So, I had a funny thing happen at the gas station this morning...

[kalojado]

first, sorry for the lack of caps, im on my cell phone from work. so anyways, this morning on my way to work, i stop to get gas. being early sunday morning i was the only one at the pump at thw time. so, without really thinking, i start vaping away while im getting gas. next thing i know, i hear a very mean voice coming from the pump... 'sir, step away from the pump with that cigarette'. she sounded ....... so i start looking for a button to talk back, but couldnt find one, so i asked id she could hear me and very annoyingly she said 'yeah'. so i tell her its not a real cig, its an e-cig and there is no fire. i then looked toward the station and took a drag so she could see. but she still looked ...... and didnt reply. i was already runnibg behind for work, so i didnt fet a chance to go in and show it off. now im just hoping she didnt take down my plate and called the cops. not that i have anything to hide, but i just had a feeling she thought i was suspicious. you know, standing there in my shirt and tie and all. but anyways, i thought i would share that...

 

[Sad Society]

Some gas stations have signs that say not to use your cell phone while pumping gas, as it can cause a static charge. But I saw on Mythbusters that they tried it out and it was deemed very highly unlikely that you will start a gas fire with your cell phone or a static charge. The ecig has a battery just like a cell phone, so it could considered unsafe.

 

[yknotagain]

I too found myself vaping once while filling up - but stuck it in my pocket as soon as I realized it. I'm not taking any chances.

 

[KevinD872]

Some gas stations have signs that say not to use your cell phone while pumping gas, as it can cause a static charge. But I saw on Mythbusters that they tried it out and it was deemed very highly unlikely that you will start a gas fire with your cell phone or a static charge. The ecig has a battery just like a cell phone, so it could considered unsafe.

I saw that Mythbusters episode too (love that show) and fully agree that cell phones are of very very little to no threat at a gas pump. The biggest threat is static electricity (but would have nothing to do with a cell phone).

Now as far as the e-cig goes though..... while there is no cherry like on a traditional cigarette, there IS an atomizer inside that gets glowing hot. While I think the odds of a proper fuel/air mixture existing INSIDE your e-cig are slim to none while pumping gas, I probably wouldn't do it. I will use a cell phone though.

 

[Circuit]

I don't have a link to the story, but a few days after that Mythbusters episode, a cell phone ignited a fire at a gas station. AFAIK, this is the ONLY recorded case of this happening, but it is *possible* for cells to start fires. Personally, I don't take any chances. I like my skin at its current crispness level

Vaping at the pump isn't wise. As others mentioned, the coil gets red hot, and we know that the fumes are what ignites a gas fire, not the liquid. I had a friend in college that demonstrated this by putting cigarettes OUT in a pool of gasoline. I don't recommend that demo, but it was paradoxically cool!

 

[Elokin6]

I don't have a link to the story, but a few days after that Mythbusters episode, a cell phone ignited a fire at a gas station. AFAIK, this is the ONLY recorded case of this happening, but it is *possible* for cells to start fires. Personally, I don't take any chances. I like my skin at its current crispness level

Vaping at the pump isn't wise. As others mentioned, the coil gets red hot, and we know that the fumes are what ignites a gas fire, not the liquid. I had a friend in college that demonstrated this by putting cigarettes OUT in a pool of gasoline. I don't recommend that demo, but it was paradoxically cool!

I think you are talking about the New Paltz, NY gas station fire. The cell phone was ruled out as the cause of the fire a couple of years after the incident.

 

[LameBMX]

I saw that one too, guy on the gas truck using cellphone. but upon closeup inspection it was like his shirt or something that had the static spark. which boiled down to "dont get in or out of your vehicle while pumping gas" My old accent used to shock the piss out of me during winter. As for vaping at the gas station, I haven't really tried it. but then again im normally snacking while its filling up, no smoking or talking while trying to cram a chocolate iced custard filled doughnut down while topping the tank up.

 

[Bandit]

Don't be a dink. Vaping at a gas pump is just asking for trouble. Yes it looks like you're smoking. And yes it COULD be apossible hazard since there is ignition inside the atty.

 

[four2109]

I don't care. I am not going to be the idiot that provides the experiment that proves that the coil in the atomizer that glows red hot can ignite volatile fumes. That's just STUPID!!

 

[SLDS181]

I don't have a link to the story, but a few days after that Mythbusters episode, a cell phone ignited a fire at a gas station. AFAIK, this is the ONLY recorded case of this happening, but it is *possible* for cells to start fires. Personally, I don't take any chances. I like my skin at its current crispness level

No cell phone has ever caused a fire at a gas station. Scientists have attempted to reconstruct this, and been unable to.

