Miata Mailing List: January 1995, Message #107
sponsored by



     


   From: rthorpe@munch.gsfc.nasa.gov (Rosemary Thorpe)
Subject: Low Gas Warning
   Date: Wed, 4 Jan 1995 15:25:19 -0500

Flanagan@eworld.com writes:

>I know its a small trunk, but carrying a half gallon or gallon of gas in your
>trunk.... Its not a low warning light, but then, it beats getting stuck and a
>half gallon or one gallon of gas isn't enough to be a major safety concern...
>as long as you tie it down, or mount the container somehow...

Some automotive publication just recommended a gallon of gas as an 
essential emergency kit ingredient.  Funny thing is they recommended 
non-flammable gas. Uh, uh, Beavis, doesn't gas have to be flammable to 
use as fuel???  If you're using regular gas in your emergency kit,
I'd use the gas and refill the tank regularly.  According to the
small engine repair folks around here, gasoline no longer stores well and
can create all kind of unwanted deposits in your engine if it sits
around too long.

We ran very low on gas at least twice on the Florida expedition.  Seems 
there are no small towns with 24 hour gas stations in northern Florida, so 
once you pass a city you've heard of, you have to reach the next one
you've heard of before you see an open gas station.  Resolution:  
use 1/4 tank mark as low fuel light.  The cruising range from 
1/4 to E is very low.

On another Florida trip topic....  I wasn't very clear about it 
(too depressed I guess) but the officer in question was disguised 
quite well by the dark and the fog.  Anyone figure out a way to 
spot these guys while you still have a chance to slow down?  So far, 
I've just grown real leary of folks that drive behind me and don't seem 
to be in any qreat hurry to pass.  Luckily, with the large amount
of driving we did my competitive instincts did not come into play when
the cop dogged me. Our radar detector was buried under 
the seats (yes, you can actually lose things down there if 
you're not in the habit of spending lots of time with your feet up under 
the dash :-> ) so we don't know if he used radar as well as the infamous 
PACE.  Darn, I was going to write how well the Miata cruises at 80 mph,
4000 rpm.

Back in the good ol' days before computers and easy computer generated 
harassing mail, this ticket would have been tossed out the open top before
we left the county.  Now, I suppose we'll actually have to pay it.  Doug Q.
has pretty much crushed my hopes of using Car Guys as my driver improvement
course and avoiding the fine.

Last Florida topic (well at least for today)

What's the deal with those 13" diameter really wide tires with about
1/4" of rubber on shiny wheels that we saw on low rider pickups, Escorts, 
etc. on I-95 in Florida? For you tire buffs, estimated dimensions:
255/20R13 (OK the 20 is a little low).

Can you get this setup for the Miata ???  Be kind of a good look with the flames.  
:->

Another long-winded post brought to you by:

Rosemary  => Rosemary.Thorpe@gsfc.nasa.gov