Want to See the REAL Terrifying Reason You Shouldn’t Smoke in Gas Stations?

July 04, 2016

Have you ever pulled up to a gas station and seen other customers puffing away on a cigarette without a moment’s thought or hesitation, despite prominent no smoking signs? I know I have. Most people think the warnings are there for everybody else, that they are too smart to make a mistake that could result in disaster. They assume that the warnings are there because of gas spills, puddles, and other obvious hazards like the proximity to giant underground tanks that are usually sealed.

The truth is far scarier.

Ever wonder why no matter how careful you are not to spill a drop of gas you always smell like gasoline when you get back in the car after pumping? This week we went “behind the scenes” with an Opgal EyeCGas Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) Camera to find out what is really happening when you pump your gas… and it isn’t pretty.

Take a look at what happens when you pump your gas.

Because of this issue, many gas stations have quietly started putting in what’s called a “vapor recovery device” attached to each pump. These little machines are supposed to limit, not stop, the flow of toxic gasses into the air around you that are released when you pump gas into your car. This safety feature is unfortunately not 100% effective, breaks down often, and it’s not even used at gas stations across the board.

Take a look at how much gas still leaks out into the air when you pump your gas with a “vapor recovery device” that is functioning correctly.

So the next time you are pumping gas and see someone smoking (or think about doing it yourself), remember that even though you don’t have an OGI camera to reveal what’s really happening, once you open the cap to your tank, the gas that you can’t see is still all around you and all over you.

The only thing scarier is how much of that gas you just paid for that didn’t even make it into your car!