ADUK Archive

Definitely amusing...

chriskay wrote:Hilarious. One of the first things you learn to discover, as a member of HPC, when about to drive another member's car is: where's the fuel cap?

See here

Car manufacturers do try to help with this problem.
Dash display, usually, will inform.
Then, the majority rarely consider the dash display, apart from, perhaps, the speedometer.

Eta, martine has revealed the "secret" code.

The article itself points out that the shape of the petrol pump on the indicator is an urban myth, and that only a few manufacturers have adopted the arrow in the last couple of years (article written in 2010). I'm not sure I've ever seen a symbol with an arrow on, although I'll try and remember to look at our newer vehicles in the morning.

If uncertain I always look for an arrow, lots of cars have them (including from memory Fords and JLR cars).

Or just park near enough to the pumps that the nozzle will reach anyway - saves a lot of queueing for a 'correct side' pump IME!

mefoster wrote:

Mr Cholmondeley-Warner wrote:The article itself points out that the shape of the petrol pump on the indicator is an urban myth, and that only a few manufacturers have adopted the arrow in the last couple of years (article written in 2010). I'm not sure I've ever seen a symbol with an arrow on, although I'll try and remember to look at our newer vehicles in the morning.

There is one on the fuel gauge in my MX5... you know... the one that you drove a few weeks ago... and put petrol in?

ah but he wasn't driving it at fuel up time so couldn't see the dash

Mazda do like to hide the fuel cover release lever though...

I didn't see it. Of course, the other issue with this is that unless you use the fuel up to the point the alarm comes on, you never will see the symbol, except when initially turning on the ignition. I suppose one could add it as a useful item in the cockpit drill - "turning on ignition, noting the fuel filler cap is on the offside ..." but I'm not sure I'll remember to do that, either

waremark wrote:If uncertain I always look for an arrow, lots of cars have them (including from memory Fords and JLR cars).

The new Fords I was delivering in 2004 - 2006 had an arrow on the fuel gauge, so the idea is not just recent.

Old CUBby doesn't seem to have an arrow, well not that I've noticed, but I've only had the car for 14 years. On the other hand I rarely need to put fuel in it...

Hello, Martine; are you managing to put petrol in that ST fast enough?

Ancient wrote:Or just park near enough to the pumps that the nozzle will reach anyway - saves a lot of queueing for a 'correct side' pump IME!

I don't do that. I worry about the dangling hose scratching the car.

waremark wrote:

Ancient wrote:Or just park near enough to the pumps that the nozzle will reach anyway - saves a lot of queueing for a 'correct side' pump IME!

I don't do that. I worry about the dangling hose scratching the car.

Open fuel cap before fetching the hose, hold hose in left hand and filler nozzle in right Simples as they say .

All of our cars that we've had (that I can remember) have all had their fuel filler caps on the driver's side.

Makes life a bit easier

Ancient wrote:

waremark wrote:

Ancient wrote:Or just park near enough to the pumps that the nozzle will reach anyway - saves a lot of queueing for a 'correct side' pump IME!

I don't do that. I worry about the dangling hose scratching the car.

Open fuel cap before fetching the hose, hold hose in left hand and filler nozzle in right Simples as they say .

Or presumably vice versa for a car with the filler on the left.

Can be quite awkward, depending where the filler is positioned on the side of the car.

Ancient wrote:Or just park near enough to the pumps that the nozzle will reach anyway - saves a lot of queueing for a 'correct side' pump IME!

Unlike the Transit driver last night, who decided that, because of the filler on the left, he'd use the first pump.

Unfortunately, someone already there, so he stopped, blocking the entrance, with the following car across the pavement. I was next, so drove forwards and between him and the pump and found an empty one. The 'pavement' driver followed me in.

A Rangie appeared, and waited behind the van, until the van driver decided to reverse. Cue much tooting in the queue. Van stopped, then tried again!

You have to wonder . . .