As luck would have it petrol prices have just started to come down recently, but I’ve noticed a lot of petrol stations near me have closed, meaning I have to drive further to fill up.
Research earlier this year from Britannia Rescue (part of LV=) showed that the most remote spots in the UK for motorists to run out of fuel are:
Loch Quoich in the Scottish Highlands, which is approximately 26 miles from the nearest petrol station – equating to over eight hours of walking. Runners-up are day-tripper spots Kielder Water in the North East, the hamlet of Blackpool Gate in the North West, Derwent Reservoir in the East Midlands and the Llyn Brianne Reservoir in Wales - all of which are at least 12 miles away from the closest pump.
Apparently nearly 700,000 drivers have broken-down over the past six months because they drove on sparse petrol and four in ten motorists admit to ‘running on empty’ over the last few months without knowing where the nearest petrol pump was.
- Nearly a third of drivers are using their cars less often.
- 23% are shopping around for the cheapest petrol. (wasting even more fuel)!
- 22% say they’re driving slower in an attempt to save on fuel.
How far is the nearest petrol station to you?
As soon as I see a garage selling chaeap petrol I top up.
I agree with this point, but cheap now was expensive yesterday. Spiraling out of control at the moment!
I have the same experience as the other commenters, and always keep the car at least half full in case of emergence trips. We have no public transport out here in rural hampshire, so a reliable car is essential. It's 3 miles to the nearest fuel station and 12 to a reasonably priced pump (5-6p a litre cheaper than the village pump)
Ever since my parents were seriously ill some time ago I have always run my car on a Fill it up when half full.
So its £50 invested before necessary but with almost constant rises that's probably paid for itself, and |I know that I would be ready to go to any of my other relatives at a moment's notice w/o worrying about my fuel.
It surely is a false economy to drive around on virtually empty?
If you cannot afford to "fill her up," and more of us cannot, then put in what you can afford regularly, so there will always be sufficient in the tank. You do not have to run right down to "empty" before filling, you know! Anyone who allows a diesel or a modern fuel-injected petrol engine to run out of fuel is risking expensive damage to the vehicle.
I was guilty of driving on "empty" many years ago when I was doing much more long trips but nowadays doing less and shorter ones I seem to have mended my ways .