Clicky Poll: Do you re-enter the car when you're getting gas?

winterorchids · February 2011

It seems to me that some do and some don't. Technically, you aren't supposed to, due to the possibility that you will build up enough static electricity while in the car or getting out of it to cause a fire when you go to remove the pump.

However, that statement often includes that if you do get back in the car, you should simply touch something metal (e.g. the doorframe) to discharge before nearing/touching the pump.

Bonus discussion questions: How great do you think the risk is/the likelihood it will happen? Do you think that discharging the static makes it safe enough to re-enter the car without worry?

[Poll]

cromero49 · February 2011

I never get back in the car, but I see the risk as being extremely low. I have seen people every time I fill up who get in their car and nothing happens. I don't know if this still applies, but they used to have signs saying don't talk on your cell phone and a ton of people do that, too. I wonder if there are actually any incident reports where "static charge from butt rubbing on the car seat causes gas station blaze."

rori11 · February 2011

Depends how cold it is outside.

pink.dutch.tulips · February 2011

unless it's pouring rain or freezing cold i DO NOT get back into my car. i only get back into my car for the 2 aforementioned reasons.

annaandersen · February 2011

I have never heard of this being a risk. Whoops. I get back in my car every time.

hannikan · February 2011

It's really funny that you ask this today because the last time I was pumping gas, like 3 days ago, was the first time I ever noticed a warning about this posted. I had never heard about it before. I have never had any reason to get in my car while pumping gas so I don't. I just don't like to walk away from gas tank while it's attached to the pump.

legaleagles · February 2011

So if it's a risk to be in the car while pumping gas are passengers supposed to get out? What about infants/children?

melgrady · February 2011

I have never heard of this before, but no, I don't get back into my car.

Structenggal · February 2011

legaleagles:
So if it's a risk to be in the car while pumping gas are passengers supposed to get out? What about infants/children?

It's not a risk to be in the car, the risk is getting in and then back out of the car after you start pumping the gas. You can generate static electricity, and if you don't discharge it (touching something metal on your car) prior to touching the pump again, you could spark a fire.

hannikan · February 2011

legaleagles:
So if it's a risk to be in the car while pumping gas are passengers supposed to get out? What about infants/children?

My understanding is the static from you has to touch the pump. So as long as the person pumping stays outside and the people inside do not touch the pump, it should be fine. It's the going back and forth.

Here's an account of a fire caused by static:

http://articles.cnn.com/2002-12-05/us/gas.pump.fires_1_gas-pumps-static-electricity-gas-tank?_s=PM:US

greekwife05 · February 2011

They Mythbuster's have disproved that whole static thing. It would be very hard for a person to build up enough static by getting in out of your car to cause a spark that would start a fire.

hannikan · February 2011

Apparently some body (government or business) has decided there is enough risk to start posting warnings on gas pumps now. I think it would be quite rare and I wonder how you would build up enough static electricity, too. Here's a Dos and Don't list:

http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/extension/pdf/gaspump-handout-long.pdf

cromero49 · February 2011

I remember seeing warnings when I was a kid so they've been around for a long time, they just don't (or haven't) gotten much attention.

aj0915 · February 2011

rori11:
Depends how cold it is outside.

this exact thing.

MrsJulieT · February 2011

cromero49:
I never get back in the car, but I see the risk as being extremely low. I have seen people every time I fill up who get in their car and nothing happens. I don't know if this still applies, but they used to have signs saying don't talk on your cell phone and a ton of people do that, too. I wonder if there are actually any incident reports where "static charge from butt rubbing on the car seat causes gas station blaze."

I've seen a video of a man getting out of his car and releasing the nozzle and bursting into flames....

cromero49 · February 2011

Yikes! That would be crazy to see and quite scary.

MrsJulieT · February 2011

Here is a static fire at a gas station (no worries no death involved but proves the point)

winterorchids · February 2011

For the record, since I asked you all for your answers, I always get back in the car.

This all occurred a while back, not because I'd seen a sign, but because I was wondering WHY people were standing outside of their cars when it was freezing/windy/raining one day. Then I finally noticed the signs, which kind of freaked me out because I wasn't even discharging. But then I started looking for the warning signs, wondering how I could have missed them all this time, and I haven't been able to find them at some gas stations. So after waffling between getting in the car and standing outside, I finally figured I'd poll you guys.

