Tell me your empty tank stories!

[JTalley]

This morning, on my way to school, Ed started to sputter. After doing a mad rush across town trying to get to the only gas station with good gas, the engine stalled a block and a half down a hill from the station. Then, as I tried to flag people down, it started to rain. I found out some good statistics, though!
36 out of 40 people think I have the plague.
1 out of 40 people is deathly afraid of me and had to put the pedal to the floor upon me trying to flag him/her down.
3 out of 40 people are good samaritans.

Me and these three people found out some more excellent info- Ed is extremely heavy.

So they pushed me halfway there. That means I was still down the hill, but it was less of the walk to the station and Ed wasn't in the road anymore. So I went up there and asked to borrow a can. Lo and behold, they didn't have one, but they recommended someplace that did. The rain picked up on the walk there.

So I got there, and recieved a funnel and a plastic jug.

I walked back to the station (by this point it's nearly pouring) and got $1 in gas in the jug.

I walked back to the van and put this in, attempting to keep the rain out of the gas tank.

Then I drove up to the station, put the other $9 in the tank, and walked back to the other place to return the funnel and jug. By this point my hands are drenched in gas, and I'm dripping with a combination of rain and sweat.

After scrubbing my hands in the icy water (the establishment doesn't have a water heater), I walked back to the van, climbed in, and went to school.

When I got there, it was nearly 8:40. I had to explain all this to my teacher, who doesn't like me very well because... well... I'm always late.


So in the end,
Me -->
Ed -->



So... Am I just a big moron, or does anyone else have any empty tank battle stories?

[Kidhauler]

Remember 5 bucks worth of cheap or low quality gas beats the hell out of pushing. Don't drive across town with the van coughing.

[mdmead]

I try and avoid close calls, but I remember two.

The dead giveaway was always pulling away quickly and the fuel pump sucking air...

One time, coming back from a trip to Northern Maine with the snowmobile trailer in tow, I had just stopped to pay a toll. Upon accelerating away from the toll booth, it started to sputter. Luckily there was an exit right there and a gas station within a block or so. I had to stop at a light... could see the station across the street... and just KNEW I was going to run out of gas before getting there. (I didn't.)

The other time I was arriving at work and I had to climb a steep hill to get there. As soon as I turned up the hill it started to sputter. I quickly turned around and drove about two miles to town and gassed up.

[MountainManJoe]

I carry a jerry can for situations like that. Now dead battery stories ... I've got some of those!

[JTalley]

Remember 5 bucks worth of cheap or low quality gas beats the hell out of pushing. Don't drive across town with the van coughing.

Lesson learned, believe me!

[loopie]

Having 5 Brothers in town..plus my Mom...plus my Wife...plus all associated...I have contacts within town ....which is why I don't pack the weight of a spare tire unless I leave town...If I get a flat(has never happened, but now that I've said that, I will have soon)...call someone to bring me my spare from home
The only time I've run out of gas is with newly aquired used vehicles that have inaccurate guages. Solution?...call a relative/friend as outlined above...

[grapple]

I've run out of gas one time, it was early in the morning on my way to work. I was working late nights and putting in lots of hours. Its amazing what you don't notice when you are tired. Pretty uneventful, I just called the shop and had a couple gallons delivered in 15 minutes.

[Smiliesafari]

I can't tell you the number of times I've coasted right up to the gas pump. My wife says I'm the luckiest person she's ever met. I really don't understand her refusal to push the van if I do run out of gas.

[HPbyStan]

With my L31 crate motor powered Maroon Astro cargo van on a mission to Mich from Wisc to pick up an eBay 350 engine for another Astro, the yard where I bought the engine couldn't get it far enough into the cargo van to not really sink the suspension in back. Now that van would go 550 highway miles on a tank of fuel easy, more than enough to make the round trip. In Chicago coming back during rush hour it quits in the passing lane. Too much traffic to even get over to the right lane much less the shoulder. Now I'm stuck next to the left barrier. The good news is it was in one of the usual Chi town construction zones so traffic was somewhat slower. Once it thinned out a bit, someone stopped behind me and pushed me over to the right shoulder so that was a bit safer anyway. Now I have a cell phone but who do I call in chicago? I ended up calling my friend Rochelle @ A&A dist in the SF Bay area and she rang towing places in the Schaumburg area on a conference call so I could talk with them. Turns out no one will bring fuel to a van on the Interstate there but would tow me the three miles to the station at the next exit for only $75. Now being cheap as I am, I'm not buying into that but it's going to be getting dark pretty soon and I can think of several places I'd rather be at night than along the side of the road in Chicago. I rummage through the junk in the back of the van and find a good sized chunk of cardboard and write "out of gas" on it. No more than get out of the van with my sign and an India Indian in a Jag wearing gold chains all over stops, picks me up, takes me to the station, waits while I buy a fuel container, get the fuel and he brings me back to the van while having to pay a toll somewhere that I can't remember the details of right now. Dude will not take any money, says he just hopes someone will help him if he's in the same mess. Put in the fuel and drive back to the station and can't even quite get 20 gals in the 27 gal tank. By now it's dark and I'm POing every oncoming driver between Chicago and Barham Av Janesville with my squirrel hunting head lights but home at last.

[Quill]

I run out a few times when I was young. Once in a little Mitso I drove 2 or 3 blocks on the starter. I had a lifted Ranger with a busted fuel gauge. I would watch the trip and get gas. Once after climbing the mountains to Flagstaff then a head wind going east on I40, I got really mileage and run out on the Navajo Rez. I had towing so they sent someone with gas. Now the only time I run out is on my little enduro. That thing never gets the same mileage twice. I try to fill it before each ride, but I forget every now and then.

[astroturf]

I herd you could go Pee Pee in the tank to get you to the next Gas Station.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I herd you could go Pee Pee in the tank to get you to the next Gas Station.

If you drank enough alcohol the night before maybe...

[MountainManJoe]

I herd you could go Pee Pee in the tank to get you to the next Gas Station.

If you drank enough alcohol the night before maybe...

And only if you drive a flex-fuel vehicle.

[thegreenmachine]

wow, coasted into the gas station today (second time this week) after it started to sputter and the gauge dropped from 1/4 to zero. Guess i don't have the worlds biggest bottom quarter tank!!!

Lucky!!!

[JTalley]

A while back I was really low and I was several miles from the nearest town. I barely made it into the city limits before it started to sputter... I had to pump the accelerator just to keep it running. Finally it stalled. This is on the main highway, btw- and it was only one lane of traffic on my side with a center turning lane on my left. I flicked on the emergency flashers, and people came right up on me as I coasted to a stop. I kept trying to start it back up as I slowed down, and finally, it sputtered to life. I kept pumping the accelerator, barely going about 35, the flashers still on, and someone started to honk at me. I could SEE the station, just ahead. I barely made it into the parking lot and got stuck behind another car in the lot. Somebody helped push me up to the pump. I must've traveled about a mile and a half with it sputtering, my nerves on edge the whole time. I just knew I was gonna stall in that center lane waiting for the oncoming traffic to pass so I could go into the lot.
I only have the Lord to thank for getting me there, and I mean that.