Mobile phones in petrol stations

[libby1980]

Why can't you use your mobile in a petrol station? Is it actually dangerous to anyone?

[RATTER15]

I dont know if you watched a programme on the telly a few weeks ago about this subject, they actually tried to ignite petrol and petrol/gas mixes under scientific tests by phoning these mobiles whilst sealed in containers with loads of different petrol gas mixes and could not get ignition no matter what they done, so I would be happy to use one whilst filling my tank but if the garage says no its a no!!

[Top_Gooner]

look here

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?articl e=13339

[jake-the-peg]

For a more reliable source than Brainiacs the BBC quote Dr. Adam Burgess at the University of Kent.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/436633 7.stm

Seems like it came about by a bit of a knee jerk reaction to Piper Alpha.

I think static electricity is a greater risk

[Loosehead]

It's total myth but you still get the garages reacting like you've just planted a bomb if you do answer a call.

[ugly_bob]

personally, I've always thought it was due to the minescule risk of them interfering with the pumps, causing free petrol.
But I've always been a bit cynical like that.

[fo3nix]

If you go into a dark room with a simple circuit connecting a battery to a bulb and break the circuit you'll see a very small flash of light around the place you broke the circuit. This small flash is enough to ignite petrol fumes. Mobiles have a very similar circuit to connect the transmitter when making a call.

That's why they're not allowed.

(However I do have my doubts about the current technology inside a mobile phone; most with phones just leave them in their pocket but left on, and they do periodically check their status with the network, using the transmitter.)

[EverClean]

Mobile phones when receiving a call generate "white heat" which when in an area of petrol vapour mixed with in the correct quantity of air can ignite it. I used to work for BP on the forecourts and there were approx. 200 incidents on our forecourts last year where vapour was ignited.

It's not something that I would do.

[jake-the-peg]

Isn't the switch in mobile phones solid state?

There is no evidence of any mobile phone anywhere ever causing a forecourt fire.

There are a number of cases of static doing it there's even a security film here of it happening:

http://www.pei.org/static/index.htm

[jake-the-peg]

Everclean were any of those 200 incidents traced to mobile phones?

This is an Australian Government report

http://www.cellular-news.com/white_papers/stat ic_fires.pdf#search=%22Dr%20Adam%20Burgess%20m obile%20phones%20switch%22

It pretty roundly condems the notion of mobile phones as a threat.

I'd bet your 200 incidents are entirly down to naked flames and static electric discharges

[EverClean]

It may be a "nanny state" situation but where there is a chance of this happening and it is entirely preventable then isn' t it a good idea to take action? I've stopped working for BP and didn't like a lot of their practices but I don't associate them with making up rules for no reason. We even had Petroleum Officers(local Government officials) come round to try to fill up whilst on the phone to catch us out. If caught then the whole team would have to take up a re-training exercise. So even HSSE see it as an issue. We were shown several newspaper cuttings on initial training of these incidents where people were hospitalised. Everyone can make their own mind up on this but I know that I wouldn't do it.

[rojash]

I think the main reason they are banned, is to prevent the users being doused with petrol and incinerated by those of us who are just sick of people shouting (why do they always shout?) on their mobiles in public places.

[Gef]

Everclean wrote, "there were approx. 200 incidents on our forecourts last year where vapour was ignited."

Sorry but I just don't believe that.

I have been driving for over 30 years and never seen a fire on a forecourt.

As for mobile phones causing them - it is just an urban myth.

[joko]

there is mythbusters episode on this.

they are now showing this series on bbc2 - thursday 7pm, so watch out for it

it was hsown on discovery channel

they basically fill a caravan with petrol and then ring it

[badlad.biz]

If you've ever been in a hurry to someware and stopped to buy petrol, and waited behind someone busy chatting on a mobile phone instead of **** **** out of the way!. Well, I'm suprised there arn't more incidents.

[EverClean]

I saw five fires on forecourts in my 2 and a half years with BP plus another 3 or 4 on CCTV images thst other managers copied. It's fairly prevalent as Joe Public is a rather stupid creature. However I don't believe that any of these were caused by mobile phones.

[EverClean]

Plus there's a huge difference between driving for 30 years, filling up once a fortnight and working in a petrol station for 60+ hours a week for 2 years+

There are many things that people don't see - doesn't mean that they don't exist.

[Andy Boz]

A mobile phone is permanently transmitting it's location to the cell.
The miniscule risk comes from the miniscle chance that if the phone was dropped, there may be a miniscule spark, setting fire to things.

[katyratbag]

An episode of brainiac did this experiment on the same lines of mythbusters and surprise surprise nothing happened,but when one of the team put a shell suit on and danced about a bit to build up static and a copper wire was led to caravan doused in petrol KABOOM nice. So here in is a warning if you see somebody in a petrol station in a shell suit run for the hills very fast or maybe its more simple perhaps the phone signal could cause the electronics in pump to under charge you for petrol and im sure youll agree how shocking would that be

[almcd007]

Mythbusters did try it and did their damnest to make it work - but it didn't. the biggest risk is a practice you see abroad - not in England as the little flaps on the handles are removed - of filling the car up and returning to sit in it whilst the pump is filling the tank. Diesel pumps at lorry only pumps still have them fitted - but unleaded etc don't The mythbusters made this work first time without trying! The guy set the pump pumping, returned to his car and sat in it and then returned to the pump and when he touched the metal handle of the pump it sparked.

[eckythump]

Everclean, as a member of Joe Public I find the most stupid thing is ignoring the facts and holding on to untenable beliefs. Strange also how you try to imply that there were 200 fires caused by mobile phones and then later explain that none of them were. Are you a technophobe or just a moron