ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 10:10
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - pullgees

There is a filling station near where i live where if you pull in at night and you leave your sidelights on a voice comes over the tannoy asking ypu to turn them off. Presumably they won't switch on the pump until you comply.

I've never experienced this at any other garage and wondeed if this is a new thing that is beginning to come into being due to the obsession with H&S.

Have any fires ever happen due to lights being left on and what are the chances of that happening.?

Should Mythbusters be informed? :)

Edited by pullgees on 16/03/2012 at 10:12

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 10:24
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - Gordon17

I suspect it's more to do with the lights preventing them getting a good CCTV image of your number plate than anything to do with fire.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 11:22
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - colinh

They are very strict on this in Spain. Auto headlights that come when you go into the shade of a canopy can be a problem. Probably another EU thing to moan about!

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 12:02
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - Bromptonaut

Have any fires ever happen due to lights being left on and what are the chances of that happening.?

As above it's probably more to do with lights bamboozling the exposure on CCTV.

But you don't wait for an incident to happen if it's a real theoretical risk and/or there are real warnings from near misses. Lights are not needed on a floodlit fuel station; requiring them to be off is a reasonable control measure.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 13:22
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - bonzo dog

People who leave their lights on when stationary are simply damn inconsiderate.

Sick to death of them when I'm picking up the kids in the evenings.

Not only is it dazzling but how the hell are you supposed to see pedestrians walking in front or behind you.

Lazy inconsiderate &^%$£s

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 13:37
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - unthrottled

But it makes them more visible Bonzo. And that's all that matters.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 13:39
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - FP

I can't see how sidelights can possibly affect CCTV, or dazzle anybody.

Did anyone who posted subsequently actually read the original post?

Edited by FP on 16/03/2012 at 13:40

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 13:58
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - pullgees

I can't see how sidelights can possibly affect CCTV, or dazzle anybody.

Did anyone who posted subsequently actually read the original post?

It does make me wonder when someone rants on about being dazzled.

I suppose at certain angles maybe the sidelights do obscure the number plate. I'm thinking though that they have this rule because they are working under the assumption that if any lights are on then the ignition could also be on, which would create very small fire risk if there was a bad connection, arcing for example.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 14:12
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - Gordon17

I can't see how sidelights can possibly affect CCTV, or dazzle anybody.

Did anyone who posted subsequently actually read the original post?

I read the original post and gave my opinion as to a possible reason, but I guess you must know everything about CCTV - so what's your theory?

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 14:21
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - FP

"...I guess you must know everything about CCTV..."

No, I don't. But I don't like sarcasm. I guess you must be spoiling for a fight, for some reason.

Edited by FP on 16/03/2012 at 14:27

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 16:19
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - Gordon17

"...I guess you must know everything about CCTV..."

No, I don't. But I don't like sarcasm. I guess you must be spoiling for a fight, for some reason.

You don't like sarcasm - I don't like the implied criticism that I replied to the original post without reading it. I read it and gave my opinion, which you suggested was wrong without offering any alternatives.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 16:35
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - FP

Sorry, Gordon. I found it incredible, from a common-sense point of view, that anyone would think sidelights could affect CCTV (and another poster went on about being dazzled) and thus assumed the OP hadn't been read properly.

Given the small amount of light involved I still find it hard to believe.

If someone with better knowledge of CCTV in these circumstances can shed any light to the contrary (sorry!) I'll happily stand corrected.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 19:28
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - Gordon17

Maybe they just have a hard and fast rule that no lights can be on - it's more likely that headlights might cause a problem but I suppose it would save arguing with customers about what lights are and are not allowed.

Maybe the next time the OP is in there he can ask and enlighten (sorry, but you started it!) us.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 14:16
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - bonzo dog

I can't see how sidelights can possibly ........ dazzle anybody.

I am unaware (although happy to be informed) of any car that has actual sidelights any more. When people refer to "sidelights" they almost invariably mean the lower intensity lights.

As regards dazzling other drivers, you obviously don't park in the same places I do.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 14:26
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - FP

"Sidelights" are parking lights. I assume the OP has them, as that's what he was talking about. I can't think what any other "lower intensity lights" cars have.

