Fuel Dispensing Pump Mobile Phone Safety Alert.

[timb]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( on the subject of these sorta myths that go around in email chainletters, anyone gotten the one about not using cruise control when its raining, seems awfull silly to me, ))</font>

Not sure that one's quite in the 'myth' list but maybe stated for the wrong reasons. I guess the question is whether an already-in-progress hydroplane situation would be exacerbated by cruise or not - and I'll agree that I'm not sure I see how wheel slip would be made worse by having cruise on. On the other hand I could definitely see situations where the cruise can't see that puddle or ice patch coming up - where you might lift off and just coast through, perhaps a few mph slower and the cruise might just power on and start a hydroplane/slip.

I believe the no-cruise in poor traction (or visibility) conditions is pretty reasonable. I prefer to stay at the helm unless it's clear, dry, and low traffic.

Tim

 

[skent]

A neighbor was filling a 1 gallon plastic gas jug from a 5 gallon metal gas can and using a metal funnel (stuck in the plastic jug). He was going to mix oil in for the chain saw. The metal can spout and the metal funnel got too close and a static spark touched off a fire that nearly burned down his shed. He was able to kick the plastic gas can outside and save his shed. Real close call. I guess a plastic funnel would have been the way to go. I always try to do my mixing and re-fueling outside for just that reason.

 

[Mrwurm]

You are right Cliff, it has also been established that there are no documented cases of cell phones igniting fuel fires at gas stations. It was also noted the catalyst for the 'phone-fuel' story was a fraudalent letter sent to the media as a haux. The letter was on the PEI header, but they claim they never wrote it.

I'm gonna go see if I can find this at urban legends.

Yep, here it is: Web Link

 

[EastTexFrank]

My oldest son and his family (incidentally, he works for Shell) were visiting from the UK over Christmas and New Year. One day I was filling up at the gas station and walked away from the van to make a phone call. I was standing beside the store building, about 30' away from the pump. When I got back to the van he and my D-I-L both informed me that what I had just done would have got me arrested in the UK. Seemingly, it is illegal to use a cell phone ANYWHERE on filling station property and he explained why. So, urban legend or not, somebody believed it enough to pass a law forbiding it. I've never done it since. I think it's only sensible not to take silly risks.

 

[California]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( anyone gotten the one about not using cruise control when its raining, seems awfull silly to me, they say that if the tires lose traction they will spin faster and make the problem worst)</font>

Never saw the email but that hazard is real.

I've had it happen to me. I didn't have an instinctive response ready to deal with it and it scared the heck out of me.

This was towing my little utility trailer (700 lbs total) up a long freeway grade with my Subaru, keeping up with the slow-lane traffic. About 60 mph. I was crowding the wheel slightly to one side to counteract the crosswind. The transmission downshifted unexpectedly due to the grade which made the front wheel drive lose traction and start hydroplaning. Real spooky to have the steering wheel go slack in my hands unexpectedly. All I could think of was staying ahead of the semi following me.

This modern Subaru with A/T engages the back axle instantantaneously if the front tires exceed the speed of the rear tires so suddenly I had all four tires hydroplaning. It felt like a hog on ice for maybe two seconds.

Holding the wheel steady got me past the slick spot in a straight line but I didn't have time to think it through and turn off the speed control. In hindsight my learned instinct to not brake while towing a trailer was correct for the circumstances.

I no longer use the speed control where traction is uncertain.


As for other forwarded email warnings - I look up a key phrase at Google. So far this has *always* returned a list of hoax/urban legend sites debunking them!

 

[EastTexFrank]

I'm not sure if the that one qualifies as a "myth". I'm pretty certain that my owners manual says not to use cruise control when "road conditions are wet or slippery". Maybe they're just covering themselves in case they happen to sell a car to a lawyer. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( anyone gotten the one about not using cruise control when its raining, seems awfull silly to me )</font>

Mark, I think I can assure you that one is not a hoax. I love cruise control and probably use mine more than anyone I know, but never when I think I might hit a slick spot or puddle (rain, snow, or ice).

 

[GerardC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( on the subject of these sorta myths that go around in email chainletters, anyone gotten the one about not using cruise control when its raining, seems awfull silly to me, they say that if the tires lose traction they will spin faster and make the problem worst, well that can happen when driving with your foot on the gas too, seems like it would be even less likely when cruise control was on since it acts like a governor and would keep the wheels at a constant speed regardless of weather they had traction or not.....)</font>

Exactly, but.... If you can't hit the brake quick enough to disengage the cruise, it makes matters much worse.
I saw this on T.V. once but can't remember if it was on the news or one of the learning channels. G

 

[fivestring]

Here's Snopes take on that:
http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/wetroad.asp

It would be physically impossible for the vehicle to speed up faster than the cruise is set on.
It would "feel" as if you were going faster if your car was sliding (slowing) and then the wheels grabbed (spinning faster).

 

[markct]

thanks for the link, i see there is some truth to it, but as they show on the website in the copy of the email that had been going around, its not exactly as the email stated about the car speeding up, but i see the logic of why not too now, just the part about speeding up was what sorta had my thoughts going the wrong way. i suppose it doesnt matter much to me, none of my cars are fancy enough to have cruise control, and the only thing i drive often that has cruise control is the IH boxtruck at work, and that things pretty hard to make it hydroplane anyhow, but definatly in ice it could be an issue. seems with all the chain letters going around today ya dont believe anything ya get in your inbox, personaly i think that spammers start many of those chain letters, if you think about it every time someone forwards it there email address is now on the email, sometime you get those chainletters and they had 200 email addresses listed on them above the actual subject so its a perfect place for a spammer to collect addresses, maybe thats just my theory but im sure some of the more computer savy people here will chime in, usualy tho if i do get something in a chain letter that i want to send on to others, i copy and paste it to a new email rather than continue the chain of addresses