Filling up the car the other day I noticed a sign (which I think you see less frequently these days) asking people not to use mobile phones on the forecourt.
As I walked over to the office to pay I blipped the remote control to lock the car.
I don't know if you can set petrol vapour alight with a mobile phone signal, but if that signal is unsafe, how come all the little radio signals opening and closing doors are ok?
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It's not so much the mobile phone signal that will ignite the petrol, it's the dropping of the phone and the possible spark as the battery falls out which is why they prefer you didn't use one on the forecourt.
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Does anyone know if there has ever been a case of a petrol station or a car being set on fire by a mobile phone? I would have thought it happens less frequently than alien abductions. :)
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Yes, there was a case in America where a guy dropped his 'cell' phone whilst fuelling and as DD said it was a battery spark that caused the flash fire not an RF issue. I can not remember when but phones were a lot bigger then that's for sure. Regards Peter
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At the garage where I used to work, the workshop foreman would occasionally serve on the forecourt.
It was his chance to have a ciggy.
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It's not so much the mobile phone signal that will ignite the petrol
It's more that the distraction of the phone conversation will lead to the customer putting more fuel in their car than they had planned or budgeted for, or that they will fail to keep the pump nozzle properly inserted in the filler neck and splash a few litres of very unpleasant diesel oil/petroleum spirit all over the car, the floor and their clothes.
If you're worried about the risk of your locking remote igniting fuel vapours, remember that every time you start the car engine you're activating a powerful starter solenoid, a heavy-duty electric starter motor and a distributor feeding thousands of volts through easily-shorted wires to the spark plugs, all of which is open to the vapour-laden atmosphere of a filling station.
I was installing signs at a filling station once when two builders arrived in a van. One of them went into the shop whilst the other began filling the van with fuel, whilst on the phone, AND smoking a roll-up....
Dave TD
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>> It's not so much the mobile phone signal that will ignite the petrol It's more that the distraction of the phone conversation will lead to the customer putting more fuel in their car than they had planned
or, to combine this with another thread, maybe they will put the wrong fuel in their tank?!
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Its the people who park too far away from the pumps blocking the pumps opposite for another car,put in the wrong fuel,get cash back but their card is rejected so have to use another one,then get their loyalty card out for points,then remember they need some sweeties for their journey,then saunter back to their car with all the time in the world and then stand in front of their car to read their receipt,they then get in their car but spend 5 minutes putting on their seat belts while talking to someone else in car,they finally start their engines,pull forward 5 feet but stop again to get a sweetie out of the glovebox,they then set off again and i can finally refuel
now what was the question again?
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BB, I salute you as a kindred spirit, when I grumble about these very things my wife/daughter/son all say I am a miserable grumpy old pink fluffy dice and should be more laid back, and what's my big hurry anyway?
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 07/09/2009 at 00:09
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