The following information comes to you from the Engineering section of General Motors and vividly describes the danger of getting back in your vehicle once you are pumping gas.
As you will see, there can be some devastating consequences.
So, when the weather gets cold, buy a coat and some gloves and save your life...............
The Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of "static" (that is, static electricity) at gas pumps. They have researched 150 cases of these fires. The results were very surprising: 1) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women. 2) Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping gas, when finished and they went back to pull the nozzle out the fire started, as a result of static. 3) Most had on rubber-soled shoes. 4) Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished. This is why they are seldom involved in these types of fires. 5) Don't ever use cell phones when pumping gas 6) It is the vapors that come out of the gas that cause the fire, when connected with static charges. 7) There were 29 fires where the vehicle was reentered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some resulting in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the customer. 8) Seventeen fires that occurred before, during or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before fueling began.
NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas. If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping, make sure you get out, close the door TOUCHING THE METAL, before you ever pull the nozzle out. This way the static from your body will be discharged before you ever remove the nozzle.
As mentioned earlier, The Petroleum Equipment Institute, along with several other companies now, are really trying to make the public aware of this danger.
I ask you to please send this information to ALL your family and friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the children out in time. Thanks for passing this along.
Posted by 2002Z4CSS (Member # 1393) on :
Wow! I took the car cover off the Brickyard last night and got one heck of a poke when I touched the antenna base! That must be the reason my wife never puts gas in the cars and makes me do that! My life insurance is paid ....I wonder what she has in mind?
[ 24 July 2002, 02:30 PM: Message edited by: 2002Z4CSS ]
Posted by Steve da Wrench (Member # 1301) on :
WOW. Thats scary stuff, but it makes sense. I never get back in the car while filling up, but its something to pay attention to.
BTW, I love the Fbodfather avitar!!
Posted by Hawkeye (Member # 88) on :
There's an email going around from Sunoco showing a melted mini van taken at one of their stations.
Static will cause a fire - please be careful.
Posted by MRZ28HO (Member # 1162) on :
Thanks for the warning Scott! I will definately pass this along. Glad I'm anal about pumping gas, never leave it un-attended and cautious about causing sparks. Alot of people forget that fuel vapors are very volatile.
[ 27 July 2002, 09:22 AM: Message edited by: MRZ28HO ]
Posted by DROPTAWP (Member # 865) on :
quote:Originally posted by Fbodfather: NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas.
Hmmmm...... How do people pump gas while sitting in their cars . Are they jamming the nozzle lever in the open position? All of the fuel nozzles that I have used, shut off upon releasing the lever.
Full serve nozzles 'may' have the lever 'tab' to hold the lever in the open position. This is not a safe design as the attendant might pick up a static charge elsewhere and cause a fire on his/her return to the refueled car.
Posted by DanPazich (Member # 1352) on :
Hey hawkeye, yeha, I saw that same email. my dad brought that home from work a week or two ago. Never thought about that happening, but if ya use logic, seems it could happen pretty easily! (scary)
Posted by JCORPANY_F02_1505 (Member # 579) on :
Very interesting twist on the information Scott sent to us.
I also forwarded these links to Scott:
Take a look at the below urban legends:
1. Urban Legends Reference Pages: Automobiles (Fuelish Pleasures) •••• Is using a cell phone at a gas station dangerous? ...Claim: Cellular phones have touched off explosions at gas stations. Status: False. Examples: [Collected on the Internet, 1999] Cell Phones... ...on his mobile phone standing near the attendant who was pumping the gas. All the electronic devices in gas stations are protected with explosive... ...all print cautions in their user handbooks that warn against mobile phones in "gas stations, fuel storage sites, and chemical factories." Exxon has... Thu, 27 Jun 2002 00:36:09 GMT http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/gasvapor.htm
2. Urban Legends Reference Pages: Automobiles (Static Quo) •••• Is static electricity a suspected cause of a reported increase in gas station refuelling fires? ...Claim: Static electricity is a suspected cause of a reported increase in gas station refuelling fires. Status: True. Example: [Collected on the... ...a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of "static" at gas pumps. His company has researched 150 cases of these fires. His results... ...the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping gas, when finished and they went back to pull the nozzle out the fire... Wed, 26 Jun 2002 16:23:33 GMT http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/static.htm
[ 30. July 2002, 04:10 PM: Message edited by: JCORPANY_F02_1505 ]
Posted by laraandre (Member # 1577) on :
THANK YOU SCOTT!!!
LONG LIVE THE SS!!! 2002 BUILD#7719 DRIVE IT LIKE I STOLE IT!!!
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
I will definately pass this along. Glad I'm anal about pumping gas, never leave it un-attended and cautious about causing sparks. Alot of people forget that fuel vapors are very volatile.![[Confused]](confused.gif)
. Are they jamming the nozzle lever in the open position? All of the fuel nozzles that I have used, shut off upon releasing the lever. ![[Cool]](cool.gif)