# Darwin award in the making. Flame + fuel vapor + spider = fire! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 28, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836 "2015-09-28T13:25:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/1 "2015-09-28T13:25:54Z")
As the alpha male (well, only male, outside of the cat) in our household, it is my duty to kill spiders. This was made clear to me last night when Pepper Mill pointed out a very small spider on the ceiling, which she had watched as it crossed the ceiling to a spot almost directly overhead. I squished it with a tissue and disposed of the remains. It was so small that, if it had actually walked on her, she might not have noticed. But the thought of it dropping on her head was just too much. I had to kill a spider in MilliCal’s bedroom last week. I couldn’t help but think of those incidents when I saw this story today: > **[Man Tries To Kill Spider With Lighter, Starts Gas Station Blaze](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/man-kills-spider-lighter-gas-station-fire_n_5607f7f1e4b0dd850307edc8)** > > "Do you know gas go boom?" > [@](#): > > A Michigan man caused a not-so-itsy-bitsy blaze to erupt at a suburban Detroit gas station on Saturday when he saw a spider sitting by his fuel door and tried to set it on fire. > > The man later admitted that he is extremely frightened by the arachnids, so he pulled out his lighter and attempted to burn it, Fox 2 Detroit reports. > > “Do you know gas go boom?” the store employee on duty during the incident later told the station. > > The motorist can be seen on the surveillance video at the Center Line, Michigan, station examining the gas tank and reaching into his pocket for the lighter. The video then shows flames erupting along the side of the car, the pump and the pavement. There are pictures. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/2 "2015-09-28T13:32:54Z")
I can sympathize. I’ve never set my car on fire over them, but I did freak out when an itsy-bitsy spider was on the interior windshield of the rental car I was driving. My rider (a work colleague), finally had me pull over so she could deal with it. She still occassionally reminds me of it. And I was 56 at the time… ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/3 "2015-09-28T14:02:31Z")
Man fueling car. Sees spider on the car by the fuel nozzle. Hates spiders. Does he; 1. Get a broom and sweep it off? 2. Ask for help? 3. Takeout lighter and light the spider igniting the fueling vent, hose, fuel pump and almost the station. > **[Man sets gas station on fire after trying to kill spider with lighter (VIDEO)](https://www.rt.com/usa/316631-gas-station-fire-spider/)** > > A man in the US set a gas pump on fire as he tried to kill a spider with a cigarette lighter as he was filling his car up with petrol. The man miraculously managed to escape serious injury. (short video) Seriously, some people are just too stupid to exist unsupervised. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/4 "2015-09-28T14:16:13Z")
“Kill it with fire!”, while generally true and proper, still requires a minimum of forethought. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/5 "2015-09-28T14:16:57Z")
I already started a thread on this: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=770249](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=770249) ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/6 "2015-09-28T14:29:10Z")
Maybe the mods will merge them. Perhaps better titles, something with fire in it, would produce better results when searched. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/7 "2015-09-28T14:44:40Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Maybe the mods will merge them. Perhaps better titles, something with fire in it, would produce better results when searched. It’s a great title, and it had “spider” in it. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/8 "2015-09-28T16:57:28Z")
**Darwin award in the making. Flame + fuel vapor + spider = fire!** I see no problem with the equation. It _worked_, didn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/9 "2015-09-28T17:13:02Z")
Spider by itself in a title would only send me scurrying (ha ha), but when you put flame, spider, fuel and fire together, I anticipate some spidey-fryin’ and come running. 😃 It really is all in the semantics. That clarified, I heard this story on the news this morning and once again thanked God I’d been gifted with at least average intelligence, since I very much share this individual’s fear of spiders. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/10 "2015-09-28T17:30:31Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > Spider by itself in a title would only send me scurrying (ha ha), but when you put flame, spider, fuel and fire together, I anticipate some spidey-fryin’ and come running. 😃 It really is all in the semantics. > > That clarified, I heard this story on the news this morning and once again thanked God I’d been gifted with at least average intelligence, since I very much share this individual’s fear of spiders. My point is that he essentially said he searched for “fire” and couldn’t find it. Big surprise. But "Spider would’ve found it, so there’s no excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/11 "2015-09-28T18:23:18Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > **Darwin award in the making. Flame + fuel vapor + spider = fire!** > > I see no problem with the equation. It _worked_, didn’t it? Exactly! One less spider, no civilian casualties. The man is a freaking hero. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/12 "2015-09-28T18:32:30Z")
Bump ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/13 "2015-09-28T18:35:59Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > My point is that he essentially said he searched for “fire” and couldn’t find it. Big surprise. But "Spider would’ve found it, so there’s no excuse. But the spider wasn’t the news. almost burning (fire) himself, the gas pump and his car is the news. People see spiders every day. They rarely light their car on fire to deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/14 "2015-09-28T18:55:51Z")
I’d like to think I am not so arachnophobic as to attempt to set one on fire at a gas station. However I almost drove my dad’s pickup into a ditch because a spider dropped down from the rear view mirror while I was driving and I pulled over to the side of the road and jumped out. I didn’t go into the ditch but I wouldn’t drive it again. He yelled at me for freaking out and almost ditching the truck but I told him it was his fault for having spiders in his vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/15 "2015-09-28T19:41:59Z")
Spiders kill the more dangerous insect vermin. Let them live. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/16 "2015-09-28T20:02:07Z")
I call BS on him being an actual arachnophobe because most of them would just have run away screaming at the sight of a spider and not taken the time to pull out a lighter or any sort of weapon (no matter how stupid). So I say he’s just an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/17 "2015-09-28T20:03:17Z")
I merged the two threads. You can guess which title I liked better. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/18 "2015-09-28T20:07:25Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I merged the two threads. You can guess which title I liked better. Um. The equation one? I object! The “spider” term is completely unnecessary! Flame + fuel vapors are sufficient! Besides, this ironic universe probably guarantees the spider got away. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/19 "2015-09-28T20:16:32Z")
A few months ago my wife and I where being giving a tour of our friends new house. Very nice place. We where chatting when she pointed and SCREEEEEMEED. It was a spider. She damn near gave me a heart attack. I was thinking axe murderer hiding in the closet. As I have gotten older, I do have more of a fear of heights. Stuff with out a railing that is high enough to kill me. I don’t rock climb anymore. I’m not as sure footed as I used to be. But a spider? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836/20 "2015-09-28T20:18:57Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > A few months ago my wife and I where being giving a tour of our friends new house. Very nice place. We where chatting when she pointed and SCREEEEEMEED. It was a spider. She damn near gave me a heart attack. I was thinking axe murderer hiding in the closet. > > As I have gotten older, I do have more of a fear of heights. Stuff with out a railing that is high enough to kill me. I don’t rock climb anymore. I’m not as sure footed as I used to be. > > But a spider? They have way too many legs … it’s unnatural and creepy. _shudders_ They’re probably actually tiny ax murderers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darwin-award-in-the-making-flame-fuel-vapor-spider-fire/732836.md?page=2)