For those of you who have not had the experiences, filling up your car at a self-serve gas station in Canada is slightly less convenient than it is in the United States.
In Canada, the little clip (or flap) that holds the trigger into "auto" position has been removed from the nozzles at nearly all gas stations I have visited. This is the clip that allows you to fill your car's gas tank while washing the windshield and/or checking your oil and tires. It also allows you to keep your hands in your pockets on really cold days. And the nozzles all have an automatic shut-off so that when the gas tank is nearly full, the pump shuts off. This auto shut-off feature has been around on gas pumps for half a century, and the clip is still there at most self-serve gas stations I have used in the US.
I have asked several people why the clip has been removed in Canada. They all tell me it is for safety reasons.
One explanation was that in case the nozzle falls out when the customer isn't holding it, there will be gasoline all over the place. I gather that when this has happened, customers have complained and refused to pay for the gas, claiming that the nozzle was defective. I gather, too, that environmental cleanup of the gasoline spillage can be quite costly.
Another explanation is that sometimes in cold weather, people will start filling their tanks and then sit in the car to keep warm. Someone told me that when a person slides into the car, they generate static electricity which can spark a fire and explosion if the gasoline is flowing.
In Canada, I often wedge the filler cap into the nozzle handle. It works the same way the clip does. But one time several years ago, I had a snotty young thing turn off the pump while I was washing my windshield, telling me it was unsafe for me to do that.
Why the difference? Are Canadians less safe than gas pumpers in the US? Are Canadians less capable of using gas pumps safely than their US counterparts? I really doubt it.
Rather, I strongly suspect that liability law has been interpreted differently in different jurisdictions. It would not surprise me to learn that in Canada the retailers are held strictly liable for all accidents involving automatic nozzles, even if the customers are negligent, whereas in the US they are not. Does anyone know?
My guess is that some Harold Ballard type with Petro Canada figured more people would use full service rather than stand in the cold and hold the nozzle with self service. If the clip was there we could just get back in our cars while it pumped.
Posted by: James | October 06, 2008 at 11:23 PM
It seems to differ by state. For example, where I grew up in NY, the flaps are removed. Where I went to grad school in Virginia, the pumps had them.
Posted by: Eric | October 07, 2008 at 02:15 AM