Engine off when gassing up?

They are free to pass by or pull into the next stall. The fuel pump nozzles do a very good job at removing gasoline vapors ONCE out of the fuel tank. I urge you to do a bit more research and expand your knowledge on this topic before we continue this thread. Let me try one last time explaining it in layman's terms, you are leaving an ignition source if your car is ON. It can be argued that cars passing by are also an ignition source, but you are multiply that risk even further by leaving your own engine ON and opening your self to other variables (proximity, electrical systems, etc). As I have stated before, the risk is very low if ANY, but it still does not give you he right to put others at risk because of your ignorance and stupidity.

The risk of contracting HIV for heterosexual couples is very low (2 per 10,000). Would you have unprotected sex with a random stranger? Probably not.

 

I wouldn't have unprotected sex with a stranger, but it's not primarily due to my fear of the risk of HIV. There may be reasons why someone would want to have their engine off while refueling, there are many good reasons. But believing that your engine will blow you up because it's running while you're refueling shouldn't be the reason.

I think it's awesome that you feel that I'm both ignorant and stupid regarding refueling safety. Hot fueling happens for helicopters and airplanes (that's when they don't turn the engines off) all the time without it being an issue. Do you also think that if you leave your iPad on while the airplane is taking off that the pilots will lose all control and you'll crash?

According to your premise, when I'm refueling my car, there is a chance (you mention it's very low, I would agree) that my engine can be an ignition source. Because of the fuel I'm putting into my car. But based on that theory, I should be very, very afraid of the fuel that's already in my tank. Because that's where the fuel I'm pumping is going. Into my tank. Where, apparently, if my engine was on, it might catch on fire? really? Then I guess once we turn the engines off, we really shouldn't turn them back on, we might ignite it!

 

Nice work... Couldn't of said it better myself... Some people are just not smart enough to live a long life...

 

This is an interesting thread, although it does seem to be hard to come by good information.

IIRC, best safety practices recommend that a person discharge static electricity from their body by touching the car before they refuel. This suggests to me that at least one mechanism of igniting a petrol vapor is a pretty low level electrical spark, so this would be my argument for turning off a Prius: who wants to be in the same area as a petrol aerosol cloud and a high voltage system ?

I'd guess that a well functioning car has very contained spark in the ICE, and no electrical leak. I for one would not care to find out that my car has a problem while I am refueling. Lazy as I am, I can tolerate the hassle of pushing a button once before I drive off.

 

...it is possible to snuff out a fire of a flammable gas/liquid by putting more flammable material there to exlcude the oxygen. Don't try this at home, however.

Here's yet more safety tips, saying shut the car off. I like the GetGo rules because GetGo realizes it has some responsibility to supervise and require motorists being unsafe to comply. If it was private industry and we had workers with unsafe practices, we would discipline the workers as necessary to get control of safety. What's missing in this case is supervision, so each person refueling is under self-discipline.

Self-service gasoline probably never made sense from a safety perspective. In NJ, I sometimes forget to turn my engine off because I am so confused to have the attendant running up to fill my car. But the first thing they say is turn your car off please sir.

GetGo Gas Stations
Our Commitment to Safety - GetGo

Our Commitment to Safety - GetGo


NFTA: NFPA :: Safety Information :: For consumers :: Vehicles :: Service station safety :: Service station safety tips

 

Are you sure its not an issue, rather than a case of less volatile fuels combined with better control of ignition sources and better procedures?

Do you think that these have been certified to aviation safety standards? Do you think that EMI problems have never caused aviation fatalities? If so, and if I end up in the same hospital room as you as a result of my efforts in assisting the crew to shut off your unapproved devices, I'll google a list and make you read it.

The fuel inside the tank isn't the problem.

 

...some insights

Gasoline and jet fuel have different concerns. Gasoline has the issue of high vapor pressure (flammable vapors) so the tank is full of vapors (no air). The vapors are heavier than air and can sink to the ground. Jet fuel/kerosene is heavier (much less vapor), but this allows the possibility of air/vapor (explosive) mixture in a confined space (eg; fuel tank).

 

Some people need to have something blow up in their face before they realize that very something is dangerous.

"Wise men learn by other men's mistakes, fools by their own."
-- H. G. Wells

 

but, i can see why the question would be asked about a car that shuts the ice off most of the time when not moving.

 

I think the NFTA guidelines sort of answer that, they say:

• If you must use any electronic device, such as cell phones, computers or portable radios while refueling, follow manufacturer's instructions.

I don't think I see anything in my Gen-2 Toyota manual about safe refueling practices for the Prius, except they say the gas tank cap must be removed slowly in case it is under pressure.

 

In my manual, 2012 Prius liftback, the first step of refueling is to turn off the power switch and close all windows and doors. Page 131.

 

wow, this thread got a little out of hand. clearly i am in the wrong, and i will pay dearly for it someday when my ICE randomly starts up and immediately causes a fireball consuming myself and everyone else at the gas station. that'll be the day hey hey, that i die

 

Its a good thread...safety is an excellent discussion topic.

 

I think you should turn your engine off while having unprotected sex with a stranger too, unless playing the radio is absolutely essential to the activity.

 

What is the benefit of leaving it on?

 

It avoids the warmup cycle. But more importantly you get to be that guy/gal that entertains the whole gas station with you sweeta$$ music

 

It may be possible to shorten the warmup cycle by not drving too fast to the station exit.