#988 The Gas Arrow

Neil Pasricha

The gas arrow

Put your hand up if you’ve ever driven your car up to a gas pump only to notice after you’ve parked that your gas cap is on the other side.

My brother, if your hand is up right now, you are not alone.

See, some cars I’ve driven have the ol’ gas hole on the starboard side and some on port. Due to my unfortunate afflication with gasholenorememberititis, I’m always parking the car the wrong way. Sure, I try desperately to notice a little gas-cap bulge in the side mirror when I pull up, craning my head wildly in both directions, and generally pretty sure I caught quick glimpse of it as I pull in. But then I get out, notice I messed up, pound my fist on the trunk, give a sheepish toothy grin to the attendant, and then have to pull off a quick and awkward seven-point-turn before anyone moves in to steal my spot.

It is a terrible thing.

But guess what? High fives all around the room, because there is hope for People Like Us. Shockingly, I have recently discovered The Gas Arrow! Yes, believe it, driving fans, because it truly exists. The Gas Arrow is a little, tiny arrow right beside the picture of the gas pump, which tells you which side your car’s gas hole is on! I know, it’s crazy. And I guess whoever is responsible for marketing really dropped the ball on this one, because nobody I asked (n=3) has even noticed this before!

Yes, just look at that Gas Arrow, head-nodding casually to the left or the right, a classy pal just trying to tip you off real subtle like. It’s like a flashlight in a storage closet, a lighthouse on a foggy pier, a finger pointing at what you’re supposed to look at.

The great, noble Gas Arrow, telling you which way to park your stupid car.

So thanks Gas Arrow, for the big helper. Until car companies start putting gas holes on both sides of the car or they invent a new wireless gas that lets you fill up through your radio, I think I can speak for all of humanity when I say that we love you and everything you stand for.

AWESOME!

Big news! Big news! By popular request this summer we are releasing … The Journal of Awesome!

Click here to flip through the first twenty pages!

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16 thoughts to “#988 The Gas Arrow”

  1. I remember reading this last time. I immediately looked for the Gas Arrow when I next got in my car.

    …My car don’t got one. :/ Sad, but true.

    1. My car doesn’t either. My last car did, and the fill up was on the passenger side, but with this one its on the other side. I get mixed up sometimes.

      1. I remember thinking this the most genius thing when I first read it! I continue to find it amusing and amazing, like the foil box tabs, only much better! ~Kathy

  2. This was the first AwesomeThing I heard about!! I was on a Drama trip with friends and our car got into an argument about where the gas cap was located…little did I know that this tidbit would change my outlook on filling up?! I’ve been hooked ever since:) Thanks!

    1. I just got to show my best friend not too long ago. She was driving her mom’s car and couldn’t remember which side the fill up was so I showed her the arrow. Blew her mind!

  3. I’ve driven a car for over 40 years and didn’t realize what that little arrow was for until my husband told me last year. How sad is that?

  4. I love the Journal of Awesome! Great idea, and very cute layout.

    Also, this Gas Arrow entry is my #1 most useful thing from this awesomethings blog. I never knew about it before, and now I use it all the time. Thanks, #988 – you rock!

  5. I read this the first time I went through 1KAT, and I was like, “huh, that’s interesting.” And you know what? I NEVER FORGOT. So when I filled up my new car for the first time, after a brief moment of panic, I thought about the gas arrow. And I was saved.

  6. yeah,this is really awesome!but some cars doesn’t put the sign correctly or am i look at it wrongly??haha..btw,all i wanna say is..awesome!

  7. Hi Neil,
    Just tried to preorder the journal (which looks AWESOME) and wasn’t able to enter my Canadian coordinates. Will that be changing that to include the northern folk soon?

  9. Erm… I actually can’t drive. I haven’t even taken the test yet. Perhaps I shall soon. Anyway, when I finally can drive, the knowledge of the humble Gas Arrow will be a helpful headstart to all the other stuff I will have to learn.

  10. I <3 (heart) #988! b/c of you, I am *that* much smarter~ thank you:)
    Sincerely, wendy

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