[Closed] Thing I learned today

You need to put some fuel in that sharpish mate.

Yep.

The filler cap is on whichever side Ling says its on!

Been done, untrue I'm afraid.

Been done, untrue I'm afraid.

He means the arrow not the pump icon.

Been done, untrue I'm afraid.

That arrow is to tell you which door to exit when the fuel tank explodes.

Been done, untrue I'm afraid.

I think what's untrue is that the arrow is on all cars. When the arrow is there in my experience it's always on the same side as the fuel filler.

Drac - Moderator

He means the arrow not the pump icon.

Yes, my mistake.

(The old wives tale that Drac knew I was incorrectly referring to was that the pump handle indicated the side of the filler flap)

The road sign for double bends shows which way the first bend goes. I.e. this sign is for a double bend first to left.

[img] [/img]

This man is putting up an umbrella.

[img] [/img]

The arrow isn't that common. It would be nice though, I know where the one is on my car, but the Van is always a double-bluff I like to play on myself.

Now, what follows is a half-remembered, possibly made-up in my head, half-guess on my part, but:

With most cars unless there's an over-riding need to put it on the left, will put it on the right side. They fit the filler cap and tank that side because, when full, it's heavy 40Kgs or so for 60Ltrs of fuel. The only other asymmetric bits of the car are the steering column and driver so it helps it balance the car. Remembering of course that most cars would have been designed from the outset to be LHD.

Japanese cars and older Brit cars being the exception because they would have been designed from the outset to be RHD.

How true that is I'm not sure, but looking out in the Car Park there is a Seat, a VW, A Volvo and a Renault all caps on the right, and a Toyota, cap on the left.

My Peugeot had it on the drivers side, honda on passenger side, suzuki on passenger side

My Volvo had it at the back.

The road sign for double bends shows which way the first bend goes. I.e. this sign is for a double bend first to left.

It's a bit worrying that any drivers don't know that already.

You've got to wonder why, in this day and age of computer design and international car models, the manufacturers don't do the sensible thing and put two filler caps on each car, one either side.

Lots of older cars had this, although they mostly had two fuel tanks as well.

P-Jay - Member

With most cars unless there's an over-riding need to put it on the left, will put it on the right side. They fit the filler cap and tank that side because, when full, it's heavy 40Kgs or so for 60Ltrs of fuel. The only other asymmetric bits of the car are the steering column and driver so it helps it balance the car. Remembering of course that most cars would have been designed from the outset to be LHD.

Japanese cars and older Brit cars being the exception because they would have been designed from the outset to be RHD.

How true that is I'm not sure, but looking out in the Car Park there is a Seat, a VW, A Volvo and a Renault all caps on the right, and a Toyota, cap on the left.

Our Shitroen C3 Picasso (French) has it on the left....

perchypanther - Member

You've got to wonder why, in this day and age of computer design and international car models, the manufacturers don't do the sensible thing and put two filler caps on each car, one either side.

Extra cost to the manufacturer for something that doesn't really matter, given that you can drive up to a petrol pump on either sides, and even if you can't the hose will reach on many cars.

It's a bit worrying that any drivers don't know that already.

It wasn't that I learnt it today, just something that came to mind. Given that most drivers don't know a significant number of road signs it wouldn't surprise me that they didn't know about the double bend sign indicating the direction of the first bend. Round our way they don't know what this means:

[img] [/img]

That you ain't gettin' on no plane, fool?

Now, what follows is a half-remembered, possibly made-up in my head, half-guess on my part, but:

With most cars unless there's an over-riding need to put it on the left, will put it on the right side. They fit the filler cap and tank that side because, when full, it's heavy 40Kgs or so for 60Ltrs of fuel. The only other asymmetric bits of the car are the steering column and driver so it helps it balance the car. Remembering of course that most cars would have been designed from the outset to be LHD.

Japanese cars and older Brit cars being the exception because they would have been designed from the outset to be RHD.

How true that is I'm not sure, but looking out in the Car Park there is a Seat, a VW, A Volvo and a Renault all caps on the right, and a Toyota, cap on the left.

Now [i]this[/i], [b]this[/b] is why I come here.

I've never known a car not to have the arrow and I get a lot of different makes of rental cars and they've all had it from VAG cars to Korean cars, French cars, all the usual makes and models. I know because I have to return the hire cars with a full tank of fuel and use the arrow all the time.

I can't think of any sensible logic as to why the filler cap needs to be on one side or the other as you can go either side of the pump so relating it to the side the driver is doesn't make sense - you're just as likely to have to walk around the car to fill the car up no matter what side the steering wheel is on. It will be to do with packaging in the best way to route the filler neck depending on other things like suspension, the side the exhaust is on etc.

The logic on having it on the drivers side doesn't stand scrutiny. My VW van has it on the passenger side and I'm sure my wife's BMW 1 series has it on the drivers side, so even amongst German cars the side the filler cap is on can vary. My old SMax had it on the drivers side, but the latest version of the SMax on the passenger side.

