"Filling a car up using a petrol cap is against Tesco policy"

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Jonny ///M said:
I get bored filling a 50 litre tank never mind 90 litres.

When did they do away with the clip? I seem to have a memory of putting it on by mistake and panicking trying to work out how to take it off. Maybe I made that up?
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Try doing a 1000 litres on an articulated lorry :P

The reason there are no clips on UK pumps is purely a H&S issue.

TheGuvna said:
"Trigger latching mechanisms are acceptable on petrol pump nozzles operated by an attendant. However, site operators should be aware that latched nozzles have been implicated in a number of forecourt fires. Static charge is able to build up on users if they let go of the earthed nozzle during dispensing and this can subsequently cause an incendive discharge when they make contact with the nozzle again to complete the transaction. Where trigger-latching mechanisms are installed the site operator should ensure that attendants are provided with, and wear, appropriate anti-static footwear whilst carrying out dispensing operations."
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I've been using the petrol cap for years. I was asked to stop doing it by the cashier in Sainsbury's once. He was polite about it and explained that the reason they ask people not to do it is in case the nozzle falls out of the car or fails to auto-stop. Seems unlikely but a reasonable request so now I only do it on cold days :D
 
It will probably be policy due to insurance purposes. They probably have to adhere to certain stipulations set by whoever they are insured with so by informing you of your mistake, the attendant has done his bit.
 
Fishman said:
Non polar liquids flowing rapidly through tubing generate charge. This is earthed to some extent through the main pumping mechanism but as is is pretty non polar and your car is insulated quite well by tyres so charge may persist (and then slowly conduct away)

If you have an autofilling pump and with the possibility of people moving around and then touching the pump handle a spark can be generated in the proximity of a load of petrol vapour. When you hold onto the pump handle through out the filling any charge generated is the same on you and the car so no spark.

It is a low but real risk. Sure the petrol station grunt didn't know all of the reasons in this case. Not a particularly exciting example but see below

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What is it with adults who have problems following simple requests? Your reasoning as to carry on with what you was doing as the fuel wouldn't overflow. So what happens when the fuel cut off doesn't work and fuel goes everywhere? (As many customer's complain about when fuel normally gets spilled)

I had a customer complain about the pump constantly clicking off and when fuel came out and went all over his boots he said he was going to complain over the store and ask for a new pair of boots as the pump didn't stop. :rolleyes:

It's the same with the whole mobile phone issue, I stopped a person filling because he was on the phone and he flies into a fit of rage going on and on about how's there no risk using a mobile on a forecourt. Once I managed to get a word in I been told at our station you can use a phone on the forecourt, you just can't use it while filling the vehicle.

Another time a women telling my work colleague not to tell her how to look after her own kids when she tries to let a 8-10 year old fill her car for her. You can' allow a person under 16 fill a car/can, also I wonder who she'll blame when there's an accident and fuel goes all into the kids face.

What is it with this whole I'm an adult you can't tell me what to do, I know better then you and I don't have to follow the rules. Then people wonder why some of societies kids have no respect
 
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Fishman said:
Ahh an expert in everything and one that knows best :)
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As I said in my second post, it's beyond a useful degree of safety that I'm concerned with. No need to wheel out the 'experts' claim for something that isn't at all complex or difficult to understand.

Do you have any statistics on the number of fires caused by something related to auto-filling?
 
adam cool dude said:
For as long as I can remember I have been using the old trick of sticking my petrol cap in the trigger of a petrol pump and leaving it to fill my car.

Yesterday a disgruntled Tesco employee told me to remove my petrol filler cap from the pump saying the pump will overflow and it will cause petrol to go everywhere. (I must have done 1000+ fill ups and never had this happen to me.) I asked him who told you this and he replied saying it was Tesco policy. I told him to mind his own business and then he threatened to turn my pump off at which point the pump clicked anyway and my tank was full. I then jumped in my car and waved him goodbye ;). I went back again in my second car in spite and did exactly the same but he never returned.

Has this happened to anyone else or was this simply a case of some guy having a bad day?
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Hades said:
So you don't see a possible hazard with an open pump on a forecourt with petrol flowing out?
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Wouldnt happen, they would shut off.

I'm not suggesting you try it so the point is proved, but even the 1970's pumps at most of the bunkers I have used over the years wont allow any kind of shenanigans before they shut off, so I suspect new ones are even better.
 
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atpbx said:
Wouldnt happen, they would shut off.

I'm not suggesting you try it so the point is proved, but even the 1970's pumps at most of the bunkers I have used over the years wont allow any kind of shenanigans before they shut off, so I suspect new ones are even better.
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A few weeks ago when I was filling up a container at the pump for my lawn mower I misjudged how fast it was coming out and managed to get some spashback in my eye and soak my shoes. I'll go and complain to the garage that despite my own stupidity in not releasing the handle quickly enough I managed to get wet feet. Safety mechanisms aren't perfect and I see no reason for anyone to jam the pump open. It increases risk. Full stop.
 
Fishman said:
Non polar liquids flowing rapidly through tubing generate charge. This is earthed to some extent through the main pumping mechanism but as is is pretty non polar and your car is insulated quite well by tyres so charge may persist (and then slowly conduct away)

If you have an autofilling pump and with the possibility of people moving around and then touching the pump handle a spark can be generated in the proximity of a load of petrol vapour. When you hold onto the pump handle through out the filling any charge generated is the same on you and the car so no spark.

It is a low but real risk. Sure the petrol station grunt didn't know all of the reasons in this case. Not a particularly exciting example but see below

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small bet on that being caused by her static charge

eitherway, if she had just been stood then holding the nozzle she wouldnt have been able to charge herself up
 
Hades said:
Safety mechanisms aren't perfect and I see no reason for anyone to jam the pump open. It increases risk. Full stop.
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How can you possibly hold the opinion that 'it increases risk' is justification for any safety measure? :confused:

Drive at 1 MPH everywhere, any faster increases risk. Can you deny it? Why is driving faster OK?
 
Personally, I'd prefer people concentrating on what they're doing and not getting caught up in their own lives for the 3-4 minutes it takes to fill a tank.
 
PMKeates said:
How can you possibly hold the opinion that 'it increases risk' is justification for any safety measure? :confused:

Drive at 1 MPH everywhere, any faster increases risk. Can you deny it? Why is driving faster OK?
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Because Mr Keates, risk mitigation is all about benefit vs cost and practicality.

Driving at 1mph isn't cost effective nor practical, the minor inconvenience of holding a handle for 4mins in reality doesn't really cause any inconvenience, however offers real safety benefits.

And for the record you can pump fuel without the nozzle in a container or tank, I've done it before whilst filling fuel cans.
 
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