You have a problem. You’re driving down the road and you need gas. The only station in sight is a well-lit, bustling place. You pull into the station. The attendant comes out, smiles and asks how he can help. You tell him what you need and he hands you a gas can. You pull out, feeling pleased with your purchase. As you’re driving off, you notice something is off. There’s no line at the gas station, which means you filled up faster than usual. You pull over and see there’s a line of cars at the pump. You ask the gas station owner what’s going on. He tells you that they ran out of gas and had to put up a sign saying they’re out of gas and that they’ll be right with you as soon as they restock.
Chances are, you’ve been there. You may have even done that. At some point or another, we’ve all been there. We’ve all bought gas at a gas station and then experienced one of life’s little gaffes. It’s one of the most frustrating moments in the world when you pull up to a gas station and there’s nowhere to park. The attendant comes out and you start talking and he goes inside and you wait. Inevitably, though, the attendant comes out with a smile and asks how he can help. You tell him what you need and he hands you a gas can. The whole process takes about 10 minutes and you go on your way, happily pumping your gas. Sometimes, though, the process goes wrong. The gas station runs out of gas and you have to wait for them to restock. That 10-minute wait turns into an hour or more as you mindlessly wait in your car. When the gas station finally restocks and you get out to your car, you look at all the cars around you and think to yourself, “Oh, boy. I could’ve used that gas.”
The reality is that, although your wait may have been shorter, it was probably longer than it needed to be. There are several reasons why this happens. First, a lot of times, the guy at the gas station doesn’t have enough experience to know how much gas to sell you. So he gives you more than you asked for, thinking that you’ll figure it out. If you do figure it out, though, you’ll likely be upset that you spent so much money. Second, it’s not just the gas stations that run out of gas. Sometimes, the lines at the gas stations disappear into nowhere. There are just a few cars in the entire line and the attendant goes inside, leaving you alone in your gas-guzzling motor vehicle. Third, the gas prices rise and fall, meaning that they go up when there’s a lot of demand and down when there’s little demand.
The question is: how much is the mulch at the gas station? That is, how much does it cost to fill up your car at the gas station? How much does it cost to pump gas at a gas station? The answer to both questions is $3.29. That’s what the gas station owner charges you, unless, of course, you want to pay more. Otherwise, you don’t have to. It’s what he calls the “magic number.” It doesn’t have to be, though. If a gas station doesn’t know how much gas to give you, it’s most definitely not magical. It’s more like the opposite of magic- it’s quite dull and run-of-the-mill.
The first thing you should do when you pull into the gas station is check the prices before you buy anything. If they’re not displayed on the station’s sign, check the prices online before you leave. That way, you’ll know how much you’re paying before you make your purchase. The next thing you should do is look around for any signs of gas stations running out of fuel. You can do this by looking at the gas stations near you, but also check the newspapers and ask around. Your goal is to find a gas station that’s not only close, but also has plenty of cars around it.
Once you find a gas station that seems to fit the bill, pull in and let the attendant know you’re there. Check in with him regularly as you go about your business. Make sure he has your order and that the gas is actually being handed out to cars in need. If you do this occasionally, it will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises. If you do it regularly, it will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises. Either way, you’ll be happier in the long run.
Hopefully, this was helpful. Keep in mind that gas prices can vary from place to place and at different times of day. To get an idea of what sort of gas prices you might encounter, do a little research or ask around. Also, make sure you know how much your vehicle’s gas tank holds before you go anywhere. This way, you’ll know how much fuel you have left. If you do over-fill your tank, you’ll be in for a nasty surprise when you get home. Believe it or not, it could cost you thousands of dollars to fix your car due to excessive gas consumption. All it takes is one little mishap to turn into a very expensive one. If you’re ever in doubt as to whether or not you’ve filled your tank to the proper level, just leave a bit of space at the bottom. This will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises. Thanks for reading.