As I pumped my gas yesterday, I remembered that the pumps used to have these little switches or latches that you could put on and have the gas pump out without your having to stand there doing it. These seem to have disappeared. I know it’s not just a matter of one pump’s switch being out of order, as every station I’ve been to for years has had these switches seemingly removed. Are they now illegal for some reason? Maybe it’s just here in Massachusetts?
They were reomoved to help prevent spill over, as part of an EPA move towards reducing vapor from gasoline.
Even with auto-off, the pumps could still spill, so the best thing to do was phase out the latch that kept the pump handle flowing.
Also, you are supposed to keep the pump firmly sealed against the gas intake, to prevent fumes from escaping. You can’t do this if you walk away.
Gasoline vapor = alot of ozone.
(Some states, like NJ, where gas MUST be pumped by an attendant, still use latches so attendants can jockey more than one car at once when pumping gas)
They are still on the pumps at the gas station I use in NH.
This was the very first question that I ever asked on these boards. I live in Massachusetts too BTW.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=24356
They’re still in the mid-Atlantic, except for those gas stations where they don’t replace the broken ones. I take my business elsewhere.
I can say that here in NC they are still very common.
Colorado also has the ‘do-hickeys’.
Gasoline vapor and ozone? What exactly is the connection here?
They are still in some places in Mass, at least when I livied there a year ago. Washington Street in Newton has 'em I know.
So the impression I’m getting is that it varies from state to state. Too bad; I liked being able to wash my windshield, check the oil, etc., while the gas was pumping.
As for spillover, I never had spillover with the old latches; the machine would simply stop pumping once the tank was full.
(I remember the one and only time I stopped in a New Jersey gas station and being amazed that there was no such thing as “self serve” there. I still don’t see why; is pumping gas so difficult that only certain people are qualified to do it?)
I’m not sure what you mean by your question, but gasoline vapors contribute to ozone gases (smog). They do…I don’t know the chemical process, but gasoline vapors are ozone contributors. More gas vapor = more smog.
New gas pump nozzles have better seals and flaps to prevent spillage and to prvent vapor from escaping. Pumps also are seen less frequently with lock-on switches (do-hickeys) because they contribuite to spillage and/or vapor escape. The vapor is harmfull to the atmosphere. I believe a recovery is built in to new pumps top recover the vapor when the nozzle is snug against the tank.
Some localities encourage drivers to fuel up in the evening to avoid contribuitng to the daily smog via exsessive gasoline vapors.
See http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=78502
I started a thread about fueling up after 6 pm, one of the replies has some hard science about the connection.
Every so often, a debate comes up about abolishing this rule. One argument for it is that it provides low-skill jobs. I don’t know about that, but the fact is that NJ has some of the cheapest gas in country. So, I’ll gladly accept the convenience of having someone else pump for you.
The same thing is happening across Europe!
I can no longer find them in Switzerland.
On a related note, the Master had a piece on How does a gas pump know to shut itself off? long ago. Well worth a read!
…here in Texas, they seemed to go the way of the dodo for a while, but lately I have been seeing them make a comeback at newer stations. Those stations get my business for that reason alone. I am there to buy gas, not give my handshake a workout and snort fumes.
I rarely see one without it here in NE Texas.
If the gizmo isn’t there and you want to wash your windows while you wait for the gas to pump, just jam your wallet in under the handle so that it stays open…
I think I’ll try the suggestion of jamming something (wallet, gas cap) in there (uh, in the pump trigger, that is) the next time I fill up. Thanks!
A tube of Chap-Stick usually works quite nicely.
We still have the doo-hickeys on the pumps in central North Carolina. Sometimes they break off, but the stations are usually quick to replace them.
Read the fine print on the pump first–here in Ontario, we don’t have the doo-hickeys (at least not that I’ve seen), and a notice on the pump says that it is illegal to jam the pump handles open with anything.
I don’t imagine that the police will be called if you try, but I can see the attendant shutting off the pump’s master switch if he or she sees that happening.
Of course, laws differ from state to state and province to province. If you can do it in your area, go ahead. But make sure first.