My opinion: I feel like discharging on metal is probably sufficient. I'm probably going to look into it but I'm betting the risk is fairly low. I'd think there are plenty of things I do that are considered far more risky than this. And now that someone mentions MythBusters, I'm going to go look it up and probably just take my chances if it was disproved. That guy in the beret looks trustworthy

I hate pumping gas and standing outside the car feels incredibly awkward. It doesn't help that it seems like everytime I do there is some creepy or douchey guy staring at me. I'll take the risk of catching on fire to avoid the certainty of being eye-fuxed by a random guy on a weekly basis, thankyouverymuch.

hannikan · February 2011

winterorchids:

My opinion: I feel like discharging on metal is probably sufficient. I'm probably going to look into it but I'm betting the risk is fairly low. I'd think there are plenty of things I do that are considered far more risky than this. And now that someone mentions MythBusters, I'm going to go look it up and probably just take my chances if it was disproved. That guy in the beret looks trustworthy

I hate pumping gas and standing outside the car feels incredibly awkward. It doesn't help that it seems like everytime I do there is some creepy or douchey guy staring at me. I'll take the risk of catching on fire to avoid the certainty of being eye-fuxed by a random guy on a weekly basis, thankyouverymuch.

I'd be curious about the Mythbusters episode on this, too. To me pumping gas takes what 2 mins? I can be in the cold (or hot in the summer) for that long. I never get gas at night when I'm alone either.

Passanie · February 2011

I never get back in, but maybe I'm paranoid. Something is not grounding properly on my Corolla and every time I get out and shut the door I get shocked. Don't want to risk it.

(Funny, I once interviewed the weights and measures guy who goes around and checks the pumps. Since that's all he does all day and the risk is greater he can only wear a certain kind of clothing to work that's not flammable. Cotton or not cotton, I can't remember.)

cromero49 · February 2011

Passanie:

I never get back in, but maybe I'm paranoid. Something is not grounding properly on my Corolla and every time I get out and shut the door I get shocked. Don't want to risk it.

I get shocked every day when getting out of my Corolla, too! Sometimes I can actually see the spark.

Passanie · February 2011

cromero49:
Passanie:

I never get back in, but maybe I'm paranoid. Something is not grounding properly on my Corolla and every time I get out and shut the door I get shocked. Don't want to risk it.

I get shocked every day when getting out of my Corolla, too! Sometimes I can actually see the spark.

Oh, I can. It's blue. Mine's a 2004. What year is yours?

SDgirl22 · February 2011

I just sit in my car...because in OR it's illegal to pump your own gas! I just sit in my car, hand the attendant my card and play on my phone while I wait! Oh, and gas is still cheaper here, too!

hannikan · February 2011

SDgirl22:
I just sit in my car...because in OR it's illegal to pump your own gas! I just sit in my car, hand the attendant my card and play on my phone while I wait! Oh, and gas is still cheaper here, too!

We need to move to OR just for this. Sometimes Drew, who's in a wheelchair of course, cannot get an attendant to pump for him when he's alone driving. Technically they do not have to if there is only one person on duty, which seems to be all the time now. So he has to wait until I'm with him (or come home and pick me up) to get gas much of the time. The way gas station pumps are designed he couldn't get out of his car because there's not enough room to have the door wide open, nevermind that he can't reach the card swiper, it wouldn't be safe for him to handle the nozzle while sitting and there's almost always a step into where the attendant is sitting so going in to pay is usually out, too.

Rock-n-Voll · February 2011

hannikan:
SDgirl22:
I just sit in my car...because in OR it's illegal to pump your own gas! I just sit in my car, hand the attendant my card and play on my phone while I wait! Oh, and gas is still cheaper here, too!
We need to move to OR just for this. Sometimes Drew, who's in a wheelchair of course, cannot get an attendant to pump for him when he's alone driving. Technically they do not have to if there is only one person on duty, which seems to be all the time now. So he has to wait until I'm with him (or come home and pick me up) to get gas much of the time. The way gas station pumps are designed he couldn't get out of his car because there's not enough room to have the door wide open, nevermind that he can't reach the card swiper, it wouldn't be safe for him to handle the nozzle while sitting and there's almost always a step into where the attendant is sitting so going in to pay is usually out, too.

