Never seen this happen before.

 

TBH I didn't see it kick off I was farting around with the wee man to keep him happy.

 

At Sainsburys station so SWMBO could get petrol. She fills up and heads in to pay. I'm wasting time with the wee man.

 

I looked left to the car opposite and thought, "that's odd, why is the back half of his car wet, it's not raining".

I didn't click for a good 10sec that he'd sprayed fuel all up the side of his car.

 

He was round the passenger side when I really noticed. He then runs off to the kiosk.

I'm not thinking "What a tit, how did he manage that". Then I noticed the pump itself showing 90l delivered, which it quite a lot for the 40 or 50l tank in an old Astra.

Guy comes back and starts chucking down sand and the attendent also comes out and does the same. They push his car away not starting it and there is a massive puddle of fuel on the passenger side (far side form me).

 

SWMBO comes back and says the guy came running into the shop shouting at the to hit the emergency stop for the pump, he was filling up with diesel and it jammed on.

Poor bloke was covered in diesel and stinking of it.

 

Never even heard of pumps jamming before.

 

Thank flip it was diesel.

Edited 1 March, 201412 yr by Aspman

I bet they made him pay for it all too?

I bet they made him pay for it all too?

 

We didn't see the end of the story I'm afraid.

 

If I was him and it was a fault I'd be wanting the fuel plus new clothes.

Yes, it is possible for the pump nozzle to stick open. I have seen this before and it's easy enough to kill the pump if/when required.

 

Where I used to work people used to put the 'screw in' petrol caps behind/under the trigger so they didn't have to hold it.

I bet they made him pay for it all too?

 

 

He'll have got all the Nectar Points though    :yes:

Wow, I bet that was rather scary. Hope he didn't get billed for it.

I'm by no means a fuel pump expert but surely from a safety point of view the bit you squeeze and the bit that cuts out because the tank is full are operated by 2 different parts. So if the bit in the nozzle stops working you just get a bit spurted out at you for the second you dont realise the tank is full or if the handle bit gets stuck you just stick it back in the tank and it'll cut out? 

Not heard of it on car pumps byt have heard of it on truck pumps

If t was diesel why not start the car to move it. The wife's auntie used to own two petrol stations, and the scarey stories she has old me what has happend in the stations would make you shiver.

I'm by no means a fuel pump expert but surely from a safety point of view the bit you squeeze and the bit that cuts out because the tank is full are operated by 2 different parts. So if the bit in the nozzle stops working you just get a bit spurted out at you for the second you dont realise the tank is full or if the handle bit gets stuck you just stick it back in the tank and it'll cut out?

I had it happen on my motorbike once - it didn't cut out despite the tank being full and me having released the handle. At least a litre came hosing out before it stopped. This was at a very shoddy looking garage where I suspect nothing was ever maintained.

If t was diesel why not start the car to move it. 

 

+1, diesel will not ignite from a spark or even just a naked flame.

Its a good thing their panic reaction is not to start the car, rather than start it. I'd leave it at that rather than encourage people to think about the qualities of the fuel in a panic situation. Better to just have the same reaction regardless of fuel type and then you don't get the 'wrong' reaction for the type of fuel and BOOOM!!! And on a level forecourt its probably just as quick to release the brake and push it a little than get in the car, start it, get a gear and move it.

Some pumps actually state that they have no auto shut off.

Not heard of it on car pumps but have heard of it on truck pumps

 

Happened to my Dad in the 1980's when he was driving HGV for Sony - when the pump triggers had a little locking lever at the base.  I wasn't there but Dad said it's surprising how far diesel goes when the pump's on full bore.

 

Gaz

Some pumps actually state that they have no auto shut off.

I thought car pumps had to have shut offs?

I thought car pumps had to have shut offs?

I think its diesel only.

I think its diesel only.

You mean petrol, surely?

Once had one do it to me. I ended up with about £2.50 worth morre of diesel than I planned.

Doesn't sound like a lot till it's spraying down the side of your car and your legs / feet. 

I know that the cut-off for petrol was 90L as I had a boat with two 200L tanks and one 100L tank, it was a pain filling up as each time the pump auto stopped I had to go in and pay and then start again. Not sure it is the same with diesel though I suspect it would be the same.

 

John

Diesel pumps don't all have a max volume shutoff (source being a mate who runs a station and sometimes has trucks filling up). They do have a "full tank pressure shutoff" though.