# Gas pump handles - regional differences and the clicky thing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 24, 2004, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851 "2004-09-24T11:23:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kantstovari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kantstovari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kantstovari)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/1 "2004-09-24T11:23:09Z")
At gas stations in the Midwest (and maybe elsewhere) gas pumps are have a little clicky thing on the handle that allows you to walk away for a minute. Somewhere around Ohio gas stations stop having them. I’ve looked and the clicky thing has been removed from these models. This leaves me with one main question. Why don’t gas station owners on the East want us to clean our windshields while the gas pumps? Is the clicky thing dangerous? Can people east of Indiana simply not be trusted with this responsibility? What gives? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/2 "2004-09-24T11:32:54Z")
There’s regional and national differences on this - there’s been thread before. They’re disable in Britain, but enabled in parts of Europe. Basically, some areas have regulations which place a higher significance on the potential safety risks involved in the automatic cut-out not working and fuel spurting out. Or with them being misused on vehicles that don’t have a standard size aperture. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/3 "2004-09-24T11:39:26Z")
I thought the _clicky thing_ was for truck drivers who have giant tanks to fill, not for car drivers with puny little tanks that only take three minutes to fill. ---
**Author:** ![Lips\_Obsession](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbce88/32.png) [@Lips\_Obsession](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lips_Obsession)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/4 "2004-09-24T13:45:02Z")
I’m in the Cleveland, OH area and we have the “clicky” thing you refer to on our pumps… ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/5 "2004-09-24T14:05:44Z")
I’m pretty sure we’ve got them in the Baltimore area, if I remember properly from those glorious, car-having days of this summer. And I can’t imagine living without them in Wisconsin, since keeping your hand on metal for three minutes in January is just not very fun. Previous thread about this is located [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=269023) ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/6 "2004-09-24T14:09:36Z")
> [@Small Clanger](#): > > I thought the _clicky thing_ was for truck drivers who have giant tanks to fill, not for car drivers with puny little tanks that only take three minutes to fill. It’s nice to have when the wind-chill is well below zero and you don’t have a good pair of gloves. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/7 "2004-09-24T14:13:22Z")
Here it’s hit or miss; some have them, some don’t. I think some of the stations locally removed them in response to the fears (however remote; I’ve read the Snopes article) of people getting back into their cars to wait while the gas is pumping, which is claimed to increase the possibility of a static shock igniting the fumes. But as was said, they’re handy when it’s cold and you don’t have gloves, or if you want to wash your window. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/8 "2004-09-24T14:16:23Z")
This is one of the first things I asked about when I joined the SDMB. It turns out, these are called “latch open devices”. They are illegal in some states because of perceived risk of an overflow accident/explosion. In Massachusetts, where I live, they are illegal except at gas stations that have full-service attendants. ---
**Author:** ![Fox\_Paws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/85e7bf/32.png) [@Fox\_Paws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fox_Paws)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/9 "2004-09-24T14:21:01Z")
Yeah, these things are great for when you’re filling the tank. Now if they would come up with something reliable for when a guy wants to, erm, empty his tank. A hands-free contraption would be really, well, handy. Going hands-free _au naturel_ is sometimes not as predictable as a guy might like. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/10 "2004-09-24T15:31:13Z")
> [@Small Clanger](#): > > I thought the _clicky thing_ was for truck drivers who have giant tanks to fill, not for car drivers with puny little tanks that only take three minutes to fill. Define puny tank sizes. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/11 "2004-09-24T16:11:33Z")
Have I somehow caused offense? I mean _Lorries_ if that’s the problem not Texas style “trucks” [like this](http://www.transferflow.com/html/crossthebedtanks_0.html) Commercial trucks/lorries have gigantic fuel tanks (hundreds of gallons maybe?) that take ages to fill. I tried a Google for examples but the only not very relevant result was the link above. Some lorry (sorry truck) tanks would fill a modest car. So is what term for a forty tonner if not ‘truck’? ‘Rig’? ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/12 "2004-09-24T16:17:36Z")
Well I was scratching my head a little over the “puny tank sizes” comment too, but mainly because, especially in my area, SUVs run rampant, and those things do not have puny tanks. Believe me, it sucks to have to wait for one to finish at the pump when you’re running late for work anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/13 "2004-09-24T16:23:12Z")
Hope that’s straightened out now. Small Clanger, driver of a puny European car. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-handles-regional-differences-and-the-clicky-thing/265851/14 "2004-09-24T19:45:25Z")
> [@](#): > > So is what term for a forty tonner if not ‘truck’? ‘Rig’? In the US they’re called trucks, rigs, tractors, and semi’s. The first three have alternate meanings as well. To be most clear, I would suggest saying semi. > [@](#): > > Commercial trucks/lorries have gigantic fuel tanks (hundreds of gallons maybe?) Usually the fuel tank holds 35 - 50 gallons, and there are usually 2 of them.