1st experience being viewed as a smug prius owner

Ah... see.. since she left her car on and completly ignored the "turn ignition off" sign above her, the fumes have proceeded into her brain via the ear not protected by her cell phone.

it happens to the best of us. good thing our ICE turns off all by itself. hehe.

 

I heard somewhere that cell phones could possibly ignite the fumes with a spark.

Don't know if it's true, but if so the problem would take care of itself.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmatic @ Jan 29 2007, 03:14 PM) [snapback]382510[/snapback]</div>

Well. I've made that mistake with my Prius of forgetting it was on the last time I filled up. I didn't realize it until I got back in the car. That's one problem with a car that doesn't make any sound when just sitting.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmatic @ Jan 29 2007, 03:14 PM) [snapback]382510[/snapback]</div>

Well as long as they aren't hurting other people, maybe it is just best to ignore them...

The reason for shutting off the engine is to cover the scenario where the engine creates a spark (outside of the engine) or backfire which ignites the fumes while re-fueling. The second reason for shutting off the engine is to cover the scenario where the vehicle is not in park or the parking brake is not on and the vehicle moves while being refueled.

As far as using a cell phone while refueling, I have never heard of any incident where the cell phone generated a spark and started a fire. Has anybody else reading this forum ever heard of this type of anomaly??? (Cell phones do not generate high-power electromagnetic radiation and therefore are not very susceptible to causing this type of anomaly.)

Keith

 

I remember seeing the first "turn of cell phones" sign at a gas station. It was in Mexico, about a year before the first time I saw such a sign in a U.S. station (now I see them at every station). I asked the guy I was with (who was Mexican) why; he said because the cell phone can cause a spark, and if gas fumes are in the air, FOOM! I thought it made sense; however, according to Snopes, this doesn't happen.

 

Darn. There for a minute I thought you were going to tell me she lit a cigarette and burned her car to the ground or some other Darwin-pleasing ending.

 

I think the MythBusters show de-bunked the cell phone + gas fumes theory.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Jan 29 2007, 07:37 PM) [snapback]382626[/snapback]</div>

Hi Stev0,

Thanks for the comment and reference to the web site.

As an electronics engineer (with a background in radio communications among other things), I just don't see how a cell phone could create enough electromagnetic energy which could ionize the air around the cell phone antenna and create a discharge (spark). If this were possible, I think that all of us who use cell phones would have other issues to deal with - like brain damage due to electromagnetic radiation slowly cooking part of the brain next to the cell phone (like a microwave oven). That doesn't seem to be a problem, so the probability of using a cell phone and creating a spark is extremely low.

Keith

 

CELL PHONES = HAZARD!

I realize that in normal use, cell phones don't emit sparks. HOWEVER - try accidently slipping a dime or penny into the slot where your recharging cord goes. A year ago, I had my cell phone in my pants pocket along with some spare change. I suddenly realized that something in my pocket was very hot! I pulled my cell phone out & discovered a penny in that slot. I surmise that maybe it somehow shorted something. If that's true, maybe there might have been a spark when that coin first made contact?

(Luckly, the phone survived!)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(fphinney @ Jan 30 2007, 12:49 AM) [snapback]382676[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, I've heard of Hot Pockets ...

 

I usually hit the emergency pump stop when I see folks doing that. I know I know, I'm a jerk for it. BUt it makes me mad that someone will take chances with MY health. If there are sufficient fumes present and they do ignite chances are good that both the guilty person and myself will be hurt.

people that drink and go hunting don't see anything wrong about that ether.

 

As others have already pointed out, she is an idiotic potential sucide bomber. :blink:

If I had the authority and time machine to do it, I'd briefly lecture her on "if you live in the 21st century, you better pay attention to using the gadgets", then send her on a one-way trip to the Stone Age.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tech_Guy @ Jan 29 2007, 11:32 PM) [snapback]382647[/snapback]</div>

I use a sell fone and I don't tink I got no drain bramage.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmatic @ Jan 29 2007, 06:14 PM) [snapback]382510[/snapback]</div>

you'd think she'd have the whole refueling thing figured out now, what with going there all the time to fill up that suv

but screw her, if she's going to generalize based on what you drive she's no better than one who generalizes based upon any other detectable factor.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tech_Guy @ Jan 29 2007, 08:32 PM) [snapback]382647[/snapback]</div>

This is slightly off-topic, but a funny story nonetheless. I am an amateur radio operator. A "ham" friend of mine once was refueling, and while that was in progress, he made a call on his 10-meter mobile rig. The (electronic) pump was apparently not designed for a high-RF environment, and it reset, losing the stored data (that is, how much my friend owed for the gas). My friend was honest and told the attendant, who couldn't figure out what had happened and didn't ask my friend to pay anything. So my friend got his gas for free that day.

I can well believe that THIS is the real reason for the "turn cell phones off" signs, and not because of a danger of sparks igniting gas fumes.

In any case, I doubt cell phones would even do what my friend's 10M rig (100 watts) did, since cell phones output about 1 watt max. I think the cell phone thing is an urban legend.

Leaving the engine running while refueling, though, is just plain stupid. That's MUCH more likely to cause a problem.

 

What I usually do when I finish filling up my Prius (2003) is, I look at the pump, then the receipt, then I start ranting and raving something like:

"WHAT!! It took 6 gallons!! (or 3 or 5) I can't believe it! This is costing me a fortune!" or "What! $10 to fill up! What robbery!!"

Of course it is better when there is an SUV filling up right next to me standing there for 15 mins putting in 25 gallons.

 

The Mythbusters actually became impatient as they couldn't ignite gas vapour with the cell phone, so they resorted to shorting the cellphone batteries. Still no ignition, though they did trash a few batteries.

Once, I decided to be a jerk, and reported to the cashier the filling of a tank with the engine running. The cashier pressed the shutoff button and admonished the idiot filling his running vehicle. When he became belligerent, he was threatened with police action. He calmed down very quickly. They take this "rule" very seriously at most gas stations. Fires are NOT appreciated!

 

This story capsulizes the problem on the roads (safety and fuel economy).

Many like this Hyundai SUV driver choose to go about life in a frustrated trancelike state - not giving a flip about any problems she may cause. That and so many people that are obsessed with been seen in a gas guzzler because it's cool, macho, etc....

 

I'll leave it to each of you to decide whether a cell phone might spark and ignite a fire while fueling. However, according to this story:

Teen Burned When Cell Phone Catches Fire it can happen.