Stuck without gas in Texas or San Antonio? Here’s what to expect and who you can call for help.
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There’s no sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach like having your car suddenly lose steam, despite the gas pedal being pressed, while going down the road. Car problems are an emotional, financial and physical burden, but there’s something extra irritating when it comes to running out of gas. But what can you do if this happens to you on Texas road or highway?
Surely, most Texans have cut it close when it comes to the gas gauge nearing E, especially with soaring fuel prices. Stopping at the gas station mid-rush hour after a long day at work, or even making the time to stop when you’ve already forgone your coffee run to get to the office on time, can really push our meters to the limit.
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While most can manage to get into a fuel bay before that nightmare becomes a reality, sometimes that tank is on fumes before you can help it. Drivers stranded on the side of the road, undoubtedly embarrassed and stressed, have some resources available to them. But it’s not always a guarantee.
Will SAPD give you a ride if you run out of gas?
Getting a courtesy ride from the San Antonio Police Department to the nearest gas station may be more challenging than one might expect. According to department policy, officers need supervisor permission to offer a ride to anyone who isn’t an “authorized person,” including on-duty officers, prisoners, complainants or witnesses.
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“Officers have discretion, with supervisor approval, on providing courtesy rides,” an SAPD spokesperson told MySA. Though, for one man, this seemed like a bigger hurdle than what policy states.
Why was this driver denied assistance?
While officers have “discretion” in giving courtesy rides for citizens in need, it seems one park police patroller wasn’t feeling uber charitable when one man ran out of gas near Basse Road and U.S. 281. On March 9, a car enthusiast in San Antonio, who goes by Horsepower, was left outraged when he says a local officer kept following him after asking for a ride to a gas station.
He says the gas gauge on his truck is out of whack, leaving him with an empty tank a couple miles from the nearest gas station on the way to work at a local car dealership. He says an officer stopped while he was walking on the sidewalk, gas can in tow, and she refused to give him a ride. In fact, he says he offered to be handcuffed and ride in the back, but he says she refused citing policy.
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An SAPD official said it’s common for an officer to stop to investigate a person “causing a traffic hazard and yelling at vehicles.” They claim he was entering the street and yelling at vehicles passing by.
In a viral TikTok video, the stranded driver is seen arguing with an officer from the sidewalk while traffic backs up nearby. He said he became upset after she made it clear she would not help and continued questioning him. According to the driver, the officer said she was checking whether he was bothering other people. After the exchange, she drove away, and he said a passerby in a truck named Bo stopped to help.
The man in the Dodge truck, reportedly having seen the whole interaction, gave Horsepower the courtesy ride to the gas station he’d asked for.
“I tried to give him some cash for helping me, but he refused it. He would not take it,” Horsepower told MySA. “I left it in his truck, and he pulled up next to me afterwards … and he rolled down his window. He throws the cash back to me.”
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“He’s the real hero that day,” Horsepower said.
Does TxDOT help drivers who run out of gas?
While SAPD may or may not be the most helpful in a dire gas situation, the Texas Department of Transportation has a whole department dedicated to helping drivers in need left stranded on Texas highways or state-owned roads. The San Antonio Highway Emergency Response Operator (HERO) Program – which also covers hundreds of miles of highway across Austin, El Paso and the Permian Basin – offers free roadside assistance to drivers in need.
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Program staffers mainly help relocate disabled cars or vehicles involved in minor wrecks. However, they also help add gasoline or water to stranded vehicles, help change flat tires, can perform minor vehicle repairs jumpstart batteries, or even help provide water or cell service to drivers left in the Texas heat without immediate help.