Why are you ment to turn off your phone beside a petrol pump??

Question

if its because it might make a spark then how come you can start your engine beside a petrol pump

Answer 1

I think its a hangover from CB days, if you filled up and transmitted through a sizeable burner, it would mess up the electronic fuel quantity and price indicator, had quite a few £1 tankfulls that way.

Answer 2

because a static spark ie from clothing could cause a spark which could ignite fumes from the fuel in the forecourt

Answer 3

Because the pumps digital mechanism can be affected by it.

Answer 4

when you start your engine  the gasoline cap is on and your are finished pumping.. there are no fumes to ignite.. if you look at a gasoline pump on a hot day.. if you pump gas into a open container you can see the fumes coming  up it looks like somone is jugling the air.... now when you are fueling and a cell phone is used.. some of them like the motorola cause a spark every time you release the talk button. this is enough to ignite the fumes.. ok gilermo..

Answer 5

that's an urban legend that caught on.  your cell phone can not actually start a fire.  however, people believe it and that's why you see those signs.

the Mythbusters have proven the legend is false.  Isn't that show fun?  :D

Answer 6

I read in a report from the Petroleum Technology Institute, and from Shell, of recorded incidents such as:

A man put his cell phone on the trunk while fueling his car, his cell phone rang and both his vehicle and the pump were destroyed. He was lucky to jump away and prevent from being involved.

Another incident involved a man who had his cell phone in his pants pocket. While he was fueling up his vehicle, his cell phone rang and ignited the fumes which caused severe burns to the man's torso and groin area.

Another incident happened when a woman slid out of her vehicle, after entering it while her vehicle was being fuelled. The static electricity caused from doing this caused the fuel to ignite when she touched the pump handle to release it.

So, yes, it can happen to you.

Always touch your vehicle after exiting it at a gas pump to "ground" yourself and get rid of any static electricity, BEFORE attempting to fuel up your vehicle.

When you start your vehicle, you are sitting in it and you aren't exposing yourself so much to direct contact with fuel fumes.

Answer 7

Because some stupid **** though that if you phone rings it produces sparks like the old home phone bells used to.

Answer 8

I'm guessing because your cellphone battery could explode and unite a spark with the gas and then you'll have a big explosion.

You know your suppose to turn the engine off in the car when you pump gas also.

Better safe than sorry.

Answer 9

VHF radios put out enough power to fire a detonator. It has happened in quarries and in the Army lots of times. So I suppose someone panicked about mobile phones without realising they put out tiny amounts of power.

Answer 10

because for your phone screen to light up their needs to be a tiny surge or spark of electricity or static electricity this could be very dangerous

Answer 11

So that anyone on the other end does not hear the running fluid and have to dash to the loo. Or maybe it is a health and safety issue regarding possible sparks etc from phone making a little bang at pumps. The spark inside the engine is in a designed area for internal combustion.

Answer 12

you cant talk on your phone at the same time your pumping gas in your car

Answer 13

Nothing will happen but it has be proven that if the cell phones drops and the battery should come out and strike the ground then it could ignite the gas flumes.......

As for your question about starting your car, a spark from the ignition could also ignite the gas flumes as well but highly unlikely.

Answer 14

The idea is to lower the possibility of spark by static electricity.    

As a rule,  don't  walk away and touch the pump or nozzle when returning without first putting your hand on another part of the vehicle.     For example,  when returning,  put left hand on the door,   then grasp the nozzle to remove it.   Touching the car eliminates any static electricity you may be carrying.

Answer 15

Because some people would stand there talking on them while others sit queueing for ages...and i heard that they can interfere with the pumps electrics