The next time you fill your vehicle at one of California's gas stations, you will have to hold onto the gas pumping handle the whole time it's filling your tank.
A San Jose judge has refused to delay an order by the state fire marshal that forces gas station owners to remove the auto-flow lever from the handles of gas pumps. Some of the latches have been sticking in the open position, leaving them to overflow and cause serious injuries or pose fire dangers, officials said.
Gas station owners had asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to delay the removal demand but he rejected the idea so the station owners then asked a Santa Clara County judge to postpone the order for 90 days -- when new nozzles are supposed to be available.
The state fire marshal's order impacted 3,000 stations throughout the state with pumps made by Vapor System Technologies and are marked with the label VST.
