Running out of Petrol

After a nice refreshing hike up and down Lionshead, my mother and I go for a rewarding luncheon. Food and drinks are good and we are both enjoying our time in the lovely Summer sun.

Now comes the arduous trip home (arduous because riding a motorbike requires full attention and isn't nearly as comfortable as driving in a car). After getting on the bike I sometimes check the volume of the tank by shaking the 125cc Motomia left and right, left and right again - and another time, to estimate if this is enough petrol to get me to point B.

However, I do not always perform this routine, which - after today's fun experience - I now regret not having done.

So this is what happend:

I get on the freeway (M3 towards Muizenberg) and start riding up the hill into the strong South Easter which likes whipping across the mountain with its vicious force. Bikers like myself don't like strong wind because unlike a drunk taxi driver - which can be avoided and dodged - we have no power over it which is very scary sometimes!

So cutting the story slightly short;

I notice that my bike started slowing down and that is usually the case of not having enough liquid petroleum in the tank...Luckily enough I was over the pass and was going downhill at a reasonable speed so most of the way I could just roll down in Neutral...I get to the bottom of Woodstock and hit the Main Road. I need to now decide if I should drive left or right - I choose left. I pray that there's a petrol station somewhere close by because Woodstock doesn't have a good reputation regarding alleyways and side streets. I ask a guy in a Deli shop where the nearest station is and after being pointed down some alleway to the lower part of the woodstock, I really did get a bit nervous.

I had to get home nevertheless, so although the trip down lower woodstock through several side streets was a slightly unsettling experience, I did get out the other side in one piece and managed to locate a Total garage.

I filled up my bike and laughed because this wasn't the first time that this had happend. Previous incidents like that all somehow occur when I am driving down hospital bend and I have to resort to turning off onto Liesbeek Parkway which is a 10min bike push to the nearest Gas station...I do not enjoy these occurences and really wish that the people that designed my range of Motorbike would have catered for a fuel gauge - I highly recommend having that as a primary feature when looking at bikes, for those that are looking into getting yourself one...It is one of those things that just makes life a lot more enjoyable if you have it.

So lessons were learned and I definitely hope that this won't be happening again in the near future!