Purple panic

Alan Surrey

Member
Messages
990
Well beyond a mere red alert. This was a real purple panic.
Far from home and well into another episode of sonorous fuel guzzling delight, the amber "Feed me quickly" led had come on. I was all but out of fuel and urgently searching for a fuel station. Thankfully, one turned up.
Rocked in there and drew up alongside a pump.
Pressed the filler cap release button on the dash.
Didn't hear the usual flap-tap-tap sound of it opening.
Stepped round to the rear flank and realised why. The outer flap had not opened. Oddly, I must have pressed the button incorrectly, or possibly pressed the wrong button in my enthusiasm to tank up.
No I hadn't.
No amount of pressing the right button in long, normal or short bursts would open the outer flap.
Purple panic ensued at this time.
Much entertainment for fuel station staff.
*
Fortunately my good lady was with me. "You keep pressing this and I'll stand at the filler flap and see if I can persuade it to open."
Eventually it did.

When my heart rate returns to normal, I think I will degrease the white nylon latch and its guide, then try WD-40.
 

Mr S

Member
Messages
821
I had this last year whilst also out of fuel, <ideal. I luckily had a cable tie I looped behind it to pull it out. Someone has tried to get in there i suspect, as the local FB page had a few people saying they had had their filler cap's ripped off and fuel nicked.
 

Alan Surrey

Member
Messages
990
Thanks guys. Thank goodness. I had wondered what the orange string in the boot was for.
I know! Read the manual. But to keep it in good order, I keep the manual safely on the bookshelf at home. So I could not have referred to it at the time, and the emergency has worn off now.
Thank you for pointing it out to me. Very grateful.
I'll still try the degreaser and WD-40 though.
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
I am now confused, I always thought a Purple Alert was not as bad as a Red Alert, but a bit worse than a Blue Alert. More of a mauve alert really?
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,547
I am now confused, I always thought a Purple Alert was not as bad as a Red Alert, but a bit worse than a Blue Alert. More of a mauve alert really?

You are correct. However, this was not a daffodil, and it did need the lightbulb changing.

C
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Zep

Gazcw

Member
Messages
7,699
I am now confused, I always thought a Purple Alert was not as bad as a Red Alert, but a bit worse than a Blue Alert. More of a mauve alert really?
Surely it is red alert, purple alert, blue alert, too late grey
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,932
I am now confused, I always thought a Purple Alert was not as bad as a Red Alert, but a bit worse than a Blue Alert. More of a mauve alert really?

A mixture of red alert and blue alert will give you a purple alert.

Sounds like a marketing plan for a certain brand of energy drink.