I've Got This Bone Chilling Fear
This fear I have only occurs in the winter and it's as a result of footage I saw years ago on one of those 60 Minutes-20/20 shows. The footage showed a woman at a gas pump filling her car and then suddenly blowing up.
There was a static electric shock that occured at some point which ignited the gasoline resulting in her being engulfed in flames.
Yesterday, I went to fill the minivan with gas. EVERYTHING I touched gave me a shock. So needless to say in 14 degree weather I was sweating like a...oh, I don't know what....but, I was extremely nervous and my tank was on empty, so I really didn't have a choice but to bite the bullet and fill 'er up.
Stop Drop and Roll.
There was a static electric shock that occured at some point which ignited the gasoline resulting in her being engulfed in flames.
Yesterday, I went to fill the minivan with gas. EVERYTHING I touched gave me a shock. So needless to say in 14 degree weather I was sweating like a...oh, I don't know what....but, I was extremely nervous and my tank was on empty, so I really didn't have a choice but to bite the bullet and fill 'er up.
Stop Drop and Roll.
posted by Shannon at
11:07 AM
7 Comments:
Guess what's going to be going through my head when I go to fill up the van now?? UGH! (what a way to go, huh?)
By
Jamie, at 3/08/2007 11:35 AM
How funny, that thought always crosses my mind when I am at the gas pump. Always.
By
Vivian, at 3/08/2007 12:21 PM
You all should not worry about it.
If it were that easy to do, you know how many times it would happen?
It's probably a very freak occurance.
Now if you see an idiot smoking a cigarette while filing up...
By
Scott K. Johnson, at 3/08/2007 3:12 PM
If you're concerned try touching some object that is grounded. Probably the gas pump itself is.
That will discharge the static electricity before you start pumping.
Apparently this problem is mostly caused when people leave the pump going and get back in their car. Details are here: http://www.pei.org/static/index.htm.
Most places don't allow you to enable the pump to keep going while it's filling. So I think you're safe.
Just don't answer the phone while pumping. :-)
By
Bernard, at 3/08/2007 5:20 PM
Bernard,
That is practically verbatim what my husband said to me today. But when I discharged the initial shock, I was still getting more as I'd touch whatever I needed to touch on the pump and the van.
I know it's a crazy fear and there's a 1 in a billion chance of me blowing up, but with my Irish luck, I'll be that 1 in a billion, LOL.
By
Shannon, at 3/08/2007 5:41 PM
Oh how I love the media. I am also terrified of blowing up when I pump gas.
Why does the News enjoy scaring the crap out of everyone? YUCK!
By
George, at 3/08/2007 5:57 PM
I think I saw a similar story on Oprah a few years ago.. it was this woman and her daughter. For a long time after that I too was worried. I dont worry anymore about that.. but maybe now I will??? Oh geez!
By
Jenn, at 3/08/2007 6:38 PM
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