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confuZion3 wrote:stuart in mn wrote:Owning a couple old BMWs that have the gas fill on the passenger side instead of the driver's side always makes it a little more fun for me....it's like swimming upstream to get a spot on the right side of the pump.
Why the hell do they do that?
Exhaust routing. Next time you're in a parking lot, check it out: most of the time the gas cap will be on the opposite side the exhaust tip is on.
AngryCorvair wrote:Haha I used to live on lee ave what uppinchvalve wrote:Is everyone familiar with proper gas station etiquitte? There is such a thing right? A guy in front of me pulls up and centers his land barge between the gas pumps, blocking them both, and then gets out to go inside and buy cigarettes. Now I can't get gas because he is inside slowly killing himself with tobacco. He never does get gas, and there are plenty of other places to park...and to buy cigarettes. This is a GAS STATION a-hole! Hey buddy, I have a suggestion. Why no kill yourself earlier in the day with something quicker and stay out of my way?
typically, i'll pull around them and back up to their front bumper, then falsely struggle with making the hose reach my filler. unless it'll really reach, and then i just fill my tank and talk to myself about stupid inconsiderate E36 M3 for brains motherberkeleyers until they back up and leave. i'm also prepared at all times to hose someone down with gasoline if they decide to confront me. anytime someone tries to talk to me when i'm filling my tank (only three times in 26 years of driving), i take the nozzle out of the tank and i casually point it at them and tell them i'm really nervous since being robbed at a gas pump once. anyone who's ever filled up at the gas station on Piney Branch Road between Greenwood and Garland in Takoma Park MD on a friday or saturday night is probably with me on this approach.
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wherethefmi2000 wrote:Haha I used to live on lee ave what up
Lee Av? I'm just working from memory here, having moved out of Tacky Park in 1993, but was Lee one of the streets that went up the hill from Maple to Carroll?
FWIW, i went to Our Lady of Sorrows on New Hampshire, up near 410.
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hmm, is gas on the passenger side that uncommon?
of our vehicles
drivers side- '00 ford exploder
pass side- 04 subaru impreza, 97 mustang, 86 BMW 325e
Have we just found out why Angry Corvair is so ... Angry? 
Cool story. And definately badass.
Every car I've ever owned has the gas door on the passenger side...why are people surprised to find it there?
Didn't one of the real Cannonball Run cars have fillers fitted on both sides? I think it was Brock Yates' Challenger. It saved time in picking a pump. Or, if things were right, it allowed dual fueling! I bet that would trigger a meltdown with this crowd.
Will wrote: Every car I've ever owned has the gas door on the passenger side...why are people surprised to find it there?
Not surprised, here, but my car ('64 Valiant) and a lot of other cars and trucks have them on the driver's side.
I've owned vehicles with factory fuel fillers in driver's side, passenger side, behind the license plate or behind a panel on the rear, in the (front) trunk, and under the seat. As I drive vehicles with a variety of filler positions, I sometimes have to think about it. That, or I'm just getting old.
slantvaliant wrote:Didn't one of the real Cannonball Run cars have fillers fitted on both sides? I think it was Brock Yates' Challenger. It saved time in picking a pump. Or, if things were right, it allowed dual fueling! I bet that would trigger a meltdown with this crowd.
it was the chevy 1-ton. had dual tanks with fillers on both sides. they'd pull up in the middle and fill from pumps on both sides. they also used some ridiculous amount of gasoline on that trip as well. averaged something like 10-12mpg
Strizzo wrote:slantvaliant wrote:Didn't one of the real Cannonball Run cars have fillers fitted on both sides? I think it was Brock Yates' Challenger. It saved time in picking a pump. Or, if things were right, it allowed dual fueling! I bet that would trigger a meltdown with this crowd.
it was the chevy 1-ton. had dual tanks with fillers on both sides. they'd pull up in the middle and fill from pumps on both sides. they also used some ridiculous amount of gasoline on that trip as well. averaged something like 10-12mpg
I think the Vega and the AMC Hornet had their's set up like that too.
hmm. i only recall Yates mentioning it about the 1 ton in the book, but maybe so.
Lightning wrote:I think the Vega and the AMC Hornet had their's set up like that too.
My Vega had the filler behind the license tag. In the middle.