If we assume we're talking about lights that are not headlights and not foglights and not "driving lights" nor rally lights nor any suchlike, then what's left wouldn't dazzle anybody.

Edited by FP on 16/03/2012 at 14:29

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 14:42
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - unthrottled

I can only think that is a CCTV thing. There are obviously no safety implications. I've never really understood the terror regarding the theoretical risk posed by smoking, having the ignition on or using a mobile phone at a filling station. Very hot brake discs and a hot exhaust system would pose a much bigger fire hazard.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 15:13
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - pullgees

I can only think that is a CCTV thing. There are obviously no safety implications. I've never really understood the terror regarding the theoretical risk posed by smoking, having the ignition on or using a mobile phone at a filling station. Very hot brake discs and a hot exhaust system would pose a much bigger fire hazard.

Yeah okay I think your right, bearing all the other greater fire risks in mind. If there was a fire risk you cam be sure there would be EU law on it and till operators would be forever telling customers to switch off lights.

One can imagine all sorts of senarios where a fire might arise due to ignition being left on. Child left in car presses start button. Car lutches forward dragging nozzle out and spiliing petrol on the forecourt. The driver just happened to be wearing steal toecaps. Kicks up a spark and BOOM! Shh! don't tell the Eurpean Legislature.

Edited by pullgees on 16/03/2012 at 15:16

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 15:25
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - pullgees

People used to think there was a big risk of fire with the introduction of self service. No one considers that now.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 15:30
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - unthrottled

Shh! don't tell the Eurpean Legislature.

It's not just the EU! A couple of US states still ban self service ostensibly on the grounds of safety, but really it's just to have a ready supply of McJobs to keep the unemployment figures down. These rules are not very popular with the tiny fraction of diesel owners because the bored attendants automatically reach for the unleaded hose...

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 17:07
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - Bobbin Threadbare

Some places have really poor CCTV so there could be a glare issue. I have been googling this to see if it's enshrined in law and the only connection I can find is the 'ignition' one - if the lights are on, you've got a current flowing and therefore a spark may occur.....which you're not allowed at petrol stations.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 17:20
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - FP

This I find hard to believe as well or at least, to believe in the soundness of the logic. In a modern car you've always got some current flowing, even if the key is turned off.

In my Focus the radio is "live", for example, in such a situation, though it wouldn't actually draw a current unless switched on. But the alarm would.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 17:34
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - unthrottled

if the lights are on, you've got a current flowing and therefore a spark may occur.

This is nonsense! What happens when you crank the engine and the starter motor draws 100 amps? Or the high voltage in the HT leads?!

How many millions of BL A series engines survived with the carburettor sitting about six inches away from the exhaust manifold? It's a wonder their drivers weren't burned alive!

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 17:43
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - Bobbin Threadbare

I know it's nonsense - so's the mobile phone thing. You could probably set up a b***** great Tesla coil on the forecourt and be fine, but this seems to be the logic given by petrol stations themselves. There must be some regulations they follow about this or it wouldn't occur. The Highway Code says nothing about it.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 19:35
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - jamie745

I want to see unthrottled arguing with the uneducated minimum wage folk who usually inhabit the service desk of the petrol stations about spark ignition physics.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 20:04
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - Bobbin Threadbare

I want to see that too

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 20:32
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - unthrottled

I'm scrupulously polite to cashiers, Jamie. :)

They don't make the rules after all!

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 20:40
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - balleballe

Very true. They're just doing their job, just like the rest of us.

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Fri 16 Mar 2012 21:54
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - jamie745

Well one part of my job is to be a bit of an argumentative knob from time to time, which i manage to achieve quite well.

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Sat 17 Mar 2012 00:29
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - 1litregolfeater

I suppose the thing is, if you fall over and break one of the lights, you'll set fire to the neighbourhood, with all the fumes swilling about. Could well happen if you'd been out for the night.

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Sat 17 Mar 2012 11:56
ford fieasta - Lights Off! while filling up - pullgees

I suppose the thing is, if you fall over and break one of the lights, you'll set fire to the neighbourhood, with all the fumes swilling about. Could well happen if you'd been out for the night.

You've been watching too many 'Final Destination' movies.

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