One of the most widespread myths is the danger of using mobile phones at service stations. An online article from The Mirror, dated 20th August 2015, at first inspection seems to confirm many of our fears surrounding one of the most persistent myths in relation to gadgets: the inherent danger of using a mobile phone on a petrol station forecourt.
We’re sure that many of you down the years will have noticed the signs on pumps stating “no mobile phones”, or been admonished on the forecourt – perhaps by tannoy message – to stop using your smartphone, even if you only whipped it out to quickly reply to a text. It is widely believed that the electromagnetic radiation from the mobile phones can pass on enough energy that can ignite the petrol vapor directly or induce currents in the nearby metal objects triggering a spark resulting in an explosion. The electromagnetic waves are responsible for the two-way communication between your phone and the tower. These waves are of high energy and this is a major cause of concern.
Talking from the scientific perspective, there is no evidence proving the connection between explosions at the gas stations and the use of cellphones. In fact, studies have proven that none of the gas station fires were related to cell phone usage. The batteries that power the mobile phones are of low voltage, so these are not potent enough to ignite a spark at a petrol station.
While a normally functioning smartphone battery is not likely the reason for an explosion, the probable cause of explosion in a gas station due to mobile phone usage could be a defective battery. But, the chances of using a phone with a defective battery is pretty scanty. To explain this, it helps to delve into some history. Back in 2005, media outlets including the BBC and The Guardian reported research indicating that the commonly-held belief that switching on a mobile phone at a petrol station could cause an explosion was, indeed, unfounded.
The man who presented the findings, Dr Adam Burgess of the University of Kent, said that out of 243 petrol station fires around the world over an 11-year period that had been attributed to mobile phones, not one of them was actually caused by a handset. So, how did the sheer scale of the paranoia emerge? Dr Burgess traced it back to the aftermath of the 1988 Piper Alpha explosion that claimed the lives of 167 men off the coast of Scotland, stating that the tragedy gave “shape and momentum” to the drive for safety.
He said it was part of “a relatively instinctive precautionary response” that mobile phones were banned at service stations, with the perceptions of danger enhanced by similar warnings from the manufacturers themselves.
In truth, however, Dr Burgess said that even a lit cigarette was not sufficiently hot to ignite petrol on a filling station, let alone the low voltage produced by a mobile phone.
The short answer is that it isn’t illegal to use your phone at a petrol station in general – such as in the shop, in your vehicle parked on the forecourt, or in another non-hazardous area. Nonetheless, as far as the pump area itself is concerned, most stations do still follow such strict protocols in relation to mobiles that they’ll even cut off your pump if you try to refuel while using a handheld device. At last yes, it’s forbidden to use your mobile phone while operating the pumps at a petrol station, and you can expect to be prevented from filling your vehicle if you ignore this.
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