Frugal drivers run out of gas

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sun Jun 1, 2008 8:02 PM EDT

Article Source: msnbc.com

Brent Saba had just dropped a church group off at Philadelphia International Airport on Sunday morning and was heading north on Interstate 95 when it happened: His 15-passenger van ran out of gas.

Saba, a 24-year-old church pastor, made it to the shoulder just past the Ben Franklin Bridge and waited more than 30 minutes for someone to stop and lend him a cell phone. Then he waited a while longer for AAA to arrive with fuel.

With gas prices hovering at $4 a gallon, motorists like Saba are putting less fuel in their tanks — then coming up empty on the highway.

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Regions: Philadelphia

Public Discussion (10)

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2.7

0.5

{"commentId":1872601,"authorDomain":"freed"}

Freed

Oh crap I need to fill my Jeep - there goes $100

{"commentId":1872601,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"freed"}

2 votes

#1 - Sun Jun 1, 2008 9:02 PM EDT

{"commentId":1872644,"authorDomain":"twallace-1"}

C T Wallace

This could be really great on November 6. Those too stupid to pay attention to their gas guage will be stuck on the side of the road waiting for a miracle, while the rest of us vote.

{"commentId":1872644,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"twallace-1"}

1 vote

#2 - Sun Jun 1, 2008 9:12 PM EDT

{"commentId":1872694,"authorDomain":"freed"}

Freed

:-)

{"commentId":1872694,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"freed"}

#2.1 - Sun Jun 1, 2008 9:22 PM EDT

{"commentId":1872965,"authorDomain":"rtofcentre"}

dromedaryhump

yeah, well...stupid is as stupid does. When they figure out that today's gas price is cheaper than tomorrow's, maybe they'll come around.

{"commentId":1872965,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"rtofcentre"}

#3 - Sun Jun 1, 2008 10:20 PM EDT

{"commentId":1873393,"authorDomain":"soteric"}

Soto

The author shouldn't use words he doesn't know the meaning of. There is nothing "frugal" about miscalculating the amount of gas one needs prior to taking off on a trip. Stupid is probably a better adjective.

{"commentId":1873393,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"soteric"}

#4 - Sun Jun 1, 2008 11:44 PM EDT

{"commentId":1873769,"authorDomain":"freed"}

Freed

He makes that point in the story, he probably didn't write the headline - I'm sure people are paid at NBC to just do those all day.

{"commentId":1873769,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"freed"}

#4.1 - Mon Jun 2, 2008 1:48 AM EDT

{"commentId":1873642,"authorDomain":"amorran"}

AlanGSpot

I'd put gas in the tank every chance I get. It's not like prices are fluctuating. They're only going up. The longer you wait, the less fuel you end up putting into your car.

{"commentId":1873642,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"amorran"}

#5 - Mon Jun 2, 2008 12:51 AM EDT

{"commentId":1873736,"authorDomain":"akshat7"}

Akshat7

That was a pretty ridiculous article. There's no reason for a report about people who don't pay attention to their gas gauges to get published.

"Rather than filling up the tank completely while the price is relatively low, I'm going to fill up half now, and another half later when it will be more expensive."
Does that make sense to anyone?

{"commentId":1873736,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"akshat7"}

#6 - Mon Jun 2, 2008 1:31 AM EDT

{"commentId":1873770,"authorDomain":"freed"}

Freed

Uh, no... but I am doing the same thing.

{"commentId":1873770,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"freed"}

#6.1 - Mon Jun 2, 2008 1:48 AM EDT

{"commentId":1874708,"authorDomain":"jaxzter"}

jaxzter

Hmmm, they fail to mention that the stations tend to put a $75 limit on gas sales per swipe of the card so it's not simply people are unwilling to fill up their tanks all the way, but they are encouraged not to. Most of the time I just give up after spending that much and drive away. It's not pure laziness, but my way of showing I disagree with this low limit. Yes, I realize it only hurts me in the end.

{"commentId":1874708,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"jaxzter"}

#7 - Mon Jun 2, 2008 9:41 AM EDT

{"commentId":1904838,"authorDomain":"preston-bishop"}

Preston-308751

Why is this even a story? The number of people reported running our of gas has doubled to 161...out of how many millions of driving trips made over the course of a year?! Seriously

{"commentId":1904838,"threadId":"275558","contentId":"1529911","authorDomain":"preston-bishop"}

#8 - Thu Jun 5, 2008 7:30 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"275558","isPrivate":false}

FREED

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Frugal drivers run out of gas

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