Yep thats y you gotta discharge yourself buy touching your car metal part before touching the pump and by not re-entering your car when pumping.

 

Kolhoznik are you serious man? I understand discharging myself before i get out, but theres no way i'm putting one of those things on the back of my car..


....please be kidding, haha

 

Well, I will agre on Kol on the great idea but FYI 98% of the gas staions in the U.S. have their pumps gournded so that doesnt happen. Its good to discharge yourself anyway in case. Also, about the door lock shocking you, its static electricity, its a bitch in the cold (when it happens more often actually). If you lock and unlock your car, dont use your finger tips, there are more nerves there, instead, use the meat of your finger, it wont hurt.

 

You can put it under your car...

 

Well I do agree that 98% of the pumps are grounded, BUT...did you know that if there was a spill as little as 5-6 gallons that day, which is not that uncommon (I know, worked at texaco) that you still might get a minor fire? To be exact a minor fire next or even under your car? And if someone is putting gas into a canister w/o it being on the ground......well good luck to that fella....... Chances of that happening to you are very slim, but c'mon, there ought to be some logic if many countries make you put one on...


And another comment to Forty04: Those things can look good. There's thousands of different ones made out there...just gotta look for the one that suits your ride best..and if you haven't noticed firetrucks and ambulances drag chains under them...you could always do that [sm=joke.gif]

 

thank god for the [sm=joke.gif]

 

haha, ok, i didnt realize they updated those things. When KOL said that, i was envisioning a rusted out 86 thunderbird with the big tails draggin on the ground, haha. I'll look into that tho, thanks guys!

 

Just stop draggin your *** when you get in and out of your car.

 

Every vehicle is naturally grounded by those 4 big black round things. Recent studies show that newer tires are using less "Carbon Black" and more silica, reduces rolling resistance. As silica is not as conductive to carbon black it builds up static. If you read the reports on gas station fires you find that 75% of the fires involved women, sorry ladies that's what the report shows. It states that men tend to remain at the pump until fueling is done and women return to the vehicle. Also quoted in the article was that women tend to wear more clothing that creates static electricity. Just some info available from the Urban Legends. As for those static strips being mandatory that should be up to personal preference. The real issue should be the removal of all semi automatic fuel pumps, sort of like a deadmans switch at the pump. Let go of the handle and the pump shuts off. That's just my 2 cents.

 

bottom line: depending on what u wear, it will create static with cloth seats. tires will insulate the car causing a shock...sometimes. Gas pumps are grounded but that will not stop you from starting a pump fire (which the thread is not about) if you grab the pump with a build up of static.