Mazda 3 Saves Friend And I From Interstate Highway
This takes place a few years ago.
I'm from Canada - Toronto specifically. My friend and I drove down to Boston for a convention using my Mazda 3 (2007 model for those who care). Trip down was fine, we got there in about 9 hours. On the interstate we saw that there was a gas station/rest stop at distant but comfortable intervals. Once we got down to about 1/4 full, we stopped at the next rest station within 10 minutes and refilled.
On the way back? Hoo boy...
So we're getting to the part of the interstate that is leaving Massachusetts and entering New York. We pass by a rest station that says "last one in this state" or something, but where the other signs also said "X miles to next rest station" this one didn't. So I check the tank, we're a bit over 1/4 of the tank left so I figure no big deal.
You can see where this is going.
It was a fair distance to get to the part where you cross the state line, then another fair distance before we ever saw another sign saying "next rest station in X miles". The whole time we're thinking "well there were lots of them on the way down here, there will be one soon we just know it!"
Except there wasn't. We enter into NY state and even drive around a town/city. Just after that point, we're still feeling comfortable that we can make the next rest stop. Except the sign we finally see that says how long to the next rest stop is X miles, where X = A LOT!
Shit. We do some mental math and figure we should still have enough to get to that part, but it will be close.
I slow down my pace a bit. I turn off the AC in the car and just open the windows a crack. Eventually I close the windows altogether once the gas light comes on and we're still several miles away. My friend tries to open them again to get precious air before I shut it again and locked passengers from being able to use the electric windows.
"Worth it," he says.
I eventually start tailgating an RV so I can stay in its slipstream or some other rationalized nonsense. Every single logical response as far as turning off an exit and finding a gas station is for whatever dumb reason dismissed - I blame the insane heat in the car and not using AC or opening the windows.
Finally, mercifully, after the gas light being on for about an hour (at least it seemed like it) we physically see the gas station. We instantly blast the AC and open the windows, at that point if we ran out we'd push the damn thing or just walk to the station.
But by god, that Mazda 3 of mine made it a damn long way on near empty and saved us from the interstate that tried to trick us into running out of gas.