Why cant you use your mobile phone when filling up fuel/gas?

Question

Why cant you use your mobile phone when filling up fuel/gas?

Answer 1

In reality no your mobile wont cause a spark. The fuel companys are just playing safe.

You are more likely  to get a static spark by touching the bodywork on your car. It used to happen to me allot when I had a Nissan Bluebird. Something to do with the artificial fibres generating static when getting out of the car and then earthing through the car body. I used to get a big fat blue spark with a snap as loud as snapping your fingers. My wife thought it was hilariouse, but it realy hurt.

Answer 2

this is a very good question,

because if you dont know most mobile phone companies have repeater sender/receiver units built into the towers at loads of local garages just about everywhere,this is a favourite location for phone companies to install their signal "boosters"

so if the boosters are safe why not the phones,,

Answer 3

They say it can ignite fuel....Nope

Mythbuster=Myth busted

Answer 4

I suggest you you ignore most of the answers that you have had to this question so far.

Will a mobile phone, CB radio, Taxi radio or Police radio cause an explosion in a petrol station?

It will happen, it has happened and I sure with some of the "I know what I'm doing" Idiots out there in the world it will happen again, the antenna can generate both heat and sparks when transmitting and a mobile phone is constantly transmitting its location.

Here's something else for you to think about, if you went into a Spanish petrol station you are not allowed to have your radio/CD or your lights switched on.

Answer 5

seen mythbusters on tv ? they totally busted the myth a mobile ( cell ) phone will ignite any fuel vapour in whatever concentration . dunno what else phone could do though, maybe it could affect cash register but i doubt it.

Answer 6

cos as a bloke its very unlikely you can do two things at once

Answer 7

Because gas vapors are explosive, and even very minor electrical currents, like from a cell phone or flashlight could cause an explosion. It doesn;t happen often, but when it does, you won't live to tell about it.

Answer 8

A small spark from your phone can ignite the gas fumes and cause an explosion.

Answer 9

It's actually because it can upset the reading on the pump, so You could be undercharged, or overcharged.

Answer 10

The interfrence to the cashteller for one, fire risk,

Answer 11

Allegedly the phone could make a spark with it's 2 watts of power. Of course you must start your engine with a 700 watt starter motor before you drive off. Also allegedly the transmission could interfere with the pump electronics and give wrong measures. I think the rules were introduced in the CB craze when some breakers used illegally powerful 100 watt tranmitters

Answer 12

It would be possible to create an ignition capable spark with a cellular telephone by dropping the telephone in such a way that the battery is ejected and is short-circuited across its charging terminals thus igniting the fuel vapors.

Answer 13

combustible fumes ,sparks, and litigation paranoia.......warning...."Coffee is hot!".........I did have a friend who was working on his lawnmower in the basement, close to the furnace, and it ignited from the vapors and killed him in a horrible way. I would heed any warning about  vapors as I have seen where rags with solvents have spontaneously combusted in people garage causing fires. This happened to my neighbor across the street.So , in answer to your question, do you reallly have to make a call in those few minutes that you are fueling up? I think we are d**n phone crazy now days.Movies? Weddings? Cars? Excercising? Funerals? Church Services? I wouldn't be surprised if someone was buried with their phone and it rang while they were being lowered in the ground! LOL........

Answer 14

It is a fallacy where it is supposed that the phone may create a spark that ignites gas fumes. It has NEVER happened...but is used as a precaution.

Answer 15

cos it gives the little Hitler behind the till an ego trip cos if had any brains he wouldn't be working in a filling station think of one thing you are driving a hot internal combustion engine which renews its own electric power with an alternator it has a huge battery and enough electric and computer power to send the shuttle to the moon and they are worried about a poxy little battery on a mobile fine next you will have to turn off your lights stereo sat nav and push the car onto the forecourt

Answer 16

The possibility of static electricity discharge (sparking)  igniting fumes is the reason why it is prohibited.

Whether or not it has ever happened is not the question.   You can be cited in most places,   and the possibility exists.    Why test it?

Answer 17

The story is that, in at least one case (though I don't know it to be true), a person's mobile gave off a few sparks, when they answered it, which caused the fumes from the petrol to explode.

Dunno...but it sure makes a good fear-tactic.  The last time my mobile rang while I was filling up the tank, I about had a heart attack.

I'm fine, though,thanks: no permanent heart problems or fire damage!

Answer 18

Electric currents and the gas could ignite

Answer 19

one word - boom!

Answer 20

......................because petrol doesn't come out of a mobile phone?