And don't forget the danger that you'll be so engrossed in your telephone call that you'll end up pouring petrol all over your shoes.richardm said:I was going to mention the caravan demonstration, but I've been beaten to it. I'll add only that the UK Fire Brigade officially recommends that you don't use cellphones at petrol stations as a precautionary measure. They unofficially add (and I heard this in person from a senior trainer, which makes any anecdote more convincing) that the risk is purely theoretical, there's never been a fire caused in such a way and in reality there is very unlikely to ever be a fire caused in that way. In the very few cases where cellphones might appear to have been the cause, in reality there has always been another cause. But just in case, don't do it. (Not least because the staff at the petrol station are likely to kill your pump).
Cell phone causes fire at gas pump
richardm
Philosopher
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2001
- Messages
- 9,248
Pablo said:
There's a lesson here for anyone who clicks a pump on and then gets back into the car: don't do it. Or at least, earth yourself before you touch the pump.
She climbed back into the driver's seat, sliding in, to get the maximum amount of friction going. Then she swung her legs back and forward a bit while she was waiting, to run up an even bigger static charge. Then she got out, and the first thing she touched was the nozzle, surrounded as it was by petrol fumes.
The resulting spark set off the fumes, just like in Iain's caravan.