>> As I understand with autos, the issue is a spark coming from
>> a human when touching the nozzle (valve) or the vehicle near
>> the fill point after doing something to get charged different
>> than the vehicle.

We have latchable petrol pump nozzles at all NZ service stations which 
allow you to leave the tank to self fill with auto shutoff when the 
tank is almost full. It may happen but I have never heard of a fire 
having occurred due to spontaneous ignition while filling.

I have heard very occasionally (perhaps a few times in many decades) 
of a nozzle that did not shut off automatically but this is only 
indirect comment from others and I have never heard of this having 
caused a fire.

Overall I'd say that in NZ at least the chance of an auto shutoff 
system causing any sort of problem or of a fire being started for any 
reason while a tank is being filled is exceedingly small.

If a service station here has a faulty latch mechanism that forces you 
to manually fill the tank and they don't fix it promptly I will make a 
point of buying petrol elsewhere. Having to stand and fill a car 
manually (as we had to do in the UK) is annoying. That time is 
intended to be used for checking the water and oil and a quick VI of 
the vehicle for the super keen.



        Russell


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