No Smoking or Talking at Indian Gas Stations
from the explosion-may-result dept
India’s Oil Industry Safety Directorate has officially banned cellphone use at gas pumps. They are worried that sparks from a cell phone battery might ignite the gas fumes. A study by Shell found that the single most dangerous item near a gas pump after matches and cigarettes is the car itelf. So you really have to wonder what kind of cellphones people are using in India.
Comments on “No Smoking or Talking at Indian Gas Stations”
urban legend
Is this urban legend back in the news? I remember a fuss back in the summer 1999 over this bogus risk.
1999 Urban Legends: Cell Phone Destroys Gas Station
http://www.darwinawards.com/legends/legends1999-04.html
– Alan
hmmm
Mike, not only is this urban legend fodder, it is something that the litigation-fearing Oil Companies in these United States have swallowed hook, line and sinker. Next time you’re at the pump, I’ll wager you will find a sticker saying “turn off all cellular phone equipment” somewhere closeby….
Re: gas station cell phone usage
I saw a reality show on tv today with home videos. A guy is just pumping his gas and he starts on fire. They said they figured it must have been static electricity. Seems to me that if a guy can get enough static electricity going just standing around then maybe the static from a cell phone could do the trick too. Not often, but maybe it’s time for one of them studies.