This happened to me twice at the gas station today -- each time I asked the person to turn the engine off. One complied and the other did not. I'm curious to know how others handle this situation. I'm very safety conscious so I tend to say something -- but I don't want to put myself at risk of having a fist in my face (which I think nearly happened today, in spite of my being respectful in my request).

 

I look for that red emergency pump cut off in case I need to run for my life.

In New Jersey they don’t have self serve gas. Even with station employees doing the pumping same things happens here.

 

Why would they leave the engine running? I could see if it's bitterly cold, then maybe but it's kind of counter productive to leave it running while filling the tank. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

i know people that do that, its just a hazard, better safe than sorry

 

i dont do anything. i dont think its a hazzard with todays cars. it should be a 1 way path between the engine and the gas tank. If theres risk that the engine might blow up your gas tank, it would blow up reguardless whether youre pumping gas or not.

 

Yeah, I don't know what the big deal is, though I turn it off first.

It is much more dangerous to get in and out of your car while you are pumping because of static.
Liquid gasoline just isn't that flammable and being outside, the vapor concentration is really low.

 

It's "kind of" chilly here by our standards -- mid 50s (F) -- but certainly not "bitterly cold" and, in my opinion, certainly no excuse to put anyone at risk (if indeed there is one).

The first person to do it was a woman in an SUV... When I nicely asked her to shut her engine off, she indicated she had a baby inside (big whoop -- all the more reason to take the keys out of the vehicle if you asked me!) but she ultimately complied and seemed to appreciate the concern. (It might have been feigned.)

The second person was, uh, how shall I say this -- pretty "low class." I gave him the same treatment, mostly because I didn't want to give that guy a free pass, for consistency's sake. He pretty much told me where I could stick it and then tried to "egg me on" as he drove away, saying he was going to "blow up the whole ____ place" (insert your favorite expletive). I just focused on too adding oil to my RX-8 to avoid his bait.

Keep the votes and comments coming. I'm trying to determine whether it's worth caring about and/or get an idea of how others handle this scenario.

 

i do it all the time .. havent noticed anything blow up in 8 years or so

 

Just walk over next to them, and light up a cigarette.

 

now smoking that can kill ya ... plus what a waste of money .. id rather spend it on gas

 

Just an FYI, it's a pretty common occurance in the midwest (during the winter) to leave a diesel running while fueling.. especially on days colder then 0F. I don't see any issues there, simply because you don't have the vapor issues you do with gasoline.

If I see someone doing it in a gasoline vehicle, I stay the hell away from them. It's not a safe thing to do, and it of course can kick off a CEL for "loose gas cap".

 

I'll have to find a video that happened at work. One of our employees was filling his truck and reached back in to get something from the cab. he touched the nozzel and poof Fireball.

I know it not the same as leaving the motor running...

 

I don't think its a big deal. I have never heard reports of gas stations blowing up from engines running during a fill-up. If your so worried about it, do you turn your phone off before going to a gas station? Do you walk around making certain everyone else has their phone off? Do you police other people to make sure they are not getting in and out of their car while fueling?

 

i dont think id tell anyone not to. and i open my door while its fueling all the time. hell, ive even talked on my cellphone while refueling.

i may be a human torch! BOOM!

 

According to the Petroleum Equipment Institute:

 

While I shut my car off before pumping, that very article claims that it is more hazardous to pump gas into a running vehicle, then goes on to state things that apply equally to both running and non-running vehicle. Both have hotspots from mechanical operation.

The only exception is this last sentence: "Your fuel pump is now spraying a tremendous amount of gasoline at an open flame."

But I have to question the meaning of that sentence. It is very inartfully worded.

As others have said, getting in and out of the vehicle, or even touching the metal parts, thus risking an electrostatic charge, while pumping fuel, is probably far more hazardous, statistically speaking.

 

It's not just ignition. What about the possibility of the car jumping into gear, if it's an automatic, and moving while filling it - hitting another car or running away? I bet not everyone sets their E-brake if they leave it running.

And Mythbusters had an episode (or maybe two separate ones) where they tried to ignite gas with a cell phone and with static discharge. The static charge ignition is very real and there are video records of that happening, but they could not get any ignition with a cell phone no matter what they tried. I'm not worried about cell phone danger but I try to remember to ground myself on the pump before touching the nozzle when it is in the car and I don't usually get back in the car while it is filling. The static charge is usually generated by sliding on the seat when getting in and out of the car while waiting for it to fill then going straight to the gas nozzle without dissipating the charge first away from the gas fumes, such as by touching the pump housing.

 

I shutdown my car, but I don't think that it is a problem today. All the fuel nozzels suck vapors back into the pump. The cars of course have a closed fuel system.

 

Good observations -- I made the same myself.
Indeed -- The "Stop Static" safety campaign Web site features a video of someone sparking a fire while refueling exactly as you describe:

 

Need to add another choice in the poll - Just leave the station, immediately. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Get the heck out of there, if you can.

The risk may be somewhat low of a spark or anything else causing a fire/explosion. But IMHO, its a potential disaster waiting to happen, and your life or you car isn't worth dickin' around trying to involve your self in the situation. And I would hate for it to happen while I was standing there trying to explain it to the idiot. Just leave.

Just go to the gas station across the street or something, and enjoy the show.
I strongly believe in Darwin's theory in this case. Just leave.

Jeff

 

If you have ever seen a gasoline vapor fire, you would know that it is pretty unspectacular.
No bit movie explosions or rolling fireballs. No people diving for cover in slow motion. No block-wide colleteral damage.
Just a boring, dull-orange fire with occasional pops and oil-canning of the vehicle.

 

love the dream theater sticker on your back window and that license plate. THAT ROCKS

 

Great point, Jeff -- I wish I had included that option... Unfortunately I don't think it's possible to change a poll once it starts... If you think about it, it wouldn't be fair to those who already registered their vote.[/quote]

Unfortunately, I was in the midst of doing my oil adding and measurement ritual, and it endedup that the idiot took less time to put his tiny bit of gasoline in his tank (awwww, poor bastard didn't have enough money to fill 'er up ) than it took me to button things up.

 

Thanks!! Glad you like it. It complements my custom plate and frame pretty well! (Unfortunately, PROG MTL was already taken! )

Actually, it's not a "sticker." I had my window tinter custom cut silver tint on the inside surface of the glass, then cover the entire window with 20% tint. Here's a larger image.

 

Where's the "you're insane for worrying about such unlikely and trivial ****" option?