The Big G’s announcement that RON97 price is up by 78sen to RM2.70 per liter runs panic into most Malaysians. I still can’t understand some Malaysians are so kiasu that they start to queue up at petrol stations from 3pm till midnight to fill up their tank. As if, by filling up it could save them their pocket for the rest of the year. As if, by joining the long queue would help them to sustain that full tank for the rest of 2008. Such are mentality for some of us.

Let me share with you what was my encounter like, last night. Caroline’s flight from Kuching was scheduled to arrive LCCT at 10.30pm. Anticipating that there will be long queue at the gas station, I left home at 9.30pm. The plan was to fill up my car as I was running out of fuel. I was supposed to fill it up in the morning but because I was ill, I did not make a stop at the station on my way back from work. I drove around Puchong to find Shell, Petronas, Mobil and BHP stations all suffered the long queue causing unneccessary traffic jam along the LDP highway. I thought, I should try the stations at Seri Kembangan area but all the stations there were packed too. There were massive jam at Seri Kembangan forcing me to make a u-turn heading towards Cyberjaya (CBJ). At that time, my fuel indicator was already blinking. I turned off the AC and pull down my windows in my attempt to save the last bits of fuel in my tank (Saving Fuel Tip #1). Being stuck in the jam when you’re sick is the worse thing to do. I felt very irritated. Looked like the traffic jam and the queue this time were massive than previous experience when the government announced 10 or 20 sens of hike. Some drivers were impatient and they cut queues. Next, the victim would start honking and cursing. Tempers flare during this critical time. After weaving through my way, I managed to make a u-turn and headed towards CBJ at a maintained speed of 90km/h (Saving Fuel Tip #2).

I thought I could get lucky and fill up at the CBJ Petronas but there was long queue as well. At that time, it was five minutes past ten. Luckily my office is located at CBJ and Caroline’s car was parked in the office so I switched car and drove to LCCT. On the way, the Petronas at Sepang was no better.

Caroline arrived on time and we reached CBJ at half past eleven. There was still long queue at the Petronas station. We decided to have supper at Old Town kopitiam while waiting till past midnight to refill my car and go home. When it struck midnight, the long queue naturally dispersed. You could say I was the first to pump fuel at RM2.70/liter when the clock struck to midnight.

Here are some tips that could help during this difficult times:

Fuel Saving Tips: http://cars.about.com/od/helpforcarbuyers/tp/ag_top_fuelsave.htm

Buy a fuel efficient car: http://cars.about.com/od/helpforcarbuyers/tp/top10_fuel.htm

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