On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 13:33:06 -0800, Guy Macon wrote:

"John Michael Williams" wrote:

Thus, it appears it is not feasible to create a
hazardous spark with a CB at a gas station.

So, I think sliding over on a car seat, and thus generating a
possible static charge, would be more likely to ignite gasoline
vapor than talking on a cell phone while refueling.

Excellent set of experiments! I heartily approve of anyone who
does an experiment rather than taking someone's word.

Yeah. Amazing how much BS gets foisted on people.

Your methodology seems sound to me.

You might try putting a couple of drops of gasoline on a ceramic
plate and seeing if your wire is making a spark too small to see
but large enough to ignite the gasoline.

It's the vapor you want to try to ignite, so conditions will vary
depending on the wind. temperature, and pump rate which iis coutered
by the new vapor recovery systems installed on pumps.

I think the dangling plug wire is more dangerous than even smoking
at the pump. Ever throw a lit cigarette in a pail of gas. The cig
gets extinguished.

Another way of looking at it is with statistics. How many people
talk on cell phones while refueling? How many fuel fires occur?

---------------------------------------------------------------

|'Doc says...

|Turning off cell phones and radios seems like a reasonable
|precaution while fueling, I don't have a problem with that.
|I also don't understand why anyone else would either.

You don't understand why someone might be unwilling to miss
an incoming call when there is no apparent benefit?


--
Best Regards,
Mike