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| I generally pay closer to $3.99 a gallon. |
I drive a car that is a diesel. I do this because on one tank of gas, a well selected diesel vehicle can offer a driving range of 800 miles or better. (That's 1,287 and a bit, in kilometers) In part I bought this because in an evacuation with a full tank you can travel almost 800 miles before a refill is necessary, and also because on a farm in nowhere many of our trips are with one or two people to pick up one item or to take someone somewhere. Not every trip requires a truck, and so this offers a cheaper by mile option than taking the truck. The mileage per gallon is also superb.
Of course, getting diesel fuel can occasionally be a little more challenging than getting gasoline. In New Jersey where fuels are pumped for you, I had difficulty finding an open diesel station on my route to Canada late one night, and we wound up staying in a hotel until morning when the diesel station reopened. In Nova Scotia one also needs to be more mindful of where you will need to refuel, and fuel-up in advance. The other consideration to owning a diesel car is that one must also have a diesel mechanic if you choose not to use the dealer for routine maintenance and repairs. Here at home, I use several stations which I rotate for diesel refills depending upon where I am. I also keep a mental note of where the diesel equipped stations are, as some stations don't provide diesel fuel at all. Once in a great while, a truck pulls in and asks me to move because he needs the diesel pump. By then, I am pumping diesel into my car, and they feel foolish and apologize and wait their turn.
This week I was in a small city we visit on occasion, and I pulled in to buy diesel for the week. Since there were smaller trucks ahead of me, I waited about ten minutes for one of the two diesel pumps to be free. Then I pulled in and pressed the button that released the fuel door so I could pump fuel. This time, I intended to pay cash rather than use a credit card, so I got out to pay inside. At that moment, a very large RV towing a small car pulled up. beside me. A woman in her forties climbed out and said, "You'll need to move. You're blocking the diesel pump". I said to her "It's a diesel car. As soon as I've paid and pumped, you're welcome to it." She apparently didn't listen or process what I had said. "No," she said, "You need to move. We need that pump". At that point, she made me angry. How dare she wave her hand dismissively and tell someone else to move, so she could use the pump I was using. I said to her in my and clearest and coldest tone, "I'll say it again. When I finish pumping diesel then you may use it. I have a diesel car, and I have waited to use this pump. You might want to look at the car. " ( My car plainly says, "diesel" on the back.) With that, they started up, and left the gas station, not noticing that someone else was driving away from the other diesel pump on the other end of the station. I quickly paid, filled my car, and headed back on the road.
I can go years without having negative interactions with people in the world. Just lately though, my daughter had a man in Lexus try to insist that he fuel before her, even though she was first. When she refused, he started yelling and told her she should respect her elders, She is armed 24/7 and told him to back off or he could explain his rant to a deputy sheriff. One of my sons had a negative interaction with a woman in Wal-Mart who fought with him over a parking place. Again, she was in back of him, and thought that a white young man should relinquish it to her.
As our country begins to slip, the middle class reduces to a memory, and the pressures on many people increase, we are likely to see more fights in parking lots, bullying in stores, and problems such as these. People sometimes want to fight with someone, anyone, and they will create circumstances where this is possible. I really shouldn't have gotten angry. The woman probably wasn't bright enough to know that cars, not just trucks and RVs are powered by diesel fuel. Of course, each case is different. Sometimes we need to stick up for ourselves or hold our ground, and other times, backing off is the most intelligent, and I can do that too. Be careful out there. I don't think it's getting better.
24 comments:
I've noticed the same thing as I'm sure many of your other readers have. It happened to me a couple weeks ago.
The sad thing was, from the custom plates he had on his truck, I probably had more in common with him that not.
Generally everyone's anger has escalated.
Those of us that carry, must remember that it's up to us to deescalate a bad situation if at all possible. Even if it kills our pride to do so.
Yes Matt, I think you're absolutely right. In a road rage situation I would have been calm and dispassionate. The fact that I was getting fuel and finishing shopping had me a little off guard. I lost my temper because the woman should have known better. Of course, sometimes standing your ground can get you shot. It also proves that my anger has escalated a little bit too.
Pretty much, EVERYONE carries. Some legal. Most not. And some of those are itching for the chance to go all Clint Eastwood. Add to this the stress, anxiety, sense of entitlement, and the old race card, it's gonna blow.
A day out is not quite so pleasant, is it ? Add this to the periodic state police checkpoints we have in Virginia, and it can be just a little nerve-wracking.
This is the main reason to have items at home in case of an emergency situation. People under stress of some kind can be dangerous and it is a good idea not to be around them in certain situations. Our leaders spend so much time and energy talking about diversity instead of promoting unity that a crowd of people in 2013 isn't the same crowd that would be on hand in 1950. The people of 1950 had just been through a war as a united country where we have had nearly a decade of having groups pitted against each other in order to gain votes and ultimately win 2 national elections. That is where a lot of the danger comes from, we have been programmed not to respect other groups. We are diverse.
