Is it safe to fill up when car is ON?

I wouldn't leave a baby in a running car under any condition. Just open the window, shut off the car, gas and go. The tank on the Prius is so small, that it fills faster than any car I've driven. Every station I've ever seen has some kind of roof, to shade from sun. The five minutes it takes to re-fill shouldn't be any big deal if the windows are open.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sparkstack @ Jun 13 2007, 10:10 PM) [snapback]461319[/snapback]</div>

Sarcasm != logical discussion.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IAO @ Jun 14 2007, 01:56 PM) [snapback]461774[/snapback]</div>

It's called minimizing risk. Having your car running while pumping gas does not cause it to explode. <_<


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 14 2007, 02:15 PM) [snapback]461789[/snapback]</div>

Wrong. I've seen more race car drivers catch on fire than people at gas stations.

Additionally, I HAVE been in attendance when a gas station exploded and burned to the
ground. It was due to a car backfire.

But as I said before, go ahead and leave your car running if you want to. Natural selection
should take care of the rest. :blink:

 

Well, Patrick, since you have seen a race car and a gas station burst into flames, perhaps you are a carrier of bad luck. So, it seems that natural selection is already taking its course. :lol:

BTW, was the car that was being refueled the one that burst into flames due to the backfire? How exactly did it burst into flames -- was there gas on the ground? I need more details.

Finally, your experience is purely anecdotal. It means nothing more than my experience of never seeing a gasoline fire caused by a car running during refueling.

 

Half of the times when people say "just to be safe" means my fear overcomes my logic.

Fear is a powerful emotion and is evolutionarily conserved. The power of humans to comprehend and use logic is at war with fear however I still have an irrational fear of heights.

It's a balance for every one of us.

Patrick is afraid to leave his car on and wants to rationalize his fear. What's the big deal? People rationalize millions of things from god to war to anything...

 

Time to point out a few mistakes in some of the thinking.

1) Where does it end? If I don't turn the car off, do I have to set the parking brake? No rule there. Do I have to put it in Park? No rule there either. Do I have to remove the key? No rule there. Why in fact, it does not even say the car has to be stopped. It never occurred to me that turning off your car would be questioned so vigorously.

2) Leave the car on..... The baby will eventually become a toddler and then a kid. One day with the car on and the parking brake not applied, the kid will take that fun lever that everyone always grabs and pull it up or down. Assuming nothing disasterous, the next time the parent will pull into a gas station, set the parking break, turn off the car, get everyone out,...and then put wheel chalks all wheels before filling up.

3) Fuel lines crack, electrical lines fray, the driver behind you may inadvertently bump your car while refueling, causing who knows what to happen. (In that case it is entirely his fault and my car running is of no concern?)

4) When the Prius is off the HV voltages are disconnected from the cars HV wiring and inverter.

5) Most Gas Station pavements are soaked with gas.

6) But most important to me is that I consider other peoples safety before my convenience. Thanks to all out there that do the same.

Please set the parking brake, put the car in park, and turn it off. If you have a kid or baby, also remove the key, this locks the transmission in park, keeping your kid safer.

 

Turning the vehicle off while refueling is all about risk mitigation. Will the car explode or catch on fire? Under ideal conditions probably not, but if something goes wrong it will give you a safety buffer. Is the risk worth the possible consequences? If the 1 in 1 billion chance something goes wrong and someone gets hurt what would you say? "oops sorry did not think that would happen. Tough luck you got hurt."? Would you take that as an answer if someone did it and you were the victim?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Jun 13 2007, 06:35 PM) [snapback]461175[/snapback]</div>

Oh FFS...what are we talking about here - five minutes? At most?

Turn the car off. Five minutes of Precious being ever so slightly uncomfortable is far less than going boom.

 

It takes less than 5 minutes to pump and pay for gas, so I think you and your baby can survive with the car off. In addition, all gas pumps I know are under the shade and your car should be cool already before your turn it off. A bottom line is that you just need to stop being a diva.

 

I have a 700KB wmv file that shows clearly HOW static is generated... If anyone can host PM me.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ystasino @ Jun 14 2007, 04:09 PM) [snapback]461847[/snapback]</div>

OK. How about "just not to be stupid". Does that sound better?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ystasino @ Jul 3 2007, 11:42 PM) [snapback]472771[/snapback]</div>

Static? Like E-mag static? My Mom gave me static once, is that what the file is about?

The world has known 'clearly' how a static charge imbalance is generated for several hundred years now.

 

I told myself I wasn't going to get into this thread but I couldn't help it. For the record, I DO turn off while I'm pumping gas but I think it's entirely unnecessary. I think it was already brought up before but, what if someone drives into the station while you are pumping gas? Should we quickly button up our tank while the offending newcomer to the station has his engine running? Are we going to go as far as not allowing ANY engines to run within 50-100' if ANYONE is currently pumping gas. How silly would it look for the station to have a sign that read, "Station temporarily closed due to gasoline being pumped."? I think there would be far more danger from static discharge than an engine running in a gas station. Even so, how many station fires have you heard of from static discharge? Sorry for the rant.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patrickindallas @ Jul 4 2007, 01:31 AM) [snapback]472787[/snapback]</div>

Have you ever watched the caveman ads?

 

I almost never turn off the car when I fill up, so watch for an eventual news report of a horrendous gas station explosion. I'll make sure to take a few SUVs with me

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Presto @ Jul 7 2007, 07:49 AM) [snapback]474615[/snapback]</div>

I can see the headlines now - Prius suicide bomber takes out SUVs

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Jul 8 2007, 11:05 PM) [snapback]475303[/snapback]</div>

...and then goes on to point out that the suicide bomber could have done it cheaper in a Yaris.

Tom

 

ROTFLMAO