How Stupid Are We? Really?

This morning on the way to work I noticed I needed to stop and get gas. I was getting pretty low and I knew I wouldn't want to battle traffic to turn left across the highway to get to my favorite el cheapo station. How did I realize this? Well, my needle pointed to E. Duh.

I was chatting with a friend the other night and mid conversation she says "Oh no, my light came on, I need gas." Light? What light? Does she have a bulb over her head that blings on like a bright idea? Well, no, some genius actually installed a light in her dash (and millions of others apparently - does this tell you how old my car is??) that lets her know when she needs gas.

Amazing enough, she's bright enough to drive, but not bright enough to realize that a needle pointing to E means - hey, get some gas stupid. Duh. Now, I know some cars come not with needles but with bars that indicate fuel level, but those little bars disappear - indicating fuel level. Right? So why the light?

Did someone actually get pissed at the car makers because they never figured out how to read the E and F indicators? Did they sue? I *need* to know the reason behind the light! Ok, so then I thought - well, maybe the light draws their attention to the dashboard. Um, so normally they ignore the dashboard? It's only what...a foot from their hands? a foot and a half from their face? It includes other vital info like... speed? And they can't be bothered to glance down every so often? What the heck is with this light thing?? Why are people considered so stupid that we need a light in addition to the very simple (I thought??) to understand E and F? You know. E... Empty - get some gas stupid.

Maybe we should forgo the light and just install a little voice that says that. "Get some gas stupid!"