this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2026
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"Smarternozzle", but still no cell phones near a gasstation ...
Every car at a gas station has an exhaust system with temperatures well over the ignition point of gasoline. If there was a problem we would have to let our cars tool for half an hour a quarter mile away from the pumps before we pushed them there by hand.
fortunately gasoline only burns in a narrow range of mixtures which are impossible to get in open air.
The concentration of vapours matters. It is still best to not be smoking above the nozzle (even if it's unlikely to be a problem), and any embers or flames touching a small stream of it are still a problem. The safety precautions are over the top because the consequences if it goes kaboom are pretty terrible.
What's this no cell phones near gas station nonsense?
Because its not a touchscreen. That's the reason.
I think no cellphones at gas pumps has been a thing before phones had touchscreens
It's the Mythbusters episode where we got the iconic "Am I missing an eyebrow" line from Adam Savage. One of their first episodes in 2003 I think and it was considered an old myth even back then. Modern large capacitive touch screens didn't gain popularity until around 2006.
I think no cell phones near gas stations is a 90s thing from when cellphones were new.
I think you're right but that it wasn't well known until the early 2000s. Bit of a delay.
Well I wasn't allowed to bring my old Nokia too...