Running on Empty: Never a Good one.

Have you ever tried to see how many miles your car can go after the needle points to the E? Just to see, you know? I have been the consummate coward when it comes to seeing how far because I don't want to be that person that stalls out in the middle of the road.

But I need to know how many miles my car can go on an entire tank of gas - even after it hits empty.

Many times I have come close - it's hit empty, and I just don't feel like stopping to get gas. One time, it involved me driving back from Atlanta to Athens from a Braves game. It's the middle of the night, it's raining, I go the wrong way, so not only am I on empty, but I'm freaking lost. Fortunately I have a friend yelling at me the entire time... and the benefit of gas stations NOT staying open 24 hours in Georgia. Then, I have this gas gauge that is indecisive on whether or not it is actually empty. The light with shine, then dim for a mile, then shine, repeat for about 10-12 times before I start praying to whoever will listen and have a gas tank on hand.

Unfortunately, I don't have a VW that will tell me how many miles I have left. I've heard you get 40 miles after you hit E - or is it 20? SHIT.

This leads me to a life learning lesson that nearly occurred to me yesterday. Too lazy again to get gas after an impromptu trip to a friend's house left me JUST enough gas to get there and back... factoring some constant x's... fair weather and traffic.

I depart and drive on my merry way. The light starts its ambiguous shine about 2 miles into my journey - I think 'Okay - I can JUST make it.' I try to conserve gas, not having the AC on even though it's getting foggy in my car, not accelerating or braking suddenly, staying calm by listening to some Feist.

I'm on the highway, keeping my car until 2.5 RPM when I suddenly come to a halt. I'm on the phone with my friend and make her check the traffic. I've driven 16 miles post the light shine. She reports that it will take about 30 mins to clear. I'm a mile away from the accident which is a mile away from the exit that it is blocking which is 500 feet from the closest gas station. I get off the phone to start praying.

It's also raining.

Ironically, I'm listening to Jamie Foxx's Blame it on the Aaaaaalcohol - and I curse my laziness. Maybe it was the alcohol that caused three right lanes to be blocked right before Brockett on a drizzling Saturday night. I hate myself.

I call my dad to tell him I will be later home than expected. He tells me it's my own fault for wanting to go out on a rainy night. I am furious and hang up. Return to praying/ singing along to Britney.

20 mins later, I've moved myself over to the left most lane, just in case my car stalls, I can be in the shoulder. I wouldn't want to be the girl trying to push my car on neutral on the freeway in the dark.

10 mins later, I start moving and I debate what to do. I send up a promise, if I can just make it to my exit, I will stop immediately to get gas. I chug along, honking at this car that brakes suddenly in front of me, making me burn whatever sweet gas is left in my tank. Please please please. The light turns off. I breathe.

30 seconds later it shines, even brighter? Or is that my eyes playing tricks on me? At this point, I could be hallucinating. The needle moves to WAY belong the last tick. It's practically striking through the E.

I make it to my exit, coast around the turnaround and stop at the Shell. 5$ later, and my gauge moves above the E, to the last tick. Crisis averted. Panic attack postponed. I believe I am no longer curious.