Why Should You Not Use Phone in Petrol Bunks

By Shyamala Tulasi

Many of us have seen posters warning people not to use mobile or to switch off mobile phones in certain areas, particularly at petrol bunks. 

But not all of us follow this, and some are not ready to be convinced that is dangerous to use mobile phones in petrol pumps. Many wonder what is the connection between mobile phones and petrol bunks and why should we not use them. 

There is a reason why petrol pumps tell that mobile phones are banned. It is widely believed that the electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones can pass on enough energy that can ignite the petrol vapour directly or induce currents in the nearby metal objects triggering a spark resulting in an explosion. The electromagnetic waves are responsible for the two-way communication between your phone and the tower. These waves are of high energy and this is a major cause of concern.

Scientific Perspective

Talking from a scientific perspective, there is no evidence proving the connection between explosions at the gas stations and the use of mobile phones. In fact, studies have proven that none of the gas stations fires was related to cell phone usage. The batteries that power the mobile phones are of low voltage, so these are not potent enough to ignite a spark at a petrol station.