Yeah, I heard about this too.  A capacitor is the separation of two
conductors by an insulator.  Hmmm ... let's see:
	A steel truck
	A bedliner
	A steel gas can
yep, that works.

I'm thinking even a plastic gas can could be disastrous if the pump isn't
grounded just right.  What are those gas pump handles made of?

----------
> From: Jeff Carver <CARVER_JEFFREY@aphub.aerojetpd.com>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu>
> Subject: Dead ly Serious Fun with Gasoline
> Date: Tuesday, June 17, 1997 8:09 AM
> 
> Been catching up on the weekend posts.  Took me until Tuesday!
> 
> On the subject of gasoline, I saw a notice at one of my local gas 
> stations that, while not of much direct VW interest, it may be for 
> those with malfunctioning gas guages, odometers, forgetfull, etc.
> (you know, those situations that require getting additional gasoline 
> into you stranded vehicle, not that I"VE ever had this problem =8-0
> 
> There is a real potential for fires caused by filling gas cans while 
> tha cans are in a plastic bed liner in a truck (I suppose the same 
> could be true for those newer plastic station wagon liners too).
> 
> Apparently the plastic bed liner can attain a sufficient static 
> electrical potential that the act of filling a gas can placed on the 
> plastic liner can initiate a spark, and boom, gas fire.
> 
> DO NOT FILL GAS CANS IN THE BED OF A TRUCK WITH A 
> PLASTIC BED LINER
> 
> According to the article (no reference to source unfortunately) 
> 23 people have died or been maimed as a direct result of doing this.
> 
> For those who may think this is a hoax, I firmly believe that the 
> scientific reasoning behind this situation is believeable, and it 
> can't hurt to fill the can on the ground.  Better safe than sorry.
> 
> - Jeff 
> While it may not be a loss to the VW world to lose a few non-VW 
> trucks, it would be a shame to lose a VW owner in the process ;-) or 
> a neighboring VW at the gas station!