I Wanted To See How She'D Do!
Blue Fin is the name of my V6 Solara. It has always been very good with gasoline mileage, well at least when I was on the highway. So on a long 650 mile trip with only a few dollars in my pocket, which I wanted to use to eat with, I decided to take a chance on Blue Fin and start a fuel sipper strategy.
Topped off the tank just one time with 500 miles to go. Did this based on an 18.5 gallon tanks and a known ability to get 31 to 33 mpg out of her, if I drove conservatively.
After going 430 miles the light came on and that was when the competition between my desire to make it home and my risk aversion to be stuck on the highway at midnight started taking place.
As I got near 475 miles on the tank and the light was now on steady with no blinking. I thought this is it, she is going to die on me. Then I thought, well, hey my girlfriend will come get me if Blue Fin stalls out.
But no, I pushed away the fear and made it through 503 miles right into the garage of the house.
When I told my girlfriend of my great achievement, she was, "that was stupid and no I wouldn't have come to get you".
I knew that I had to do some about taking such risk. I got rid of my girlfriend that next day. Book of Men, Rule 32: Who needs a girlfriend that they cannot depend on, that was my risk, not my Blue Fin!