Locking the gas pump in order to pump gas in the winter

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by AQUEMINI331

Hey, this is only my second winter out of the South! It's not like I grew up dealing with this weather.



I'm usually one who says that people complain about the cold too much, but when that wind hit me last night I said f*ck it. And besides that, it doesn't take 2 minutes to fill a car up. It's never taken less than five for me.


I still don't get it though. If there's a threat of static electricity what difference does it make if go inside for a few minutes versus standing outside. I can easily touch the car if I stay outside.


_

I only posted like 3 links.

[aragx6]

The reason it can be dangerous to get in an out of your car is that when you rub your bum against your cloth seat you build up static and if you don't discharge it before you touch the pump you can inadvertently cause an explosion. When you get out of your car you should ensure that you get out any static by shocking yourself on your door handle or something.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by aragx6

The reason it can be dangerous to get in an out of your car is that when you rub your bum against your cloth seat you build up static and if you don't discharge it before you touch the pump you can inadvertently cause an explosion. When you get out of your car you should ensure that you get out any static by shocking yourself on your door handle or something.

How is this any different from rubbing your bum against your cloth seat getting out of the car initially to pump gas? Is there something special about closing the door the second time you get out of your car that it won't discharge the electricity versus the first time? And what about those of us who have leather seats? Can we ignore this silly nonsense?

[aragx6]

It has nothing to do with the first or second time you get out of your car- I have no idea why people frown on that. Leather seats probably make it a lot less likely, but you probably still have carpet on your floor and that can make things staticky too.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Drover

How is this any different from rubbing your bum against your cloth seat getting out of the car initially to pump gas? Is there something special about closing the door the second time you get out of your car that it won't discharge the electricity versus the first time? And what about those of us who have leather seats? Can we ignore this silly nonsense?

Good points here.

[PAKennedy]

Originally Posted by Drover

How is this any different from rubbing your bum against your cloth seat getting out of the car initially to pump gas? Is there something special about closing the door the second time you get out of your car that it won't discharge the electricity versus the first time? And what about those of us who have leather seats? Can we ignore this silly nonsense?

The person carrying the electricity isn't the threat to spark the explosion, but rather that the static electricity builds inside the vehicle from all of the motion you make inside of it throughout your drive. It creates a static field around the exterior of the vehicle, with the metal that makes up much of cars acting as a closed circuit (Closed Doors=Closed Circuit; Open Doors=Open Circuit). When the circuit is incomplete, the energy the car was carrying needs to be discharged somehow, either through a shock on your hand, or through the hose that is also part of the circuit that leads to 1,000's of gallons of highly flammable gasoline.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by PAKennedy

The person carrying the electricity isn't the threat to spark the explosion, but rather that the static electricity builds inside the vehicle from all of the motion you make inside of it throughout your drive. It creates a static field around the exterior of the vehicle, with the metal that makes up much of cars acting as a closed circuit (Closed Doors=Closed Circuit; Open Doors=Open Circuit). When the circuit is incomplete, the energy the car was carrying needs to be discharged somehow, either through a shock on your hand, or through the hose that is also part of the circuit that leads to 1,000's of gallons of gasoline.

Thank you.