Stinky Diesel fuel pumps

[OllieNZ]

Speaking of the pump handle has anyone ever worked out how you do that 'thing' where you can lock the handle open and do a hands-free fill up? or am I dreaming that? I'm sure there is (or was) a metal clip you can flick over to catch the handle?

The clips are still there but they've ground the latching grooves out so that they don't lock. Probably some H&S bollocks, this is the only country I've lived in you can't do it

[markw]

That wouldn't work for me.......by the time I'd figured out how to latch the darn thing, my tenner's worth would have already been deposited!

[benczuk]

http://community.evo.co.uk/users/Richar ... dont-latch

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog wondering why you can't latch the trigger on petrol pumps in Britain, as you can in the US and other countries. Some of you seemed moderately interested in this so I sent out some e-mails to get the official line on why Britain shuns hands-free fuelling. First with a reply was Sue Horler from the communications department at BP;

“Regulations in the UK and a number of other European countries prohibit the use of the lever locking systems used in Germany and the United States which is why the mechanism has to be disabled on nozzles here. These regulations are aimed at controlling the limited risk of a fuel spillage caused by a nozzle falling out of the car or failing to cut off when the car is full and the risk of customers igniting petrol vapours in the area of the nozzle if a static electricity spark occurs when they return to pick up the nozzle once filling is completed.”

So far, so much as many of you suspected. Next up, a bit of historical context from Raymond Blake, the Head of Petroleum for London Fire Brigade;

“The guidance to remove latch pins and to ban any other method of latching dispenser nozzles serving petrol in the UK goes back to the introduction of self service petrol filling stations in the 1970s. The guidance is based on in depth scientific research, and there continues to be evidence that this is a fully justified control measure to ensure the safety of the public serving themselves with petrol in the UK.”

Finally, a response from Nick Vandervell of the UK Petroleum Industry Association Ltd which includes a more modern reason, based around environmental controls;

“The main concerns relate to overfill, possible increased static charge risk and efficient operation of vapour recovery systems on unleaded pumps required to have vapour recovery (ie making sure the nozzle maintains a tight fit in the neck of the filler).”

Question is, are we being over-cautious or are the Americans and Germans being cavalier with petrol station safety? And why is filling up still the single most boring thing a human being has to endure?

So they don't trust us not to blow ourselves up basically. Perhaps the USA allows it as a sort of natural selection thing?

[highlander]

GIFSoup

[FarmerPug]

Oddly i only noticed this when i got the 305, the filling station where i fill the 406 up has a latch on the diesel nozzle, but when i went to put petrol in the 305 can remember the latches not clicking into place.

[GingerMagic]

The latches work on the HGV pumps, which is great because after putting £315 in the lorry you tend to get a bit of cramp..... ( 48l/100km average on the display.. )

I now carry an old brush ( minus the dustpan ) for a) cleaning out the cab and b) wedging perfectly into the pump handle jamming the trigger.....

If you want to remove the diesel/oil/additive/onion etc, smell from your hands, simply wipe your hands over the stainless steel kitchen sink, bacteria can't survive on stainless steel and it kills the smell....

[dirtydirtydiesel]

Speaking of the pump handle has anyone ever worked out how you do that 'thing' where you can lock the handle open and do a hands-free fill up? or am I dreaming that? I'm sure there is (or was) a metal clip you can flick over to catch the handle?

Pull on the handle & stick your filler cap under it I've been doing it for years

[Rolebama]

Just one more piece of evidence that we are living in the Nanny State that was once the UK.
FWIW, I have seen too many stupidities performed by the British motoring public, and if there were ever to be a reverendum on the practice, I, for one, would vote for non-latching pump handles. Sorry, but that's my experience.

[benczuk]

Excuse the thread resurrection, just seen this

Woman tries to bum cigarette in gas station, sets man's car on fire when denied:

xPwbDNGS07c

One good reason why we don't have fuel pumps with 'clips' to lock them on.