I have never noticed that arrow ever. Theory is correct for mine -

[img] [/img]

Ah boo, just checked Saabs... no arrow

On my speed awareness course a couple of years ago they told me that the word SLOW painted on the road not only means: drive slow with caution but is also an acronym/slogan for Speed Low, Observe Warnings. Not sure if that is something applied in retrospect for the speed awareness course or always intended.

I guess in reality if it wasn't an acronym then it could have just as easily been CARE or some other word or a symbol.

and even if you can't the hose will reach on many cars.

Except it doesn't matter how big the sign is explaining this, morons still be morons.

I agree that the arrow works 100%. What with these newfangled digital displays like my mate's Q7 has, they could draw more attention to it - maybe get some design tips from My-Ding-a-Ling.

SLOW painted on the road not only means: drive slow with caution but is also an acronym/slogan for Speed Low

😆 what's the difference??!

Mega-pmsl at Waswaswaswas.

I've never known a car not to have the arrow and I get a lot of different makes of rental cars and they've all had it from VAG cars to Korean cars, French cars, all the usual makes and models. I know because I have to return the hire cars with a full tank of fuel and use the arrow all the time.

My honda accord does not have an arrow. Not my pic but much the same apart from auto. [img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Eddie Kidd is in town ?

what's the difference??!

I wonder if the same is true in Wales with ARAF.

If only the hose reached all the way around to the other side of the car to fill up..

To be fair it doesn't with every car in every forefourt

My honda accord does not have an arrow. Not my pic but much the same apart from auto.

As I wrote that I knew someone would pop up and prove me wrong!! Well in my defence the dash on the Accord looks a bit old so maybe its a more recent thing. But also I had been lead to understand the side the hose is on also indicates it, but I've seen gauges where the arrow and hose don't agree and in those instances, in my experience, it's the arrow that is correct, but I'm sure I've seen some gauges where the hose is on the other side.

So maybe the rule is if there is an arrow, use the arrow, if there is no arrow go to the side the hose is on. (I bet you're going to say your accords filler cap is on the opposite side of the hose now!).

Is the filler cap on the side of the pump in the graphic?

[i]No difference I just thought it was a nice touch[/i]

Pretty sure it's something made up by your driver's awareness instructor. You know, to help thick people remember what "Slow" means.

But also I had been lead to understand the side the hose is on also indicates it

Nope, hose on the right on the icon, filler cap on the left 🙂

I regularly see more women pull up to the pump and then heave the nozzle clear across the other side of the car than men. They must be smarter.

I regularly see more women pull up to the pump and then heave the nozzle clear across the other side of the car than men. They must be smarter.

Or men don't like to scratching their car by dragging a fuel hose across it.

On my speed awareness course a couple of years ago they told me that the word SLOW painted on the road not only means: drive slow with caution but is also an acronym/slogan for Speed Low,

Sheep Like Orange Wellies

😉

Speed Low, Observe Warnings

Yeah they're totally not making that up as when SLOW isn't painted on the road, I'm sure the best practice is driving like your pants are on fire and ignoring all warnings.

You started doubting it a bit when you started repeating it, didn't you though?

Speed High ignore Traffic

Slowly Lets Others Win.

something ling once wrote?

Sheep Like Orange Wellies

But it’s Araf in Welsh

The only other asymmetric bits of the car are the steering column and driver

And the engine and transmission on transverse engined cars, plus the exhaust system, battery, windscreen wipers, washer fluid reservoir, sometimes the spare tyre, etc, etc. Lots of parts of cars are asymetric.

That's r[b][u]o[/u][/b]ping

Not the case on my Kia Rio...arrows points to right (on right of icon) but cap is on left...

Yeah I've got that arrow on my motorbike.

You've got to wonder why, in this day and age of computer design and international car models, the manufacturers don't do the sensible thing and put two filler caps on each car, one either side.

Lots of older cars had this, although they mostly had two fuel tanks as well.

Is this a joke :-)? Lots of reasons why not - adds unnecessary weight and expense, poor use of space etc etc.

Ooh we could fill from both sides AT THE SAME TIME!

Is this a joke :-)?

Do I strike you as the sort of guy who makes jokes?

adds unnecessary weight and expense, poor use of space

Yep, those crazy car manufacturers hate adding weight and expense to their cars.

[i]Not the case on my Kia Rio...arrows points to right (on right of icon) but cap is on left..[/i]

That's not a real car though 😉

[img] [/img]

Hmmm!

Hmmm!

The arrow isn't that common. It would be nice though, I know where the one is on my car, but the Van is always a double-bluff I like to play on myself.

Now, what follows is a half-remembered, possibly made-up in my head, half-guess on my part, but:

With most cars unless there's an over-riding need to put it on the left, will put it on the right side. They fit the filler cap and tank that side because, when full, it's heavy 40Kgs or so for 60Ltrs of fuel. The only other asymmetric bits of the car are the steering column and driver so it helps it balance the car. Remembering of course that most cars would have been designed from the outset to be LHD.

Some hybrids, city cars and vans have single sided tanks. The 50 or 60 cars i've been under in the last ~18 months all had pretty much full width tanks, except for the half dozen hybrids, which were probably half and half.

