You know that little arrow on the petrol gauge?

IT ONLY FRIKKING TELLS YOU WHICH SIDE OF THE CAR THE FILLER CAP IS ON!!!!!!!!

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.

It’s been correct in the last few cars I’ve owned, and the wife’s which is on the other side to the Pinkstermobile.

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.

This man is putting up an umbrella.

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:

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 this, this 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 –

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.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vupgBykQnko[/video]

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.

Eddie Kidd is in town ?

what’s the difference??!

No difference I just thought it was a nice touch (assuming it is true and deliberate and not something that’s been done in retrospect) that the word the acronym makes also matches the actual acronym as opposed to something like DWCC (Drive with Care and Caution) which doesn’t make sense as an acronym.

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?

No difference I just thought it was a nice touch

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,

So what does the acronym mean when you are driving in Wales?