Accessory Mode While Pumping Gas

I'm glad you decided to engage this issue. On the surface, it may have seemed like I was advocating recklessness, but it was quite the opposite. I hope my point is being made that we need "smarter" rules and fewer "dumb" rules. Smart rules allow us to select the safest strategies without relying on countless, mindless rules, which seem to absolve us of the need to think for ourselves. Remember Chernobyl.

 

I've never disagreed with you, and I never thought you were advocating recklessness. However, I did get a sense, and I may be wrong here, that you have a certain view and perspective on this issue and feel that others should probably feel the same way. You may feel that the regulation of turning off a car while pumping gas is a dumb one. I don't think it's dumb at all, and in the end it doesn't really affect our lives, if at all. In other words, should you and I be the sole arbitors of what is "smarter" and what is "dumb"? That's why we have governments, for better or worse, which would bring us into whole other realm of debate that more than likely is not appropriate here at PriusChat.

 

I think governments should take the lead in finding and adopting strategies that work. I'm sure plenty of research exists which would show that proper risk-assessment results in fewer accidents. This runs counter to the notion that every time a hazard is believed to exist, it's time to create another rule for the pile, even though there may already be too many rules to follow. This is where fascism seems to rear it's ugly head, coming down hard on those who would like to have a "common-sense" discussion about fine-tuning the rules. Instead they are noted as "uncooperative" with regard to safety, even though they may have the safest attitude of all.

 

I'm somewhat of a hypocrite on the issue because I tell stories all the time about how fast I used to drive , emphasis on "used to". However, I always add a caveat that I'd never do that today because of how much more traffic there is, etc. FWIW, when it comes to arbitrary rules, I think speed limits rank right at the top. I'm just dumbfounded that someone has come up with justification to keep his engine running while filling it. Anyone can say a rule is dumb, until it isn't. If his car never catches on fire, then I guess he's right, it's a dumb rule. If it happens to someone else, but not him, I guess it's still a dumb rule. I still say that while I agree many rules are dumb and need to be revisited, breaking them is not the answer nor the smart thing to do. Besides, while the Prius probably isn't a problem, I sure don't want to be filling up while everyone else is and has they car running, just because of all the fumes. I'm not worried about a spark, I just don't want to inhale all the fumes. It's already bad enough at some stations, especially truck stops, just from all the vehicles coming and going.

 

Basically, I'm not convinced it matters much either way. That's what it amounts to.

 

I have to admit I agree, I just never thought about leaving my vehicle running on a regular basis. I just know that there have been fires at gas stations, for whatever reasons, and turning vehicles off seems like a good idea. Almost everyone speeds, including the cops, so how can speed limits not be arbitrary? Still, I get that we need some semblance of order and if they raise them, everyone will just go faster yet. But, you are right, once a rule, always a rule.

 

Here we go with the "I'm sure" again. Which means that you have another "made up" fact.

And you keep talking about "risk assessment" when it really is "risk/reward assessment".
When the reward is so small as to be practically non-existent, then it doesn't really matter that risk also is extremely small.

 

It's actually an evolving concept in the safety industry. New ways of assessing risks are much more effective than simple risk-avoidance.

A debate for another forum, I agree, but I made my point, for those who actually read it.

You shouldn't be making claims you can't support, such as I am "making up facts." It's the sort of behavior that causes your posts to be removed.

 

I always try to be one of our safety experts, and I have read everything I can get my hands on regarding refueling safety.

>>Basically, everything I've seen says to power Prius off completely. Now that you mention it, with previous cars, I am sure I've turned on the AUX after turning off the engine. I don't think many if any safety rules talk too much about that fine point. We'd have to ask Toyota for their official ruling for Prius, but I can imagine they would probably take the conservative approach.

>>By far the biggest issue is static electricity especially here in winter. Depending on the type of fabric you are wearing, you can charge yourself up pretty good with static, getting into and out of the car. Therefore try to be aware of this, and try to touch something before you touch the pump to discharge the static. Also the pump nozzle itself should always be in contact with the car or container to discharge static, because flowing gasoline and/or diesel just naturally creates static.

P.S.- OP with all due respect to Car Talk (and those guys were from MIT after all) I must assume they were not talking about modern PHEV/Hybrids unless that was a recent episode.

 

I ALWAYS shut my car off when filling with Petrol and keep the key in my pocket. For two reasons:

1. In case the car starts and there's a spark etc which could blow me into next week
2. In case someone jumps in and takes my car whilst I'm refuelling

I'm sure the chances of either happening is slim, but as I work on Insurance claims, I'm aware that SH1T does happen ..... all the time!

 

Got it. I'll shut my car off when I refuel. That wasn't the point of my original post, but the issue has shifted to something else entirely. If someone cares to go back and actually read it, that should be clear. My bad for thinking aloud.

 

There haven't been any new episodes of Car Talk since 2012 when the Magliozzi brothers retired:
Car Talk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here's their comments on fueling a standard car while in Accessory mode:
Blog Post | Is having the radio on when filling up a disaster waiting to happen? | Car Talk

 

Good article, ftl, particularly #4. I never would have thought of that. Probably doesn't take long enough to fill a Prius, but it sure did my old van.

 

...that's a quite thorough answer, and it's so funny the way they convey the info sort of informally.

 

I suspect that's a transcript of one of their radio show answers - they could hardly go a couple of sentences without having some fun.
It's so sad that the elder brother, Tom, died recently after suffering from Alzheimer's for the last few years. I would never have guessed from listening to them how old he was - 77 when he died:
Tom and Ray Magliozzi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blog Post | Tom Magliozzi 1937-2014 | Car Talk

 

Well, once again, you are coming at the issue purely from your personal perspective, assuming everyone is as intelligent, and "common sense" (or not) as you are. Just because you think it's common sense, doesn't mean everyone else does... or should. I think it's admirable that you are capable of assessing every situation with such careful attention before addressing a risk factor. And I really don't see these things as "fascist", a term I find to be loaded with implication and probbly should be used for more dire acts of oppression. Me? I'd rather spend more of my time enjoying life than worrying about about who's practicing "common sense", who isn't, and those horrible rules (e.g. turning off a car at a gas station) that are ruining our lives.

 

Thanks for your perspective. I suppose I might have suspected this topic would spark lively debate. For that reason, it should have been started in a more appropriate forum, and I wouldn't be surprised if the moderators move it. Just as I'm beginning to see the safety industry dividing along "risk-based" versus "hazard-based" lines, we are seeing it here also. I think it's a discussion that needs to continue, therefore I hope to pick it up in some future form, but not here.

 

Well stated, and I agree completely.