Isn't using a cell phone while pumping gas dangerous?

Question

I see lots of people doing that but isn't it dangerous and against the law?

Answer 1

a quote from mythbusters:

"A properly-working cell phone poses almost no danger of igniting gasoline..."

Notice the words *ALMOST NO DANGER* -- doesn't mean "no danger", in fact it means the opposite.  There is danger.

here's the deal:  liquid gasoline doesn't ignite...it's the vapor.  To get detonation, all you need is gasoline vapor mixed with air in the right concentration, and a source of spark.  It's not that difficult;  in fact, it happens thousands of times per minute right there under the hood of your car.

so you have to have vapors escaping the nozzle, just the right amount of wind, and then the phone has to perform an operation that causes an arc just at the right moment.

let's just say there's a very low probability, but if it happens it'll be very very painful.

nowadays (at least in cities with bad air quality) the gas pumps have vapor-capturing nozzles that lower the probability even further.

Answer 2

NO, its a myth.

Answer 3

Nope............the only thing that is dangerous is if you drop the cell phone and the battery should come out and strike the the ground causing a spark, this could ignite the flumes and this is true......

Answer 4

no it is not danderous or against the law. the tv show mythbusters did a show on this and could not get anything to happen

Answer 5

it has the potential to be dangerous. cell phones have a battery source and under certain conditions can or could produce a spark( batteries explode every day) causing an explosion. myth busters is not the sole authority on things like this. look at it this way you are surrounded by explosive fumes and you decide to energize a power source at your ear. its just not very smart. fuel your car, drive away, then make your phone call.