It seems that when we take the wife's TDI to Florida, whenever we stop fo rfuel in the middle of the night, there's ONE vehicle in front of 15 or so available pumps. Of course, it's the only pump with a second hose that will disgorge the precious diesel that the Jetta needs to run... And whatever is parked there runs on gasoline. I usually have to go inside and ask whomever it is to PLEASE move, and it turns out that they've been chattin' away with the cashier for hours.
Wow, I feel better now.
CrackMonkey wrote: Really? This is how they do it in Britain and it works very well. It was nice not worrying about merging into fast traffic - the "slow" lane cars simply moved over, let me merge, then moved back when space allowed. Of course, it would require Americans to pull their heads out of their asses and pay attention to the road, so maybe it won't work after all.
Really? So there are no accidents or people with their head up their ass in Britain?
mapper wrote:CrackMonkey wrote: Really? This is how they do it in Britain and it works very well. It was nice not worrying about merging into fast traffic - the "slow" lane cars simply moved over, let me merge, then moved back when space allowed. Of course, it would require Americans to pull their heads out of their asses and pay attention to the road, so maybe it won't work after all.Really? So there are no accidents or people with their head up their ass in Britain?
That's 'cause they get better driver training over there. And 'cause there's fewer cars on the road per person so I think all the old people take busses or bum rides off of family...
I get all my gas at Costco which has two pumps per lane. When I get to be first in line and I see both cars getting ready to leave, I wait until they are both gone and pull all the way forwards so that the person behind me doesn't have to back up in front of me even though this plan may take a couple more moments. Haven't been honked at yet but I suspect that is because people are smart enough to figure out what I am doing.
AngryCorvair wrote:[hijack]
wherethefmi2000 wrote:Haha I used to live on lee ave what up
Lee Av? I'm just working from memory here, having moved out of Tacky Park in 1993, but was Lee one of the streets that went up the hill from Maple to Carroll?
FWIW, i went to Our Lady of Sorrows on New Hampshire, up near 410.
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yes it was and I lived there after 96 i think it was the third right after the library and police station convienetly co-located lol
Really? I end up talking with people all the time at gas stations... But I live in a boring little town.
Joey
AngryCorvair wrote:pinchvalve wrote:Is everyone familiar with proper gas station etiquitte? There is such a thing right? A guy in front of me pulls up and centers his land barge between the gas pumps, blocking them both, and then gets out to go inside and buy cigarettes. Now I can't get gas because he is inside slowly killing himself with tobacco. He never does get gas, and there are plenty of other places to park...and to buy cigarettes. This is a GAS STATION a-hole! Hey buddy, I have a suggestion. Why no kill yourself earlier in the day with something quicker and stay out of my way?
typically, i'll pull around them and back up to their front bumper, then falsely struggle with making the hose reach my filler. unless it'll really reach, and then i just fill my tank and talk to myself about stupid inconsiderate E36 M3 for brains motherberkeleyers until they back up and leave. i'm also prepared at all times to hose someone down with gasoline if they decide to confront me. anytime someone tries to talk to me when i'm filling my tank (only three times in 26 years of driving), i take the nozzle out of the tank and i casually point it at them and tell them i'm really nervous since being robbed at a gas pump once. anyone who's ever filled up at the gas station on Piney Branch Road between Greenwood and Garland in Takoma Park MD on a friday or saturday night is probably with me on this approach.
On my cars the Lotus (RHD) has the filler on the passenger side. Not only that, but the release latch is also on the passenger side, so you have to get out, walk around the car, open the passenger door and yank the release before you can fill it.
The Starion (LHD) has it on the driver's side and the 944 (LHD) is on the passenger side.
mapper wrote: Really? So there are no accidents or people with their head up their ass in Britain?
I'm sure there are, but if you ever drive in the UK (or most of Western Europe for that matter), you'll see what I mean. On average, drivers seem far more considerate and aware of others. Little things, like staying in the slow lane, except when passing. Or, moving over to allow cars to merge safely. Driving down the M6 (the main North-South motorway in the UK) is orders of magnitude less stressful than driving I-95 in the States.
CrackMonkey wrote:mapper wrote: Really? So there are no accidents or people with their head up their ass in Britain?I'm sure there are, but if you ever drive in the UK (or most of Western Europe for that matter), you'll see what I mean. On average, drivers seem far more considerate and aware of others. Little things, like staying in the slow lane, except when passing. Or, moving over to allow cars to merge safely. Driving down the M6 (the main North-South motorway in the UK) is orders of magnitude less stressful than driving I-95 in the States.
