The Perpetual Motion Machine

We decided to take a break and drive down to Lonavala and spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. It was also the first time that I was taking the car on such a long drive! So the previous night, I topped of the tank and started homewards. The faithful dashboard said I could go 400 kilometers at this fuel level and driving conditions.

As we started cruising on the highway, the dashboard started generating almost eerie report for me. The number of kilometers to go before the petrol exhausted started going up – after all, the car had never had an opportunity to go in D6 for such a long time. By the time we exited from the Expressway to make way in Lonavala, we had gained 60 kilometers – that is almost equivalent to the distance we had driven. Not only had we saved the fuel, but also made fuel on the way! What a car! Awesome Germans these, they have made a perpetual motion machine defying all the laws of thermodynamics, I said to my wife.

Then the arduous drive in Lonavala started, where everyone and I literally mean everyone, wanted to break the traffic rules and drive as if the Expressway had been extended through the narrow lanes. The almost absent rain had already dug potholes in the roads and we could barely move beyond D2 or D3.

This is where the theoretical calculations of the fuel consumption came crashing down! Not only did we lose the kilometers that we had gained, but also a few more. The dashboard now said we had only 380 kilometers to go before the fuel was exhausted. So much for the perpetual motion! Awesome Germans these, they fooled me!