Yeah I thought the idea of cell phones causing explosions at gas pumps had been thoroughly debunked.

Click here to read more:

http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/gasvapor.asp

 

I love MYTHBUSTERS! Great show. I like it when they take it one step further, and usually end up blowing something to bits.

I usually fill up with my cars running also. I am aware of the static electrity issue though, and usually the "motion" or getting out of the car will ground and discharge whatever static electricty I have built up. Maybe if you have like really rubbery super insulated shoes???

 

Myth busters is who I credit for my thoughts.

Great Show!

 

woah

 

another thing, if you sit inside your car while its filling up, and its running, dont you usually only get out, when you hear the nozzle click off??? I guess the fumes will still catch, and then your gas tank will explode?? All the videos I see seem like its flowing gas out of the nozzle.

 

Hmmmmmm....

I agree that I think the risk of using a cell phone is pretty low. I too saw the myth busters show, and their take is pretty convincing...

HOWEVER, I can't tell you how often I shock my hand closing the door to my car after I get out. It's more pronounced with low humidity, but it's an almost everyday occurance. The fact of the matter is, if you do not discharge yourself somewhere away from the nozzle, you're sure to discharge yourself when you grab the nozzle. There are ALWAYS fumes exiting the car near the nozzle (as you displace the vapor space in your tank with the inflowing fuel). In conclusion, I say there's enough risk of igniting the exiting vapor (as the girl did) that I'd prefer not to take the risk, so I do not enter the car while filling. That's just my opinion. While I have not experienced any severe burns, I've heard that it is some of the most horrible pain possible. I won't take the risk.

Also, while I was filling my car today, some jackass walks out of the quickie mart and decides to throw his trash away next to my pump WHILE SMOKING A CIGARETTE. Now I know the risk is low, BUT THAT'S STILL SIMPLY STUPID. He then walked back to his car that was parked next to the quickie mart door AND NEXT TO A TRASH CAN.

Anyway... One thing nobody has mentioned yet... if you do happen to ignite the fumes exiting the tank (as the girl did), DO NOT remove the nozzle. It's best to step away and shut the flow off at the pump. There is always an emergency cut off. Many of the people who get injured pull the pump out, sometimes while the pump is still flowing spilling fuel everywhere and causing the fire to go out of control.

The girl was lucky. I'm glad for her.

Be safe folks! Sometimes being cautious, especially with little effort is the best practice.

 

Oh yeah...

One other thing I'd like to mention. The risk of you gas tank exploding it slim to none. The fuel vapor in your tank is generally to concentrated to ignite. Additionally, liquid fuel will not explode. It will just burn in the presence of oxygen (which is too limited in the tank).

However, as most gas tanks are made of some type of plastic, it is possible that a nearby fire (such as one that spreads under the car due to fuel spilling under the car from an ignited nozzle pulled from the car) can cause the tank to melt, thus spilling the fuel inside and further spreading the fire.

Just a thought...

And while I'm at it, I'd like to point out the I learned how to spell "occurrence" many years ago, yet for some reason I can't type it without using ALL of my brainpower (I mispelled it for the millionth time in my previous post.).