Why is the fuel filler on the opposite side of the car?

Monkeydonkeyratmagic · Post by **Monkeydonkeyratmagic** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:41 pm

Pretty sure that guy is trolling you or just plain made that up. It makes no logical sense and there are no records in the UK of a petrol station blowing up as a result of static electricity from a car or cascading explosion. I've just spent ages trawling though claims history for all the big players in the energy market. BP, Shell, Texaco and Esso. Even in Canada the fuel flaps are on either side.

Plus car seats are earthed and not many use nylons.

Brasseye · Post by **Brasseye** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:55 pm

My Escort Cosworth had it under the number plate. I like this.

Ducklakeview · Post by **Ducklakeview** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:34 pm

Load of balls imo.. The car designers put the filler on the drivers side for the market that they design the car in/for.

Yes, they could probably swap it for "export" markets, but if that cost £1 per car, it's something they wouldn't do.

As bz4kev said, some cars, notably Ford and Vauxhall have an arrow on the fuel gauge pointing to the filler side, and I for one would never dream of dragging a filling hose across my car risking it damaging the paint, when a little thought as you arrive at the petrol station can avoid it.

Mike

mcbeee · Post by **mcbeee** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:41 am

Monkeydonkeyratmagic wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:41 pmPretty sure that guy is trolling you or just plain made that up. It makes no logical sense and there are no records in the UK of a petrol station blowing up as a result of static electricity from a car or cascading explosion. I've just spent ages trawling though claims history for all the big players in the energy market. BP, Shell, Texaco and Esso. Even in Canada the fuel flaps are on either side.

Plus car seats are earthed and not many use nylons.

Royal Dutch Shell is worldwide, and I was in Electrical with Shell Canada for 24 years. I've seen the videos. There's a really good one of a delivery driver using his phone as a light to look in the open hatch on top of the tanker. he lands about 15 feet from the truck on the ground and the fireball was impressive.

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 12:50 am

I can never remember which side the darn things are any way.

Lance · Post by **Lance** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:16 am

bz4kev wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:13 amIf you look at the petrol pump sign on dash there is a arrow pointing to which side filler is on

Might be true on the Z4, however not true across all cars. My Mrs has an old Almera, arrow points to the drivers side, fuel cap is on the passenger side.

MACK · Post by **MACK** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 8:21 am

I think one key difference between the UK and US/Canada is over here we don't have the device on the pump nozzle that allows you to not have to be constantly physically squeezing the trigger. So we can't get back in the car while the pump is still filling the tank.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:16 am

mcbeee wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:48 pm
bz4kev wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:13 amIf you look at the petrol pump sign on dash there is a arrow pointing to which side filler is on
Only on my Highlander, not in the 911 and the M roadster. but I know where it is on them, the next trick is remembering where the button is to open the filler flap.

My 911 has the image of the petrol pump with the hose on the right. Not sure if that is coincidence though.

enzed4 · Post by **enzed4** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 1:29 am

pvr wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:16 am My 911 has the image of the petrol pump with the hose on the right. Not sure if that is coincidence though.

If the image of the pump is on the right (with no arrow) I think it indicates the filler cap is on the right. I'm pretty sure this is how it is in one of the cars I drive (work car maybe).

Here's a YT video of static discharge igniting vapours at a gas station.

mcbeee · Post by **mcbeee** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 3:42 am

That’s another one we saw at work.....there are also a ton of comments on YT about cellphones not having enough energy to ignite vapours. They don’t have a clue what they are talking about. If a device is “intrinsically safe” it has been tested and does not have enough energy to ignite flammable vapours or is completely sealed. Or both. If any were available we would have known about it being in the gas processing industry, and our plant mobile radios cost $1100 each and we’re intrinsically safe, so we’re our flashlights

the quickest way to get fired and escorted off site was to take a cellphone or a cigarette lighter into a process area.

kis · Post by **kis** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:17 am

I’m quite glad it’s on the right side. Just makes filling up easier (being in the UK). It annoys me having to go to the other side on other cars...

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