Note: Stupid Tip of the Day is a not-so-new regular feature of The Gate which will not be featured regularly — if at all — after today…or maybe not.
“B een driving for so many years and I now feel like such an idiot!!!” was an admission of not knowing about a simple trick of the side on which to pump when refueling your rental car by George of TravelBloggerBuzz when he provided a link to the advice originally posted by Grace Alexander of Fly Gracefully.
When I first read that article, I thought to myself that it was nice of Grace to post that advice — but everyone knows that — right?!? After reading some of the comments posted at that article, it became clear that not everyone knows this little piece of information — and that includes seasoned travelers. For example, Mark posted in the Comments section, “D’oh… and I’ve be on the road for 23 years and never knew this.”
How to Know What Side on Which to Pump When Refueling Your Rental Car
Have you ever driven a rental car up to the pump at a fuel station, not knowing on which side to fill the tank of the car with gasoline? Or — as I first asked you in this article on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 — “Don’t you feel fuelish when you drive into a petrol station and you are not certain on which side you are supposed to fill the vehicle with gasoline?”
There is a nifty little triangle on the side of the little gasoline pump icon which directs you to which side of the vehicle is where you should pump your fuel. The little triangle gives you the indication as to which side the fuel door is located — for example, the left side if you are using the photograph at the top of this article — so that you know in advance how to pull up the vehicle to the pump correctly every time.
I Am Happy to Assist — But Why Ask Me?
Believe it or not, I have occasionally been stopped by other motorists at petrol stations, asking me questions ranging from how I know what side of the vehicle the door to the fuel tank is located, to one just asked of me a few weeks ago as to how to open the fuel door of a rental car.
I am not certain as to how I seem to project to others that I am somehow an “expert” on how to refuel a vehicle. All I do is zip the car up to the pump; pay in advance with a credit card; and fill its tank with gasoline. I suppose the situation is similar to when I am at a catered event and a woman asks me where the rest room for women is located — even though I am male. You might be surprised as to how often that happens.
I never did understand that logic — or lack thereof…
Summary
This simple little tip will save you a few seconds at worst — and perhaps provide some safety if you happen to be at a fuel station at night or in an area which is not the safest. I would think that pulling up to the pump only to find that the fuel door is on the opposite side of the vehicle could be a telltale sign that you are driving a rental car or that you are uncertain of your surroundings.
When you rent a car, check the fuel gauge to ensure that that triangle indicator is indeed there before driving the car away — and if it is not there, at least check on which side of the car the fuel door is located.
Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