Wow, Hannah. Whenever you post stuff like this I'm a little ashamed at how many things I don't think about that are a challenge for the handicapped.

In Massachusetts, they broke off all the little thingies that allow you to pump gas w/o holding onto the handle. So you're forced to stand out there while pumping. They did this sometime during the six years I lived in CA so when I first moved back I thought it was just the first 1 or 2 gas stations I went to where the pumps were vandalized or broken; I was so confused when I found it was everywhere.

cromero49 · February 2011

Passanie:
cromero49:
Passanie:

I never get back in, but maybe I'm paranoid. Something is not grounding properly on my Corolla and every time I get out and shut the door I get shocked. Don't want to risk it.

I get shocked every day when getting out of my Corolla, too! Sometimes I can actually see the spark.

Oh, I can. It's blue. Mine's a 2004. What year is yours?

I have a 2001.

MrsAWZ · February 2011

I chose Special Snowflake, because I'll only get back in if the weather is bad. Windy or rainy, I'll get in the car...otherwise, I don't feel like sitting down just to get back up in a little bit anyway.

Sidenote: When I was about 10, we saw a car catch on fire at a gas station near the bank my mom worked at. It was kind of traumatizing, so I'm always thinking about whether or not that would happen. I don't know the details of how it happened, but it was pretty scary...I remember we couldn't walk to our car on that side of the parking lot since people were afraid the car would blow up.

Mrs.BoomBoom · February 2011

Passanie:
(Funny, I once interviewed the weights and measures guy who goes around and checks the pumps. Since that's all he does all day and the risk is greater he can only wear a certain kind of clothing to work that's not flammable. Cotton or not cotton, I can't remember.)

The cotton's flammable but it burns clean. It's poly you want to stay away from. That stuff MELTS...so, it literally melts INTO your burning flesh. NOT COOL!

Mrs.BoomBoom · February 2011

I really believe we need to bring back full service gas. I think it should be mandated like OR. The full service used to do so much just to keep us safe and efficient...check our tire pressure, check our brake lights, check our oil.

StefandTodd · February 2011

I get back in the car almost every time.

hannikan · February 2011

Rock-n-Voll:
hannikan:
SDgirl22:
I just sit in my car...because in OR it's illegal to pump your own gas! I just sit in my car, hand the attendant my card and play on my phone while I wait! Oh, and gas is still cheaper here, too!
We need to move to OR just for this. Sometimes Drew, who's in a wheelchair of course, cannot get an attendant to pump for him when he's alone driving. Technically they do not have to if there is only one person on duty, which seems to be all the time now. So he has to wait until I'm with him (or come home and pick me up) to get gas much of the time. The way gas station pumps are designed he couldn't get out of his car because there's not enough room to have the door wide open, nevermind that he can't reach the card swiper, it wouldn't be safe for him to handle the nozzle while sitting and there's almost always a step into where the attendant is sitting so going in to pay is usually out, too.
Wow, Hannah. Whenever you post stuff like this I'm a little ashamed at how many things I don't think about that are a challenge for the handicapped.
In Massachusetts, they broke off all the little thingies that allow you to pump gas w/o holding onto the handle. So you're forced to stand out there while pumping. They did this sometime during the six years I lived in CA so when I first moved back I thought it was just the first 1 or 2 gas stations I went to where the pumps were vandalized or broken; I was so confused when I found it was everywhere.

Gas stations are one of the least accessible places. And since there are not too many people in wheelchairs who drive the issue probably doesn't get addressed much. Same thing with not having full service/an attendant available to pump. But of course if places like this were accessible more disabled people would drive. It gives a person so much independence. It seems very unsafe to me to only have one attendant at a station at night anyway. I used to never trust the things to hold the gas pump in place because a few times they were broken. So I used to always hold it. Now I don't but that's probably another reason I would never go to my car while pumping. I think it's a bad idea to leave it unattended.

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