You really DO learn something new every day.

Did you know that when my gas gauge says that I have a 76 mile range of gas still left in the tank, that it is a lie?
Liiieeeess
And did you know that when my car runs out of gas, the brakes no longer work?
NEITHER DID I!
(More on this later. After I stop shaking.)

27 thoughts on “You really DO learn something new every day.

  1. wdc

    Holy crap. Since you were able to write in your blog at least we know you are physically ok. Is your car ok?

  2. Philip

    The brakes still work, but the power assisted part of it does not (it’s hydraulic, like the power steering), and if you mush down two or three times, you’ve shot the ability to use the brake fluid to compress the calipers and stop the wheels.
    However, the emergency brake is a cable-based system and thus works just fine, if not as efficiently as the regular brakes, and is supposed to be used in an, ummmm, emergency.
    Sorry you ran out of gas, hopefully you were not put out too much waiting by the side of the road on a hot day. Were you rescued by a dashing stranger?

  3. Nina

    Oh my god, if that happened to me I wouldn’t have been able to even type. I almost rear-ended a car once, and it took me almost all day to be able to breath normally again.
    Glad you’re okay!

  4. ann adams

    Philip said what I was going to. It’s true if your power system goes out too. You can usually stop the car by standing on the brakes.
    Scary and I’m glad you’re okay.
    Gas gauges always lie.

  5. danelle

    And this is why we are eternally grateful for cell phones.
    I ran out of gas ONCE. I’ve never trusted the gas gauge since then.

  6. Jem

    Been there a few times (except normally when my battery dies randomly or my brakes just randomly fail) so I so know how it feels 🙁

  7. Chase

    Holy crap! The same thing happened to me a couple of years ago – my Cougar said I had 60-something miles left and then it stopped when I was going 70 on the highway. Aaaaaack!
    My fuel injector computer chip was corrupted. Grrrr.

  8. Hed

    Oh man! That happened in my Peugeot once! Not only did the brakes stop working, but the steering wheel locked up, too! Luckily I was alone on the road, and was caught by a bush. I was just stupid though, and the car was definitely running on E. But good god, that was scary!
    -H

  9. Jenn

    Glad you’re in one piece. Yeah, having to use breaks without power assist isn’t an easy task. I’ve driven an old (1978) pickup with no power steering or power brakes and it was interesting to say the least. I think I got some new arm and leg muscles.
    Also, don’t trust that gas gauge thing. But on that note, my mom lives by it and when I was in high school she’d give me the van to use with it telling me less than 20 miles left in the tank. Thanks, Mom! Luckily I guess it was a little more accurate than yours because I never ran out.

  10. xtine

    The fiance’s MINI just kind of… shut down while we were on one of the major roads around here, going about 60 mph. He tried cranking it from a roll but alas, no. Thankfully, we were near a turn-off into a shopping plaza. Except we had to get across three lanes of traffic without any power steering.
    And as soon as we got into the parking lot, it started.
    Apparently, this is perfectly common and okay in MINIs, so said the dealership.
    Riiiiiight.

  11. xtine

    Okay, speaking of learning something new…
    If you put “Y” between parenthesis, you totally get major boobage:
    ( Y )
    Coincidence? I think not!

  12. Ptie

    OK…I am laughing at the comment above from xtine…. Seriously, though,that must have been a frightening experience.

  13. jen

    (xtine has a point.)
    I can imagine the “oh shit” factor, and the shaking takes awhile to go away (me it was a ice patch on the highway and doing a 180 back and forth an crossing 3 lanes of traffic and you have to lay off the brake on ice). I am not much of a crier but I lost it. How I didn’t get hit….I really have no ieda. so reading this…
    I’m just glad you guys are ok.
    And also, I’m glad Philip chimed in on this–I think I would have totally blanked on the E-brake in that situaion (oh yeah…right…that). Now I’ll remember and maybe that’ll save my bacon one day.

  14. JesseeezMom

    Glad you’re ok! While my daughter only had her learners permit, we were speeding along the I-5 and suddenly she said Mom! The trucks not running anymore- Quickly glancing at the gauge- I said We’re OUT of GAS aagghhh!! we were in a 80’s Suburban, 3rd lane on the freeway a 95 pound girl and no power steering. Woo Hoo!
    The adventures of new drivers!!
    Thank You Jesus!
    Now we have the mileage counter and I’ve gotten it down to 8, my daughters friends went below -0-. I guess expedition gauges are made for blondes and teenagers.

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