Drivers have been left amazed to find the real use for the arrow on their dashboard which is situated next to a picture of a petrol pump – but did you know what it was for?
Drivers are expected to keep up to date with the latest rules of the road, but have you ever stopped to think what all of the buttons and symbols mean inside your vehicle?
Regardless of whether you drive a petrol or diesel car, you’ll be able to spot a little fuel pump on your dashboard, and surprisingly, it’s not just for show – it actually has a purpose.
The pump usually has a small arrow pointing either to the left or right, and it’s designed this way so road users can easily identify which side their fuel tank is, so they know which side to park their car when they’re filling their vehicle with fuel at the petrol station.
It will save drivers the embarrassment of accidentally parking their car on the wrong side, and either struggling to fill up at the pump, or having to drive out and back round.
Annie Winterburn, who posts on TikTok as @theorytestpractice, explained that she’d only realised this after 30 years of driving. “Have you ever got to the petrol station and can’t remember which side to go to fill your car up?”, she explained.
She continued: “Well here’s a really easy way of knowing. Have a look at the picture on your dashboard of the petrol pump, you will see an arrow next to it.
“This arrow is telling you which side you need to go to fill up. If there isn’t an arrow the hose of the picture will either be on the left or the right and that will tell you what side your filler cap is on. Did you know that already?”
In the comments, people were shocked at the news, with one writing: “Been driving for 40 years. I only found this out about a year ago.” Someone said that their live was “changed forever” when they learned the tidbit of information. Another admitted that they “normally walk round the car to check”, which is less than ideal.
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