# Gas Pump Trigger Latch **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 12, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179 "2008-03-12T23:34:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/21 "2008-03-13T05:36:39Z")
> [@](#): > > I have never had a pump latch fail, and who in the hell gets into their car while it’s being fueled? I had one fail not more than a month ago. I was standing right beside the nozzle and i can heard the usual sound of the full tank and was reaching for the nozzle. It was impressive how much fuel spilt and i was so close. And for "Who the hell gets back in, Thats a young people thing IMHO, as us old over weight out of shape type have to struggle too hard. ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/22 "2008-03-13T05:44:13Z")
This is a good video on the static fires. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KK48hQ78Kk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KK48hQ78Kk) ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/23 "2008-03-13T13:55:15Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] I seem to remember hearing on that Mythbusters episode that it’s mostly women who do this. But **SmartAleq** ’s Snopes link seems to say there’s no support for this claim. Anybody have the Straight Dope on this? Any evidence, anecdotal or otherwise, about whether women get into their cars while fueling and men don’t—and if so, why? [/QUOTE] Anecdotal. I get in if it’s really bitterly cold, otherwise I hang out at the window and play with the dog. If I do get in while pumping, I make every attempt to discharge on the door jamb before I grab the pump. Despite the fact that I don’t always get into the car, I still appreciate the trigger hold because I have carpal tunnel and tendonitis in my hands and wrists. It’s quite painful sometimes, especially on bitterly cold days, to squeeze and hold the trigger. I have no idea where the full service stations are, nor could I likely afford it the extra expense. My husband does not get in unless it’s really bitterly cold as well and warned me about static discharge. 99% of the time he’s washing the windows. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/24 "2008-03-13T14:09:16Z")
Wisconsin and Minnesota both have trigger latches, hundred of thousands of cars filling up at gas stations hundreds of thousands of times a day. They both have long winters and people often sit in their cars when filling up to keep out of the cold. How many times a year do I hear about gas station fires? None. Zero. Zilch. Your odds of starting a fire while pumping gas are probably a hundred times lower than getting struck by lightning. I’d even label it a complete non-issue. To me it’s a completely overblown issue and states that have outlawed the trigger locks are completely paranoid bufoons. ---
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/25 "2008-03-13T14:56:52Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] To me it’s a completely overblown issue and states that have outlawed the trigger locks are completely paranoid bufoons. [/QUOTE] Agreed (Sorry Rhode Island)… Hopefully I won’t find a severed horse’s head in my bed tonight for my concurrence. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/26 "2008-03-13T16:23:32Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] How many times a year do I hear about gas station fires? None. Zero. Zilch. [/QUOTE] [Oh](http://wcco.com/local/full.service.gas.2.657091.html), [yeah](http://www.channel3000.com/news/11175651/detail.html)? Just because you don’t hear about them doesn’t mean they don’t happen. Granted, at least one of these fires was not caused by refueling, and the other one possibly not. Still, that’s two–count 'em–two gas station fires you apparently didn’t hear about that I found in an extremely cursory search. I agree it’s not a huge risk, but it’s most certainly a nonzero one. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/27 "2008-03-13T18:15:56Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] [Oh](http://wcco.com/local/full.service.gas.2.657091.html), [yeah](http://www.channel3000.com/news/11175651/detail.html)? Just because you don’t hear about them doesn’t mean they don’t happen. Granted, at least one of these fires was not caused by refueling, and the other one possibly not. Still, that’s two–count 'em–two gas station fires you apparently didn’t hear about that I found in an extremely cursory search. I agree it’s not a huge risk, but it’s most certainly a nonzero one. [/QUOTE] Lame :rolleyes:. One was caused presumably by the furnace inside the gas station (not at the pumps) and the other one also started inside the building while the gas station was closed. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/28 "2008-03-13T18:54:41Z")
I don’t understand what your issue is. Is it your contention that ESD-related gas station fires don’t occur or that they are so rare that you think it’ll never happen to you? the first one is wrong; the second, while probably correct, is just plain stupid when you consider how easily preventable they are. ---
**Author:** ![mwbrooks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mwbrooks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mwbrooks)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/29 "2008-03-13T19:06:55Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] Lame :rolleyes:. One was caused presumably by the furnace inside the gas station (not at the pumps) and the other one also started inside the building while the gas station was closed. [/QUOTE] **Gbro** ’s YouTube link is a much better example. Notice that the girl handled the situation very well. As a result, the event might never even have been reported to the authorities, much less any news channel. Yet it was a very dangerous event. Most accidents of any type, even those that cause injury, are not reported by any news medium at all. Even a fatal accident isn’t likely to be reported beyond local channels unless it’s particularly spectacular and someone gets good video, or it happens to be a really slow news day. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/30 "2008-03-13T19:30:52Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] I don’t understand what your issue is. Is it your contention that ESD-related gas station fires don’t occur or that they are so rare that you think it’ll never happen to you? the first one is wrong; the second, while probably correct, is just plain stupid when you consider how easily preventable they are. [/QUOTE] I contend that they are so rare that “yes” it is essentially a non-issue. Pretty much everything we do in our daily lives contains a bit of risk. Walk down steps you may trip, chew gum and you may choke on it, sit in a rocking chair you might tip over backwards, etc. etc. etc. (ad nauseum). All easily preventable. Don’t walk down stairs, don’t chew gum, don’t sit in a rocking chair. To me the convenience to the multi-millions of people who use a gas pump trigger lock outweighs the 1:1,000,000,000,000,000,000 odds of starting an ESD fire. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/31 "2008-03-13T20:28:02Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] To me it’s a completely overblown issue and states that have outlawed the trigger locks are completely paranoid bufoons. [/QUOTE] Of course, requiring customers to stand there and hold the trigger on the gas pump makes them captive customers for the ad-blasting TVs that many stations are installing now. Plus it reduces the number of people washing their windshields, and using up the stations washer fluid. Just a couple more ways for the oil companies to make more money! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/32 "2008-03-13T20:39:29Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] I contend that they are so rare that “yes” it is essentially a non-issue. [/QUOTE] I don’t know whether this is accurate or not, but > [@](#): > > Pretty much everything we do in our daily lives contains a bit of risk. Walk down steps you may trip, chew gum and you may choke on it, sit in a rocking chair you might tip over backwards, etc. etc. etc. (ad nauseum). you’re sounding a little like [Irwin Mainway](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Live_TV_show_sketches#Consumer_Probe) to me here. > [@](#): > > Now, wait a second, hold it! You’re picking on these because you’re saying these costumes are unsafe! Well, I’m gonna tell you something - any item of clothing can be proven unsafe! Anything! What you’re wearing, what I’m wearing! I’ve got this tie on - nice tie, nice thin tie.. alright, I’m driving along in my convertible, a nice gust of wind comes up.. [he lifts his tie, shoves it into his face and feigns choking] I could choke to death, you know? I mean, really! I could put it in my mouth - I could swallow my whole shirt! ---
**Author:** ![mwbrooks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mwbrooks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mwbrooks)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179/33 "2008-03-13T20:43:23Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] Of course, requiring customers to stand there and hold the trigger on the gas pump makes them captive customers for the ad-blasting TVs that many stations are installing now. [/QUOTE] I haven’t seen one with a TV. At one station I was pleased to find a “Mute” button on the little box that blasts audio advertisements. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pump-trigger-latch/441179.md?page=1)