I'd like to have "Mind your own F'ing business and leave other people alone @sswipe" added so I can vote.

 

When I perceive that someone's stupidity could put me in danger, then it becomes my F'ing business.

This thread is my attempt to guage whether or not my perception of danger was accurate and to get a sense of how others would respond in the same scenario.

Perhaps you can settle for voting for the "Nothing... It's no big deal" option.

Let's not stoop to name-calling.

 

You're one of those people that won't use an umbrella if there's lightning, aren't you? Probably wear a helmet when you ride bikes and have to use half a roll of toilet paper on the toilet seat in a public restroom...

 

Ike you never cease to crack me up!

 

I didn't call you any names. I only asked for an option to be put on the polls. If I were calling you names, they wouldn't be censored. However, if you'd like me to call you names feel free to call me at 727-475-4380, my name is Allen.

It is still NONE of you buisness if it's someone else's stupidity or not. If you feel in danger then YOU have the option of going to another gas station. If you felt the public were in THAT much harm then why didn't you call 911 and immediately report him? Must not have been so dangerous.

One should take responsibility for thier own actions instead of trying to blame/control others.

 

I considered the "@sswipe" name being directed at me. If it was not, then fine. If it was, well, that's why I suggested we not stoop to that level.

I don't think I can modify the poll options once the poll has started, so literally asking for additional options is a moot point.

Your point is clear -- you not only think it's not dangerous, but you think anyone who does think it is dangerous and considers taking some kind of action is overreacting. That's fine -- this is the feedback I was looking for -- along with others who have a different opinion.

I just think it's unfortunate that you have to be so disrespectful in expressing your point of view... That's all.

 

Welcome to an Internet forum, this won't be the last time sharward.

 

You must be one of the most boring people I've ever come across on the forums. Do you by chance write code for a living and get excited when someone mentions C++? C'mon man, strike back, live a little, trade in your AT for an MT, make fun of my OS or my video card! I'm being disrespectful!

In all honesty I just think Guy and I were pointing out (in a comical manner) that you're a bit uptight. It may have been at your expense, but that's how I manage to make myself feel better about being a horrible person. Guy has other issues, lets just say they involve a gardenhose, a Swedish nanny, and meringue pies...

 

I guess I should put out that cigarette next time I fuel up my Jeep.

 

never happened to me, yet. <knocks on wood> but, DREAM THEATHER ROCKS!

had to say that.

 

Them and Jethro Tull! Oh wait, they're both awful...

 

It's not disrespectful. I just decide to express my opinion without filtering it. It should be considered refreshing funny in this "nicey nicey lets suck eachother off" world we live in today.


Like I said, if I ment to call you names, I would have typed it out .. probably in big bold red letters and not censored it.


Hmm pie.... now I need some whipped creme 176 garden gnomes and a yellow beanie.

 

Having lived in New England my whole life, I always see folks leaving their cars/trucks/suv's running when its bitterly cold here. When its 8 degrees and with a wind chill, it's -11, you bet your *** I'm keeping my vehicle running to keep it warm. In the 18+ years I've been pumping gas, I have yet to see a car explode or catch fire because its was running and someone pumped gas in to it.

Get a grip folks, how many actual fires/explosions have happened because someone left their car running while pumping gas??

 

you can put a cigarette out in gasoline.. the cigarette will not catch gas on fire... totally serious.
A lighter or open flame will do it, static electricity will do it but a burning cigarette won't light gas on fire at all.

static electticity is the biggest hazard.. laving the pump pumping and getting back in your car or whatever and then reaching for the handle.. one spark and the vapors flash. it's no big deal, you get a pretty flame out your gas nozzle and it goes out in a minute or so, your car will not explode.. that is if you stop the pump and let it burn out.

http://www.pei.org/static/static.avi

 

You failed to mention that the guy with the motor running is driving an 8 and lives next door.

 

I do it when I'm filling up in the morning and my car hasn't warmed up enough to shut it off. It is really no big deal, people do it more than you think. The fire in an engine is totaly contained inside the combustion chamber. You should be more scared of people on their cell phones, they're more likely a threat to you.

 

cell phones will not cause a fire either.. only an open point of ignition will cause a fire... the phone would have to spark. there's not enough radiative power coming out of a phone to attract a spark. only if the battery was shorting out or some other serious problem would it start a fire.

see http://www.pei.org/pdf/motorola.pdf

 

I would like to know how you're so sure of this.

 

sorry to be a pisser but...

8 degrees with -11 wind chill is not cold at all

if it doesn't reach -20 degree (actual temps not even wind chill) here during the winter then people worry...coldest temp I've experienced here is -33 with a windchill at -72 (based on pre 2001 calculation...current calculation would be in the mid -60s)

In -20 (actual temp) I still turn my car off and stand outside while it pumps...I stand outside without a hat usually...gloves yes, jacket yes, if it is windy earmuffs maybe...the key is initiating a controlled shiver even if your body hasn't started doing so on it's own.

I have never in my life seen anyone fill a tank while their car is running except diesel big rigs.

 

I don't know how Aseras is sure of it, but I'm sure of it because I've tried it.

I spent most of my youth "exploring" the potential of fire and inflammable materials. One of my favorite tricks to impress was to put a cigarette out in a had-full of gasoline. Stinky, but no explosion.

 

Point taken on the cold weather. Either way, if its in the single digits, I'm not turning off my 8 to gas it up when its that cold. Half the time people can;t even tell its running when I'm gassing it up because of the slow whine it makes. It's a little more obvious at nite because I leave my driving lights on and just turn off my headlights. I also see folks leaving their vehicles running all the time, no matter how cold it is outside. I only do it when its very cold out. In the summertime in my Miata, I always shut the car off, hop out, filler up and then hop back in and cruise away. :D

 

As we can see, there are varying opinions as to the danger of certain activities while refueling. The opinions are based on a variety of things -- common sense, personal experience, statistics, documentation from experts, and in some cases, rumor.

Prior to starting this thread, I had done a Google search first in an effort to find information about it. As the thread started growing I continued to Google around and I found some interesting information (links to which I already posted).

So far I'm coming to a conclusion that there is indeed a risk in leaving the engine running while refueling -- but it appears to be a small one. Indeed, fires casued by static electricity after returning to the vehicle during the refueling process are on the rise and appear to account for a significant proportion of refueling fires today. This is something that I am guilty of having done in the past and will definitely be doing differently now.

I also find it interesting that, at least as of now, although the majority of people voting in the poll think it's "no big deal" and would do nothing if someone were refueling near them with the engine running, about a third would try to do something about it.

The poll has no end date, so it will be interesting to see how the numbers might change over time.

I think in the future, I'll just quietly avoid refueling near people who engage in any of the "refueling sins" described by the Petroleum Equipment Institute. While there may be some danger, I think the person most at risk is the person who is doing the act, and less so those in the vicinity. I'd probably be putting myself (ironically) at a higher risk by making an issue of it. People rather not like being told they're doing something stupid. Refueling fires may be rare, but road rage certainly isn't and could very well extend to the gas station if someone asserts himself as a de facto enforcer of the refuelling rules -- that "spark" might cause a deadly fire.

 

I love your use of loaded statements when giving a "logical" conclusion. It is heartwarming.
You wouldn't happen to be actively engaged in theological "education" would you? Or do you write for a tabloid?

 

Definitely not.

 

Then live a little!

Next time you see someone pumping with the motor running, put on a wool sweater and a nylon parka, walk up to them while on your cell phone and light up a cigar! Maybe you can rub a baloon on your head for effect.

The best way to approach irrational fears is immersion.