Static electricity is on the surface, which is why it could potentially be a problem, more so with older gas stations (older equipment). You can read about it from the Petroleum Equipment Institute here: PEI Safety-Stop Static Campaign

Are Cell Phones Responsible?
No. We have not documented a single incident that was caused by a cellular telephone.

Cell phones continue to be cited as causing fires at the pump in e-mails circulating on the Internet. So far, we have been unable to document any incidents that were sparked by a cellular telephone. In fact, many researchers have tried to ignite fuel vapors with a cell phone and failed.

PEI still advises against using any electronic device that might distract the motorist during the refueling process.

The primary concern with use of electronics equipment is in the last sentence - distraction while refueling.

 

[KevinD872]

The primary concern with use of electronics equipment is in the last sentence - distraction while refueling.

And oddly enough, this is also a primary concern while DRIVING!

 

[Fredrick]

This happened today:

"[The victim] said it erupted in a ball of fire," Pollio said. "We're pretty sure the cell phone did not start it."



Gas station pump explodes in Coconut Creek; one man injured -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

 

[cpcp68]

There is a way to start a cell phone related fire, but the cell phone is not the primary cause. Suppose one leaves the phone in the car and starts pumping gas. The phone rings and the person goes to sit in the car to have a conversation on the phone. A minute later the tank is full and naturally, one goes back to the pump to finish. At this point it is entirely possible that the static electricity accumulated while sitting in the car could discharge and ignite the fumes. If the person has the phone still in hand, it will certainly look as if the phone caused the accident. In this example, this is true only indirectly; any other reason for returning and sitting for a while in the car could have caused it.

 

[Hurricane Eric]

Gasoline and gasoline fumes need a spark to ignite. The cherry off a cig and the red hot atty won't do it with the exception of Deisel it could be ignited off the atty but even then not the fumes. I had a friend in High School that would pull up to Sonic evey Friday, open the tank on his bike and put his cig out in the gas. He got a lot of attention and never had a problem. For those of us ex smokers and future ex smokers the danger of ignition of gas is when you inhale sometimes there is a small spark from all the oxygen rushing in I've seen it plenty of times taking a drag and it looks like it's on fire. Any I'm not the smartest person in the world this is just what I've seen. Like I've smoked a cigarette while laying on my back under a car pulling a gas tank out and never worried about it but that's just me.

 

[boondongle]

Did you spend your high school years doing stupid and dangerous things that by all rights should have gotten you killed several times over? I did.

At one point, I was trying to toss a lit cigarette into a puddle of gasoline to get it to ignite. I wasted a bunch of cigarettes doing that -- they just kept going out when they hit the gasoline. The only way I eventually got it to light up was by taking a drag just a few inches away from the gasoline, then spitting the cig into the puddle. That did the trick, and left me without eyebrows for a while.

So anyway, I'm thinking that the chances of an electronic cigarette doing the job are pretty low.

 

[AngusATAT]

I vape like a fiend in my car when I'm driving, so I don't really feel the need to puff away for the small amount of time it takes to fill up my tank. Also, I really wouldn't want to deal with anyone who might flip out over "smoking" at the pumps.

 

[Mister]

I don't give a toss about logic regarding this incident. Vaping while filling up with gas is obviously a bad way to initiate a discussion about or demonstration of the wonders of e-cigs vs smoking. Stupid move. And, if you happen to be the one in a zillion fluke case who ignites the gas for any reason, you're going to severely affect my chances of being accepted as a vaper in future. I don't care if you blow yourself up while being an idiot but please don't take actions which may affect my chance of being accepted.

 

[ramblingrose]

I don't give a toss about logic regarding this incident... please don't take actions which may affect my chance of being accepted.

We're looking for acceptance -- not notoriety.

 

[ProfessorDaffy]

Some gas stations have signs that say not to use your cell phone while pumping gas, as it can cause a static charge. But I saw on Mythbusters that they tried it out and it was deemed very highly unlikely that you will start a gas fire with your cell phone or a static charge. The ecig has a battery just like a cell phone, so it could considered unsafe.

Just to be on the safe side, when I vape while pumping gas I also take out my cell phone, laptop, and mp3 player. You just line them up on the truck of the car and see how red you can get the cashier's face to turn.

--Prof Daffy
P.S. Working at a gas station is something you have to apply for. It's voluntary not mandatory. However, it would be a great part time job! I could hand out e-cig business cards with every cigarette purchase made and vape behind the counter and I dine on Hostess cupcakes and Coca-Cola Slurpees!
P.P.S. I think I now know what I want to be when I grow up!