I was out on my Saturday drive, just finished visiting my and decided to get some gas before I made it home. I pulled into my local grocery store where there was a line of cars waiting to pump their gas (this wasn't typical, but it was for this day considering it was the last day for the discount on gas and everyone was taking advantage of it). Anyway, i was sitting in the line and I was the next car in line to pump his gas, and the car that was directly parallel to me on deck for the other pump was sitting in his car smoking a cigarette. I watched him for a second, (uncomprehending my 'are you serious' face), but he didn't see this; and as his turn to pump gas was within moments, he throws the butt out the window and moves his car forward. I watched it there for about 3 seconds, still burning, an obvious fire hazard and even though there were multiple people standing around they did absolutely nothing about it. I then made the decision to get out of my car, walk over, and stomp it out; at least I thought it was the right thing to do. I start walking back to my car, and the guy who threw the cigarette out initially spoke to me, "what do you have against cigarettes kid?" He didn't say kid like he was serious, considering I look older than I actually am, he said it like I was naive and didn't know what I was missing. I told him something along the lines of "not only do they give free lung cancer, but could've well been the negligent cause of death for everyone here." He snarled at me, but tried to make it discrete, and went back to pumping gas while saying "whatever" under his breath. It never fails to present itself whenever possible; the intelligence of the human race.
the cigarettes cost money, cancer just comes with it. Its like getting a happy meal, its not a happy meal without the toy.
Its "discrete" not desecrate, that's a word but not the one you were looking for in that sentence lol. Figured I'd say that as long as you were calling people out lol. Yea, I'm 99.9999% sure that cigarette butt wouldn't have done anything, and also its OUR choice as free willed human beings to do what we want with OUR bodies but that's another topic.
So you're saying a lit cigarette butt that happens to hit a small layer of gas on the pavement of a road (or even possibly oil, which cars will occasionally leak while in idle) will not ignite the gas or oil, and also ignite the fumes produced from people pumping the gas? Also, thanks for the spell check support, I'll fix it right away.
Yes, the temperature that gasoline ignites at is above that of a cigarette cherry. Autoignition temperature - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gasoline (Petrol): 246–280 C (475–536 F)[4 MythBusters Special 7: Hollywood on Trial Cigarette burns close to this temperature while being dragged on (450-500 F), but not just sitting in your hand. So no, nobody's lives were in any danger IMO.
high five. beat me to it. but still, when I used to smoke, I never littered and hated how everyone else did as if it was fine if it was a cigarette butt. "it's biodegradable." yeah, in x amount of time. until then it looks trashy. meh.
Yeah OP i can tell you from first hand experience that a light cigarrette will not ignite gasoline.. no matter how hard you try. i've tried it a couple times. a cup of gasoline you throw a match at, will, if you are too close can singe your eyebrows a little... done that. edit hmm.. come to think of it, i can't remember if the match at the cup o gas will ignite (not enough aerosolized vapor?), there is some bad gas in the garage, i'll have to give it go again soon just to be certain. agree with talkin to the guy, no need to make everyone really uncomfortable
whether or not it's proven to blow up gas pumps every time, it is just inconsiderate and slightly stupid to throw a lit cigarette (or lit ANYTHING) near gasoline. so i think you did the right thing... i live in the deep south and i grew up in a small town with a lot of unnecessary intolerance, hate, and stupidity, so I TOTALLY think people are pretty stupid and some humans are seemingly hopeless. but i do HOPE i'm wrong