Californians Forced To Get A Grip On New Gas Nozzles
SAN JOSE (KCBS)- It may be a bit harder to fill up your tank the next time you pull into the gas station after a judge ruled that gas station owners must remove all hands-free clips on faulty nozzles.
The new state-mandated nozzles are linked to at least seven incidents where customers were sprayed with gas. The state fire marshal ordered stations to remove the hands-free clips on the nozzles as a precaution, but some stations objected, claiming that customers have been jamming in foreign objects in place of the clips. Tom Robinson, president of Rotten Robbie Gas Stations said it creates an even bigger safety problem.
KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:
"Either the person that jammed it in can have a spill or spray incident, or possibly the next person... the innocent person could have a spill or a spray problem," said Robinson.
Santa Clara County Judge James Kleinberg agreed that people may be stupid, but he sided with the fire marshal, ruling that gas stations should remove the latches by Friday.
"I suspect that some people are going to say, 'I don't want to go to a location where I have to hold the nozzle,'" said Robinson.
New nozzles are expected to arrive starting next week, but it may be until the end of the month before all stations have them installed.
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