I filled my tank today at the local self-service station near the casino that I work at. As I filled the tank I noticed warning signs telling us morons how to safely fill a fuel can.
On my car there are similar instructions and was amazed that what my car instructed was in complete and total opposition to how this precaution on fuel islands. On my car it clearly shows that I am supposed to leave the fuel can inside the car’s trunk, a filling hose connected to the filler cap is supposed to connect to the portable fuel tank, and then you can begin filling said can.
On the caution sign this fuel island the exact opposite ids expected. They want the filling can taken out from the vehicle, set upon the filling island, and then begin filling said can.
My concern is how could these instructions be so contrary? I mean, who is right here? And, who made up these instructions?
I know that back when I was a teenager, I always filled gas cans on the fuel island. It seemed to make sense to all of us. There were even films in drivers’ ed about the dangers fueling gas cans in trunks of car trunks. The fumes would cause an explosion from any nearby spark. Plus the islands were grounded, whereas cars were not.
Later on, after cellphones became a thing, we couldn’t fill our cars while using a mobile phone. The fear was the same, whether founded or bunk is anyone’s guess.
So, my question remains who made this rule up and why is this so contrary to one and not the other? Safety warnings should be consistent and universal. One can’t contradict the other especially regarding a dangerous gas like petroleum.
In the future I will fill my portable cans the way I was taught, on the fuel islands and not inside my new car that I admire too much to risk losing by something as careless as gassing cans in the trunk.
Jerry Schellhammer 