one of the major causes of gas station fires is static electricity build up from getting into and out of cars. of course, i've no actual proof to back this up, but that's not important right now.

point is, gas pumps have little warning stickers on them that say you shouldn't re-enter your car during the refueling process, because static might build up and ignite the gasoline. it seems to me that the best way to combat this would be to erect a brass sphere between each two pumps that people are required to place their hands on after exiting their vehicle. this sphere would be grounded, and might have a pleasing design etched around its circumference.

while at first people might be hesitant to utilize this for fear of shocks, over time this reaction can be quelled through the use of a system of capacitance sensors in the sphere that tell the pump to give you a discount over the marked price of fuel.
-- tcarson, Jul 30 2006

Static Electricity Gas/Petrol Station Fires http://www.pei.org/static/
- campaign for public awareness of same. Complete with video. (Don't worry, scary but not graphic.) [DrCurry, Jul 30 2006]

US patent 7013930 http://v3.espacenet...DX=US2004154687&F=0
[xaviergisz, Jul 30 2006]

spallung: pedestal
-- neelandan, Jul 31 2006


thanks [neelandan]
-- tcarson, Jul 31 2006


Wouldn't that be a pump between two brass spheres?
-- BunsenHoneydew, Dec 30 2006


That would be a tap.
-- neelandan, Dec 30 2006



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