Once years ago when petrol indicators were not so reliable. Seriously if you were going downhill it showed you had more petrol than if you were going uphill. I thought I still had a bit left, but I did not.

irregularegular · 07/03/2025 17:14

It would be very rare for either of us to fill up before the light goes on though. Wouldn't be filling up at 0.25 full. Don't want to fill up more often than necessary as it's a pain.

(though this is all out of date as now on electric)

CarpetKnees · 07/03/2025 17:15

Never.
44 years.

CrystalSingerFan · 07/03/2025 17:15

Imveryold · 07/03/2025 17:11

I’ve been driving for 50 years (changed my name specially for this post!)

I have never run out of petrol.

I can understand it happening once, but after that I would have thought the driver would take care that it didn't happen again.

Great user name! Here's picture from an NT property for you...

Running out of petrol
PumpkinPie2016 · 07/03/2025 17:15

20 years in and I have never run out.

I usually top up when it gets to a quarter of a tank.

EasterIssland · 07/03/2025 17:16

10 years driving. Run out once cuz husband didn’t put petrol on. I was running late for an appointment just made it to the station. got anxious and instead of petrol started putting diesel. Car is petrol. 🤦🏻‍♀️

jollygreenpea · 07/03/2025 17:18

40 plus years of driving and have never run out.

ForeverDelayedEpiphany · 07/03/2025 17:18

Yes, once in 20 years of driving, quite recently.

I'd literally got 25 miles left in it, but my poor sense of direction meant I got slightly lost going to an appointment, and of course this meant that the empty tank became emptier sooner!

Luckily we were only a few miles from home, with petrol stations nearby.

My DM was strangely relaxed about it though when the miles left went to the last one, then they read "--" (ie nothing, not even 0!)

Funnily enough, if my DM hadn't been with me and telling me that we should view it as "an adventure", I'd have been panicking much more! I must admit my heart was racing as the miles left went down to literally nothing... but it made me extra vigilant to never leave my fuel tank so low in future! Plus, it must have had an extra 10 miles at least in it beyond "empty" (although I'm very aware that these are the dregs of the bottom of the tank and it's totally inadvisable to drive using those dregs!)