0 DTE does not always mean empty...

We have a low fuel indicator light in the van. We also have a digital display that can tell me everything from the temperature to the direction to the miles per gallon I am consuming to the ultimate and always helpful DTE (Drive To Empty).

The other day I had an early morning doctor's appointment - you know the one where you can't wear deodorant or any other kind of fragrance or powder (all you 40 and older ladies - you know what I mean). You would think skipping that part of my morning routine would have saved me a few minutes - but it did not - sooooo of course I was running just a tad late when I jumped in the van and backed out of the driveway at which time I heard the annoying little "ping" which told me that my gas tank was low. The ping had actually alerted me the day before but - well - I forgot. So I quickly clicked to DTE to see how bad things really were - 26 miles DTE. That is PLENTY of gas to get to my destination so I ignored the nearest gas station and headed down the road. Things were fine - I was singing, the sun was shining, I had taken Ibuprofen in an attempt to dull the upcoming pain I would be subjected to - life was good. And then I looked at the DTE and it said 14 miles. How did that happen, I certainly had not driven 12 miles. Yes I was on the highway and yes I may have been going a bit above the optimal 60 mph but really 14 miles DTE. Well I was still feeling smug and confident, the world my oyster. I took the exit, I came to the stop light, I looked at the DTE - 9 - that readout read NINE MILES DRIVE TO EMPTY. At this rate things were starting to look a little bit more worrisome but I was late and although there were grocery stores, and bridal shops and mexican restaurants and other small businesses there was no gas station within a reasonable distance - and I was running late. So I continued on still wearing my rose colored glasses but feeling them becoming a little foggy. I hit EVERY stop light on the way to my destination. I finally reached the street I am aiming for and notice my DTE is now reading FOUR! Yes, I said 4, but in my determined, yet somewhat flawed thinking, I thought this is okay - four is okay - I mean really four miles is a long way. So I continued around the block and got in line for entrance into the parking ramp and that is when reality hit me like a car out of gas. My DTE is now reading TWO - TWO MILES DRIVE TO EMPTY. Two is not very far - two is within walking range two is not enough to wait in line, find a place to park, come back from my appointment, wait in line to pay and find a gas station. TWO WAS NOT ENOUGH. So I pulled out of the waiting line - hurried up the block thinking of the nearest gas station and I hit a red light and then I hit another red light and then I hit ANOTHER red light - and that is when it happened - ZERO DRIVE TO EMPTY. ZERO. That's run out of gas. That's stall in the middle of the intersection and feel like a fool. That's tears running down my face and anxiety making my hands shake. That's I have no gas can but thank goodness my cell phone is charged. THAT IS BAD. BUT as luck would have it I made it to the gas station without even a stuttering stall to make my heart pound in my throat. I calmly filled up, took a deep cleansing breath and felt the out of gas anxiety leave my body - of course I was still filled with the I'm late I'm late for a very important date anxiety and of course the let's smash your breasts anxiety but that out of gas anxiety - it was gone.

So the moral of the story - zero does not always mean empty - although it usually does and I would not recommend testing this theory with any type of frequency. Oh and right now my DTE...



It'll be a good morning.

TTFN...