Are Gas Pumps Dangerous???

**Martoch** · July 18th, 2002, 10:35 AM

I got this in an e-mail at work and thought I would pass it along...
I have a picture to attach, but it's .bmp format. I'm on a Windows 95 machine at work (yes, I said Windows 95!) and I can't covert it to .jpg with Paint. Anyone know of a fast way to convert it (website, small program...) so I can post it up here?

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.

Theophylact · July 18th, 2002, 10:46 AM

Try downloading Irfanview. It's mainly a multiformat freeware viewer, but it'll allow you to "save as" several of them, including .jpg.

**Martoch** · July 18th, 2002, 11:00 AM

Thank you Theo...here's the pic!

Cruez · July 18th, 2002, 11:59 AM

I wonder if I should quit smoking when I pump gas too....

jman01pa · July 18th, 2002, 12:04 PM

You think?

osprey4 · July 18th, 2002, 12:25 PM

I've lived in Oregon and now in New Jersey, the two states where people are not allowed to pump their own gas. Every few years, the "common sense" crowd loses a referendum in each of these states to allow self-serve gas stations. This is the biggest reason these initiatives fail, fear of the safety consequences. The other reason, fear by "senior citizens" that they will be inconvenienced by having to pump their own gas.

I hate to break the news, gasoline is a dangerous substance. But so are lots of other things (hot coffee at MacDonald's?), and some how the vast majority of people are able to handle these things without incident.

But I guess the problem with common sense is it's not all that common.

howste · July 18th, 2002, 12:36 PM

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! That looks like my wife's van in the picture! I'd better call and check on my wife to make sure she's OK...

Redwolf · July 18th, 2002, 12:43 PM

http://www.snopes.com/autos/hazards/static.htm

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

It's true with one exception

Theophylact · July 18th, 2002, 01:54 PM

Quote:

I hate to break the news, gasoline is a dangerous substance.

After 9/11, people probably know that even the less volatile jet fuel is pretty dangerous. And TWA Flight 800 was almost certainly brought down by a spark in the fuel tank, according to the FBI and NTSB..

osprey4 · July 18th, 2002, 03:54 PM

We joke about this all the time where I work (in a lab). We're required by safety rules to jump through all sorts of hoops in handling and labeling substances much less hazardous than gasoline. Even bottles of water are required to have special labels and we have to have an MSDS for water handy.

Just because it's a common everyday substance does not make gasoline safe.