I, too, have noticed combativeness increasing in the last couple years, especially road rage. In fact, that's why I decided to get a carry permit. As for emergency fuel, Sixbears, a follower of my blog, uses fry oil most of the time, and I think all he does is strain it. He's in my follower list if you want to ask him anything.
The ones that get me are the people who pull up to buy a 12 pack and a lottery ticket and block all the pumps on one side so they don't have to walk 20 extra feet.
I always fantasize about a long fuse hand grenade dropped into the sunroof.
Jane,
I see this every time I go out any where. The worst, people driving, they don't look out for one another. It's more like let's see who we can tick off or run over today. Road rage is the worst here in Oklahoma.
And in society as a whole the word..............entitlement seems to be a very big issue.
Yes, you have a point. Many different factors have occurred which cause us to resent one another in groups. The experiences of the 50s or 60s are very different experiences from those who are young now. This is one reason I like going to Nova Scotia. There are less than 10% of the people that are here, and culturally they are relaxed and well rested, so the interactions are calm and the people supportive.
In the US, whether the people are from the North, or Northern Virginia or here from Florida, everyone seems angry.
I resisted getting a concealed weapons permit. I have weapons at home on the farm where I need them, for animals etc. In the last few years, every adult in my home got a concealed weapons permit, one by one. We just felt less safe and that abduction, robbery, road rage, all manner of violence,and drug activity were increasing, even in ostensibly an empty farming community.
My car would need modifications to use fry oil, but I am aware that others do this. We don't have restaurants for many many miles so diesel might be easier to locate than fry oil, but thanks for mentioning it.
I realize that I have been a little bit insulated from this. I travel usually when few other people do, and this insulates me somewhat. My adult kids however are out there in the world during all the high traffic times, and they have a story to tell when we see them, which occurs almost daily.
It is so different from the seventies and eighties. We had recessions then too, but people cared about one another. Now, there is almost hatred for other people. The kids noticed this before I did.
Our diesel pumps are typically dual fuels, both diesel and gas. There's plenty of arguments there too. If the regular pumps are open, I use it but if it's only the dual pump open, I get gas there. People don't like that but it's a dual pump so intended for both. My husband's truck is a diesel and we're used to waiting for that pump if someone else is using it. If you can't wait a few minutes to use the gas pump then better time management is called for. I see the same thing on the road, using the slow lane on the highway 99.9% of the time unless following a truck that can't make the grade. You would think there were not two other lanes to use by the way they tailgate me when I'm in the slow lane going 5 mph over the limit anyway! Maybe they are distracted by their devices, maybe they have become to used to getting what they want immediately, maybe there is too much time pressure put on them with kids, school, activities, etc. Or maybe they have just become so self centered that no one else matters.
Thanks for posting, Kathy. Whatever "it" is, it's certainly happening more and more these days !
I think you were right to get angry. Those people had no right to give you orders, regardless of the situation. They could have asked politely if they didn't know you had a diesel. Once people treat me like a serf they are in for a bad time. I think you were pretty restrained.
There's a lot of ugliness and negative interaction going on out there. People are stressed, squeezed , on edge and ready to go off at the slightest provocation. I know I am, a lot of the time.
I'm stressed out too, but you and I ask someone if they can do something, not wave us out of the way. I still think it was strange.
Thanks for your posts, Harry.
Jan any sort of manners has gone by the wayside, sad, but true. I had I guy ask me to move so he could fill his truck with the E85 fuel. I was done but I was talking to my wife and writing down the fueling information. He couldn't get his big butt truck up another 3 feet to the other pump. AS I pulled away I noticed I was blocking the only E85 pump at the station. I don't use this station very much, but I had a rewards card I wanted to use to reduce the price some .30 cents a gallon. Next time I will not use that island.
Rob, Hard to believe that people are in that much of a hurry. Glad it didn't accelerate to an altercation. Thanks for your post.
Kids now a days are so busy with all the electronic toys, they don't know how to socialize. They would rather talk to a friend sitting next to them by cell phone (texting) instead of opening their mouths and enjoying the company.
Having electronics in our lives is a good thing however, it shouldn't control everything we do. If we were to have an EMP and lose everything electronically, those who rely totally of everything electronic will have major issues.
I have several worries about electronics. One common worry, doctors and hospitals are placing our medical information on computers and not maintaining any paper form file. If we lose total electronics (i.e. an EMP) doctors and patients would not have any records to follow on medical issues/situations.
I have a diesel truck and can't stand how expensive diesel has gotten. I remember when it was cheaper than gas. I guess it is a combination of ethanol subsidies on the gas and sticking it to the trucking industry that is forced to by it or quit trucking?
I am sorry about your experience with the rude woman. What is wrong with people? It does peeve me when half the pumps at a station are empty and someone in a gas vehicle monopolizes the only pump that offers diesel, but I would never yell at someone about it.
People just aren't being raised in a society anymore that emphasizes consideration and politeness, they're taught that being rude and obnoxious is the key to getting their way. Usually at the expense of those who were raised better.
That's true, but I wasn't going anywhere after having waited ten minutes for my turn.
Nice cars i love it.
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Thanks Albert, I love those cars too !
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