With all the buzz today of EV range anxiety by the media, many EV (electric vehicle owners) are now faced with fear and anxiety. This is due to the uncertainty of running out of power or charge and be stranded before finding a charging station during a trip. The same reason goes for RV owners with having RV Fuel Anxiety.
So what is RV Fuel anxiety? How can you prevent it from happening? This article will provide you with some insights about it and stop it.
RV Fuel Anxiety
Most people assume that it’s just merely running out of fuel at an inconvenient time. Though it has indeed had a few elements on it, it’s really about the uncertainty of finding fuel and getting it from the fuel station and back to your RV when you’re on the road.
This is often thought about by travelers on RV because being stuck in an unfamiliar location for some time is both scary and stressful.
BTW, if you are interested in topics like this, read more here.
Factors of RV Fuel Anxiety
Various factors drive RV Fuel Anxiety in travelers. Though most apply to new RVers, it still is experienced by some who have traveled many times. It is essential to know some of these to be aware of what they are.
1. RV Size and Navigation
Not knowing your fuel destination is often a driving factor in causing RV Fuel Anxiety. Concerning questions such as “is there a diesel lane?”, “Is there an RV lane”? “how many pumps will there be?” and “How high is the roof over the pumps?” are often asked by RVer when traveling. Due to all these worries, an enjoyable ride might not be possible.
2. Fuel Capacity and MPG
By not knowing or understanding the full scope of an RV’s fuel capacity and MPG, RVers usually make. New ones, particularly, may not know or be unfamiliar with the size of their RV’s fuel tank; hence filling it up may give them a false sense of security, especially if they don’t realize that the MPG is running low.
This will result in an empty fuel tank after a few hours and not knowing where to find one.
Preventing RV Fuel Anxiety
The best way to prevent being anxious and stressed about your RV fuel is to become prepared. Before traveling, make sure to figure the distance based on your RV’s fuel capacity; reserve the amount you less in it. Think about what’s comfortable with you.
For RV owners that own an onboard generator, your fuel reserve must be ¼ of your fuel capacity. Doing this will allow your generator to run when needed, yet will enable you to have a quarter amount of tank during an emergency. Below are some ways to help you:
1. Make a Plan for Every Fuel Stop in Advance
To ensure that you travel without fuel anxiety during your trip, plan every fuel stop in your destination or route. Though it can be daunting and may seem impossible to do it yourself, tools such as the RV trip wizard can help you plan every fuel stop to destination in advance successfully.
The RV Trip Wizard works by letting you input your RV’s MPG settings, fuel capacity, and reserve and using it to show you where you will need to stop over for fuel. It also has other built-in tools that you can use to ensure a worry-free trip.
2. Satellite View and Street View
It will be very beneficial for your trip if you can scout and see the complete view of your destination with street and satellite views. This helps by letting you know what the layout of the fuel station as well as the routes and intersections of your destination will look like.
Hence, it will give you an idea of where to quickly find a fuel station for your RV and know the height limitations are above the pumps by using the driver’s view.
The RV Trip Wizard has a built-in tool that will help you get a satellite view and street view of your travel location. There are also many other tools you can use to help you. Just make sure you provide the exact location of where you’re traveling for precise output.