Car running while filling it....

[Randum]

So I hear this story from my mom about someone leaving the car running while filling it at the station, is this illegal? opinions?

 

[FoBoT]

most if not all states require you to turn off the motor of vehicles while fueling

it is a safety issue, i believe

 

[TheHunley]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
most if not all states require you to turn off the motor of vehicles while fueling

it is a safety issue, i believe

Yeah... I was nearly tackled while talking on a cell phone and filling up my tank... Never thought to read the signs on the pump... Lazy Americans like myself need to be dragged out and beaten.

I've always just thought it a bad idea to leave the engine on while filling up so I never have, but it sounds more like one of those common sense things to me.

 

[spidey07]

AFAIK it's illegal, although you see it all the time.

What can happen? An explosion or fire.

Same reason you aren't supposed to fill up containers without placing them on the ground first. BOOM!

 

[Howard]

I'm guessing not much?

 

[Gunslinger08]

Realistically? You're not going to blow up anything. Same with talking on your cell phone. When was the last time your entire gas tank exploded while you were driving down the road? Some people just like to spoil our fun.

 

[Randum]

yeah my mom just flippd out about cause the gas station attendent just said , "so what?"

 

[SampSon]

Fire is probably the biggest danger.

 

[deepred98]

sparks therefore fire or explosions

 

[shabby]

I dont see how filling up with the car running is going to cause an explosion. The only way the gas tank is going to catch fire is from static, im sure you've all see that video of the woman getting out from the car and rubbing her sweater.
Not even cellphones will do anything, mythbusters proved that.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Randum
yeah my mom just flippd out about cause the gas station attendent just said , "so what?"

There's tons of videos out there about explosions that can happen.

Think about it - your car isn't grounded. There are gasoline fumes in the air. Spark = KABOOM!

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Randum
yeah my mom just flippd out about cause the gas station attendent just said , "so what?"

There's tons of videos out there about explosions that can happen.

Think about it - your car isn't grounded. There are gasoline fumes in the air. Spark = KABOOM!

correct, and that has nothing to do with the engine running.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Randum
yeah my mom just flippd out about cause the gas station attendent just said , "so what?"

There's tons of videos out there about explosions that can happen.

Think about it - your car isn't grounded. There are gasoline fumes in the air. Spark = KABOOM!

If a spark from your engine could ignite the fuel in your gas tank, you wouldn't even make it to the gas station.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Analog

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Randum
yeah my mom just flippd out about cause the gas station attendent just said , "so what?"

There's tons of videos out there about explosions that can happen.

Think about it - your car isn't grounded. There are gasoline fumes in the air. Spark = KABOOM!

correct, and that has nothing to do with the engine running.

What if there is something faulty with the car's electrical system? That law is there for a reason and not some inconvience.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: shabby
I dont see how filling up with the car running is going to cause an explosion. The only way the gas tank is going to catch fire is from static, im sure you've all see that video of the woman getting out from the car and rubbing her sweater.
Not even cellphones will do anything, mythbusters proved that.

Mythbusters isn't exactly a scientificly solid show. It's entertaining, sure, but I doubt their testing methods would be good enough to meet government standards.

I figure that the reason would be to minimize the risk of severe injury should the gas tank ignite. If the pump is going, perhaps burning gasoline could get into the engine. Then you suddenly could have fire coming from both ends of the car.
That's just a guess though.
I figure that if it was perfectly safe, gas distributors would encourage leaving your car run - more runtime = more gas sold.

 

[sygyzy]

Are we talking about cell phones or running engines here? Cell phones are fine!

 

[scorpmatt]

car vibrations could cause the rattling of the gas nozzle inside the filler tube. both are metal. it is possible for the metal on metal vibrations to cause a spark in the filler tube. From this, you can guess what happens next.

Although realistically, I think they tell people not to have the engines running because people like to drive off with their hoses still in the filler tube.

 

[Randum]

i still dont understand why there is a law in place, is it just the idea of maybe the car moving out of park maybe? Is it because they dont want you leaving your car running while not in it?

 

[mercanucaribe]

Same as using a cell phone or laptop on a plane. The end of Western civilization.

 

[mb]

FWIW my friend fills up his truck (diesel) while it's running. He says it's safe to do it with diesel.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: TheHunley

Originally posted by: FoBoT
most if not all states require you to turn off the motor of vehicles while fueling

it is a safety issue, i believe

Yeah... I was nearly tackled while talking on a cell phone and filling up my tank... Never thought to read the signs on the pump... Lazy Americans like myself need to be dragged out and beaten.

I've always just thought it a bad idea to leave the engine on while filling up so I never have, but it sounds more like one of those common sense things to me.

Well, the 'cell phone static discharge' is full of crap with very little basis in scientific fact.

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

 

[TheHunley]

Originally posted by: beer

Originally posted by: TheHunley

Originally posted by: FoBoT
most if not all states require you to turn off the motor of vehicles while fueling

it is a safety issue, i believe

Yeah... I was nearly tackled while talking on a cell phone and filling up my tank... Never thought to read the signs on the pump... Lazy Americans like myself need to be dragged out and beaten.

I've always just thought it a bad idea to leave the engine on while filling up so I never have, but it sounds more like one of those common sense things to me.

Well, the 'cell phone static discharge' is full of crap with very little basis in scientific fact.

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

Yeah, but if only I could have gotten a video of this lady coming out of the gas station yelling "Sir, please get off of the phone as it may cause AN EXPLOSION!" Not really necessary to say, but all eyes were then on me as though I had C4 strapped to my chest, lol. Crazy people these days....

 

[Jawo]

Running your car while filling up is just stupid....not much gas, or fumes + short in car/something else nearby for carboom

And yest he cellphone thing has happened...can't find the article now.....

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Randum
i still dont understand why there is a law in place, is it just the idea of maybe the car moving out of park maybe? Is it because they dont want you leaving your car running while not in it?

And we have a winner. If a car slips out of gear there's a big risk at a gas station, probably a big fuel spill, and possibly the person filling the car having his or her feet run over.

The other reason is that modern cars will trigger the check engine light if the fuel system cannot maintain pressure, so filling a modern car while it is running will result in the check engine light turning on because the car will register a failure in the evaporative emissions control system.

ZV

 

[Shyatic]