I have this new, annoying, somewhat stressful dilemma in my life these days: I cannot get gas. Err, for my car, that is.
I imagine most people probably have their two “go to” gas stations, one near home and one near work, right? I know when I used to work closer to home, that’s how it was for me.
Well, now I have a rather long trek to work every day, which means that when I run out of gas, I’m probably not near work or home. Which means I have to get off the freeway and find a gas station. Which has become increasingly more difficult. (I’ve been making this commute for well over a year and it wasn’t until very recently that getting gas became such an ordeal, which is why this problem is even more perplexing.)
Two weeks ago, I exited the freeway to get gas, spotted a gas station to my north, drove around to enter the gas station, and ended up back on the freeway. So, since I wasn’t totally out of gas yet, I figured I’d just get off the freeway when I really needed to. Sure enough, the gas light went on and I exited where I COULD HAVE SWORN I’d exited for gas before. BUT THERE WAS NO GAS STATION. So back on the freeway I went, one exit up, and finally found a gas station. This whole ordeal resulted in an awful lot of fretting over something seemingly insignificant.
Not all my gas station dilemmas are as extreme as this one, but I am not kidding when I say that every time I have to get gas, I have some kind of an issue…Driving around aimless in a town I’m not familiar with, scouring for a gas station and hoping I’m not in the ghetto. Or worse, seeing an actual gas station, but not being able to FIND MY WAY IN.
I’m wondering why, all of a sudden, this is happening to me. I have thought about keeping a notebook in my car to jot down where the gas stations are, but really, how sad is that?! I’m also curious (and a little paranoid) as to why in the hell I am the only person who can’t find a gas station RIGHT OFF THE FREEWAY. Suspicious, don’t you think?
Hahaha! I can’t remember where exactly I was, but I had a similar situation a while back. I was driving around FOREVER (on fumes by the way) looking for a gas station… and FINALLY I come across one and as I pulled up I saw signs on all the pumps that they were closed!!! WHAT THE HECK!? I almost ran out of gas just finding that ONE gas station! Luckily I was able to get back on the freeway and drive a couple more miles to another gas station. But I was freaked out that I was going to run out on the freeway. (Which Kyle has done before… and I had to come rescue him. I was not pleased… considering it was 30 minutes away from our house and at like 10am… OH and he was on an OVERPASS with no shoulder.)
I have run out of gas twice in the last year due to what I like to consider a faulty gas light. It used to be I'd just wait for my gas light to come on & figure I had about 5 miles to get to a station. Well, then I ran out of gas before the light even came on! Now if my light comes on (because it goes from showing 1/4 of a tank to 0 in no time) I FREAK out & get all panicky & book it to the nearest station even if it isn't on my normal route. I feel your pain, sister! Invest in a GPS…fun for out of town trips, & will show all gas stations near your current location! : )
Well Sar, you can always follow your Bam’s advice: always fill up your tank when it gets to half full. Pretend that half full is E, and start finding a gas station then. Begin the frenzied, panicked search at that time, so when you REALLY get close to empty, you won’t be so screwed. There you go. Advice from the wise. Love, your aunt rach
Ooo…that reminds me. I need to get gas this morning…