Hello people,

Just a bit of a random discussion between myself and some colleagues today regarding the location of fuel filling caps on cars.

We originally thought it must be to do with the nationality of the car, so British cars would have the caps on the left and French cars would have the caps on the right. This was disproved quickly as had a quick walk around the car park, but could spot no trends whatsoever. Some cars of the same make, model and age had the fuel filling cap on different sides.

Is it simply random to prevent tailbacks at filling stations if everybody's cap was on the same side? Or is there something more to it?

Peter.

Edit: Edited the poll to include offside and nearside.

Just a little tip in case you weren't aware. Often I need to fill up a courtesy car and never know which side the fuel filling cap is.



On the dashboard of most cars is a small icon, depicting a petrol pump. The fuel filling cap is on the same side at the nozzle on the icon. In this example, the nozzle is on the left side of the icon, so the fuel filling cap would be on the left.

This works for the majority of cars, but not all.

Peter.

On the left side looking at the front, or looking at the back?

Is left or right judged when sat in the drivers seat or standing in front of the car looking at it?

The correct term is offside (driver) or nearside (passenger). In my case (until next Friday), it's on the offside.

My last 2 cars were on the right, as in the "drivers side". One Vauxhall, one Ford. I'm pretty sure the three Peugeots I had before were too.

The "nearside" or "inside" is the side furthest away from the driver on the outside of the road, and the side nearest the driver closest to the inside of the road is called "offside" or "outside". It's the most illogical naming convention I ever heard of, and I'd love to know who invented it and why. I can only assume they were either driving backwards, or they were always the passenger.

Nearside='Near' the kerb. I'm not sure if that's why it's called that, but that's how I always remember it. It is a pretty illogical convention, especially when you consider it changes depending on if it's LHD or RHD!

Alun: The left/right side of a car is based on being sat in the car, looking forward. Although some people reverse this when talking about stuff in the engine bay, just to add to the confusion!

I think on most of the cars I've owned it's on the drivers side. Certainly my (pre GM, 9000 and therefore Swedish and naturally LHD) Saab is, as is my old '76 Triumph. I've never seen any pattern or trend on this, I guess it's just down to manufacturer preference.

My car has a little triangle pointing to the left just next to the fuel indicator.



That way I can always check before filling up.

My little Fiat's filler is on the driver's side, as is the Vectra, and all the Carltons before that.

In fact, now I come to think of it, I can't remember a car I have owned ever having the filler on the passenger side. How interesting. And on all of them, I can fill up with the pump on either side, because I'm smart and not a sheep...

My Citroen C3 petrol cap is on the pessenger side.

Mum's Skoda Fabia has its petrol cap on the Driver's side of the car.

I can't afford to buy and run a car yet.

Drivers side

Passenger side -opel astra lhd-Spanish petrol stations are always on the passenger side ,the pumps that is .

Good point some of you have made there. I have assumed the sides are when sitting in the driver's seat facing forwards. Therefore, "Left" is the nearside and "Right" is the offside.

Peter.

I'm sure I remember seeing an old jag or something that one on each side...

I know the filler cap is on the driver's side of his pick-up truck

and the whole icon thing is actually bollocks it's coincidence more than anything...