Diesel Pump Handles - Why are they always so filthy?

Berty

As per title:

Why in gods name are Diesel pump handles always covered in Diesel? The unleaded ones are not. They are dry and relatively clean.

This is not exactly an isolated incident. I have noticed this over the years of driving.


Dear Mods: This may be a rant and possibly suitable for the ranting and raving forum.

OldmanMondeo

It is probably from the fumes of the Diesel, Petrol fumes would just evaporate, but Diesel would leave a residue on the handle. That is why some garages leave the cheap plastic gloves for you....

Pkiernan

Diesel is much less refined than petrol, and is therefore much more oily.

Small spills and condensates will not evaporate from the handle as they would with the more volatile petrol.

The oil residue will attract dust and grime, and therefore result in a dirtier handle.

HPT

Pkiernan wrote: »

Diesel is much less refined than petrol, and is therefore much more oily.

Small spills and condensates will not evaporate from the handle as they would with the more volatile petrol.

The oil residue will attract dust and grime, and therefore result in a dirtier handle.

Exactly

Berty

OldmanMondeo wrote: »

That is why some garages leave the cheap plastic gloves for you....

Few and far between. You are lucky to get a roll of paper which I normally hold around the handle.

peasant

petrol = detergent
diesel = lubricant

R.O.R

Mmmmm.......

I love the smell of diesel in the mornings.

Try filling up with diesel and getting in to a brand new A6 with the beige leather interior (inlcudes beige steering wheel and gearknob) that about to be delivered to it's new owner.

Think I ended up driving back to the office with my sleeves over my hands.

BlackWizard

I usually just drop the pump into a puddle on the ground when I'm finished. Takes up too much time to properly insert it back in.

Honey-ec

Berty wrote: »

Few and far between. You are lucky to get a roll of paper which I normally hold around the handle.

Yeah, the amount of garages that don't even bother with paper towel.

I hate filling my car for this very reason.

Equally as annoying is trying to get the ring pull off a tin of octane boost when filling the "weekend car". More often than not it pops off really suddenly and douses your front with approximately a third of the tin.

Would a screw cap be too much to ask???

blackbox

Spare a thought for the sensible car owner who knows what filthy smelly stuff that diesel fuel is.

He has done all the right things, such as bought a nice clean petrol powered car, avoided touching the filthy diesel pump, yet still ends up with diesel fuel on his shoes.

I had to stop the car about a mile after filling up the other day in order to wipe the soles of my shoes and the pedals to try to get the diesel stink out of my car.

I'd like to see a return to having separate pump locations for different fuels.

BlackWizard

blackbox wrote: »

Spare a thought for the sensible car owner who knows what filthy smelly stuff that diesel fuel is.

He has done all the right things, such as bought a nice clean petrol powered car, avoided touching the filthy diesel pump, yet still ends up with diesel fuel on his shoes.

Snob!

R.O.R

blackbox wrote: »

Spare a thought for the sensible car owner who knows what filthy smelly stuff that diesel fuel is.

He has done all the right things, such as bought a nice clean petrol powered car, avoided touching the filthy diesel pump, yet still ends up with diesel fuel on his shoes.

I had to stop the car about a mile after filling up the other day in order to wipe the soles of my shoes and the pedals to try to get the diesel stink out of my car.

I'd like to see a return to having separate pump locations for different fuels.

BlackWizard wrote: »

Snob!

HEY! Just because a man can afford shoes nowadays doesn't make him a snob. Just means he hasn't lost his job yet