Indeed - icon on gauge has arrow on left, pointing left, icon in centre (distance left in tank) is on left but points right!

It's the one on the fuel gauge you use, the one for the dirving info is indicating it’s for fuel.

Indeed - icon on gauge has arrow on left, pointing left, icon in centre (distance left in tank) is on left but points right!

If the fuel tank was on one side you'd get variable load as you used up the fuel. Modern cars weigh upwards of a tonne, 40Kg difference across the width of the car isn't that much for the suspension to deal with. It would only be the full 40Kg if the centre of the tank were directly over one of the wheels. In practice the centre of the tank is somewhere close to 1/3rd the way across the width of the car and will be counter balanced by something like the spare wheel (in those cars that have them).

Commercial planes (possibly all larger planes) have pumps to move fuel between the various tanks to keep the plane's trim within some tolerance as the fuel is used.

Double hmmmm, Drac - engine running yet using phone at the wheel? Burn him!! 😆

Rachel

SLOW painted on the road not only means: drive slow with caution but is [b]also an acronym/slogan for Speed Low[/b][i]

No it isn't. That is a [url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backronym ]backronym[/url]

#fakenews

They managed to paint it upside down near here recently

Or were you on the wrong side of the road Rachel? Knee down and cranked right over at warp speed too 8)

In my dreams

adds unnecessary weight and expense, poor use of space

Yep, those crazy car manufacturers hate adding weight and expense to their cars.

🙂 You missed out the key word; 'unnecessary'. Far cheaper and lighter to add a little arrow on the dashboard, or have the expectation that anyone driving their cars will manage to remember which side the cap is on. Unnecessary weight makes economy look bad (hurts sales). Added cost without perceived value (few people will see fuel caps on both sides as worth paying extra for) also hurts sales. It's just not in the interest of manufacturers.

Summary: fuel caps on both sides of the car is a stupid idea, which is why you don't see it :D.

Double hmmmm, Drac - engine running yet using phone at the wheel? Burn him!! 😆

To quote Drac on [url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/iphone-x/page/9#post-8712636 ]a recent thread[/url]:

[b][i]"You're driving why are you touching your phone?"[/i][/b]

😆 😉

For all you Drac haters out there, I think you'll find it is an image he found on the interweb.

Unless I not only have the identical car with the identical milage, with the same temperature outside but also have just managed to photograph it in exactly the same lighting conditions....

[img] [/img]

Clicky wink [url= https://www.drive.co.uk/all-new-kia-rio-reviewed/ ];-)[/url]

Epic fail there Graham.

Sorry Drac - were you hoping to leave the trap set a bit longer before reeling them in LOL 🙂

Summary: fuel caps on both sides of the car is a stupid idea, which is why you don't see it :D.

No, Panoramic glass roofs on cars are a stupid idea as they add unneccessary weight and expense and, crucially, add absolutely no utility value to a car whatsoever unless you're routinely pursued by helicopters.

Dual fuel fillers, on the other hand, would be supremely useful and are, therefore, an excellent idea.

[img] [/img]

Why not make petrol station pump lines longer.

Dual fuel fillers, on the other hand, would be supremely useful and are, therefore, an excellent idea.

A cheaper alternative to dual fuel fillers is to simply look at the car you are about to get into.
If there isn't a fuel filler flap on the side you are entering, you can be assured that it will be on the opposing side.

(Readers should be advised that this will not work if entry is to be gained via the boot)

I love Jaws. 😀

perchypanther - Member

No, Panoramic glass roofs on cars are a stupid idea as they add unneccessary weight and expense and, crucially, add absolutely no utility value to a car whatsoever unless you're routinely pursued by helicopters.

In Your Opinion, of course.

We've got one in the family fun bus & it makes the cabin nice & bright. It's quite nice watching the clouds go by too (as a passenger obvs...).
You missed a couple of disadvantages from your list that are potentially more important - you lose a bit of headroom (perhaps an issue if you are tall) and if you leave it open on a hot day, the car gets VERY hot inside.
But, ours came as part of the spec level when we bought the car second hand. Not sure I would go out of my way to get a car with a panoramic roof, but it's a nicer feature for me to have than dual side fuel fillers.... 😀

View from the back of the family fun bus

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4514/38033488286_2a2cbb7672_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4514/38033488286_2a2cbb7672_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ZWTz13 ]2017-11-01_11-39-02[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/me96kka/ ]STW stumpy01[/url], on Flickr

for Speed Low[i]
No it isn't. That is a backronym
#fakenews

thanks for letting us know 8)

Dual fuel fillers, on the other hand, would be supremely useful and are, therefore, an excellent idea.

Nope. Dumb idea for a problem that doesn't exist. 😆

Nope. Dumb idea for a problem that doesn't exist

Nope. Smart idea for dumb people who clearly do exist. 😉

I will agree that dumb people do exist. See post above for proof. 😆

Whatever.....I give up.

Gently trolling these threads is not so much fun now that Ling is gone.

This was your first clue.....

Do I strike you as the sort of guy who makes jokes?

I think I might be suffering from PLTD.