Michigan Gas Station Mishap: Driver Takes Off With Pump Attached

A customer at a gas station in Holly, Michigan was obviously in a hurry.

Hey, we all have places to be, but most people do not forget to take a gas pump out of their tank before driving away. Unfortunately, that was not true for a recent Beacon & Bridge customer in Holly.

The incident happened on Monday, January, 20th, 2025. A man who witnessed the incident was able to take a few photos of the Cadillac pulling away from the gas station, with the hose still in the tank.

You can see the photos below.

To be clear, this is not to shame the driver. This is a friendly reminder that we should never get back inside our vehicle when pumping gas. There are signs on most gas pumps advising of this.

If you return to your vehicle, you risk generating static electricity, which could spark when you touch the gas pump, and possibly start a fire.

The American Petroleum Institute has further warnings for motorists,

Most important, motorists should not get back into their vehicles during refueling. It may be a temptation to get back in the car for any number of reasons. But the average fill-up takes only two minutes, and staying outside the vehicle will greatly minimize the likelihood of any build-up of static electricity that could be discharged at the nozzle.

 

Motorists who cannot avoid getting back into the vehicle should always first touch a metal part of the vehicle with a bare hand, such as the door, or some other metal surface, away from the fill point upon exiting the vehicle.

It is better to be safe than sorry. Or this time of year, it is better to be cold for a few minutes than sorry.