I agree with you but you said "Of course, it would require Americans to pull their heads out of their asses and pay attention to the road, so maybe it won't work after all. " and that includes me, the publisher of this magazine, and most everyone on this board. I think there might be a few good drivers in this country.
ClemSparks wrote: Example. A person stops at a stop sign first but is too timid to step on the gas when it's their turn because they're not sure if it was them or the next guy that stopped a millisecond earlier. Just go...keep it moving.
AKA "E36 M3 or get off the pot." Hey, I was gonna let you go, lost your chance, oh look traffic is moving again thanks to my initiative instead of playing four way Yugo.
#2. Folks who merge into the fast lane to let folks merge into the right lane from an entrance ramp. I JUST about punted a cadi into the median during the last snow in this very situation. Stupid. Problem is, he probably NEVER noticed I was right there...12" off his bumper. I wasn't there the whole time...but I was going to use all the room I had and even bump him before I spun into the median due to his bad move.
Bad driving? It is only good etiquette, providing that traffic permits it! Probably would not be necessary if people would actually accelerate to traffic speed before the merge, but this is not always possible. (There is an on-ramp in Cleveland that has a stop sign at the end. Not making this up.)
#2a. Even worse is when folks SLOW DOWN to let another car merge in from an on-ramp. That just drives me nuts. Hold your line...speed up if you have to, but for crying out loud...don't SLOW DOWN!
When #2 is not possible, #2a is mandatory! Can't move over because some wanker is driving next to me instead of passing. I am (usually) not driving a powerful car. Accelerating at highway speeds is something measured with a calendar and the distance required to get from 60mph to 80mph is visible from space.
This BTW is why I try to drive 80-85mph (Top Speed) on the highways. It is much easier to lose speed than it is to gather it.
I remember one glorious time I was cruising on a long downhill stretch, pedal bolted to the floor for what seemed like minutes and I managed to get the speedometer up to 105mph. Of course, the speedo is way optimistic, so it was only about 95 in reality, but still.
#3. Ignorance. When you approach a main road from a side road and another car is opposite you (also stopped but going the opposite direction). The guy going right or straight has right of way over the guy turning left REGARDLESS of who was there first. It's a rule. Don't get mad when I go when there's a clearing because I'm going straight and you're turning left. Don't wave me through when you're going straight and I'm turning left. Follow the rules!
3a. If you're turning left onto a multilane road, you turn into the left lane. If you're turning right, you turn into the right lane. Don't cross over, even though it means you need to turn your steering wheel 120 degrees instead of 90. Poor baby.
byron12 wrote:stuart in mn wrote:Owning a couple old BMWs that have the gas fill on the passenger side instead of the driver's side always makes it a little more fun for me....it's like swimming upstream to get a spot on the right side of the pump.
I had an angry mob trying to kill me during the recent fuel shortage for going against the flow of traffic for this very reason. I had to get agressive to even get the opportunity to pump gas.
I had to think about this one for a minute.
Me, though, I'd have put it in reverse gear...
noisycricket wrote:Bad driving? It is only good etiquette, providing that traffic permits it! Probably would not be necessary if people would actually accelerate to traffic speed before the merge, but this is not always possible. (There is an on-ramp in Cleveland that has a stop sign at the end. Not making this up.)
I thought that kind of thing only happened here, where some genius put a stoplight on all the on ramps along the Long Island Expressway
noisycricket wrote: 3a. If you're turning left onto a multilane road, you turn into the left lane. If you're turning right, you turn into the right lane. Don't cross over, even though it means you need to turn your steering wheel 120 degrees instead of 90. Poor baby.
I have to disagree with this one. After years of drivng large, slow vehicles that no one will give the right of way to, I take the lane I need. If I know after the turn I'm going to need to be on the right or left for the next turn, I'm going right to the lane I want, and if need be I'll take both lanes to keep you from running into the side of me while I turn right. Sometimes driving defensively isn't enough you need to be on the offense to keep idiots at bay.
I just though I'd bump this up with another gas station etiquette tip:
You are not supposed to smoke near the pumps, even if you aren't filling your car up! 
A dude was cleaning the windshield on the front of his beat to crap Jeep Liberty (you could tell he was the kind of person who cared about things in general) and he was smoking a cigarette with the jeep parked right up against the pump island while others were pumping gas! Now, I know the chances of anything happening is rare, but there is a rule/law for a reason. Idiot.
