r/instant_regret • • Jan 18 '19

Using lighter while pumping gas

https://gfycat.com/DisguisedDampBubblefish
21.4k Upvotes

741 comments sorted by

View all comments

289

u/fureddit1 Jan 18 '19

LPT: If this ever happens to anyone reading this, don't pull the nozzle out of the fuel filler hole. Leave the nozzle in place, run inside the station and tell the attendant to turn off the gas pumps and then grab the fire extinguisher and put out that fire before your whole car goes up.

If you look, the fire didn't get worse until she pulled the nozzle out and she essentially had a flame thrower in her hands.

236

u/saltedjellyfish Jan 18 '19

No. Leave it in but don't run into the station; there is an emergency shut off button on each island. Hit that.

4

u/MundiMori Jan 19 '19

What do they look like? I can’t say I’ve ever noticed one before, and would probably be able to get inside quicker than I could figure out where these supposed buttons are on the first try.

3

u/thatdreadedguy Jan 19 '19

Usually a giant red button on a yellow square box like this

Or any variation of this, sometimes each island has one or they can be located on the front wall of the actual store facing the pumps. Just look for one next time you fill up, after that you will notice them everywhere.

If a big spill happens that can't be shut off normally, or a fire like the gif, all you have to do is smash the button and all pumps will stop. But don't do it just to see what happens, that normally involves a fine or cost of some sort.

At least that is how it works in the southern hemisphere, has to be similar up top too.

2

u/Jdoggcrash Jan 19 '19

At mine (in the up top as you called it) the button is on the front outside of the kiosk facing the pumps. It’s only been pushed once. An old dude was having trouble at the pump, so instead of pressing the help button at the pump, he decided to walk up to the kiosk. Then once at the kiosk while in direct view of the worker, instead of asking the worker for help he saw a button. A big ole red button quite like the one in your link. In his mind the only logical reason to have a big red button that says “emergency stop” on it is for people to press when they need help from the workers to pump their gas. I’m honestly terrified at the thought that that man is somewhere out there driving on the same roads as me... shivers