heyhey

Living in QLD i can only comment on what goes on here. I have contacts in the fuel industry and know that all DSL, ULP and PULP come from the same place. Each fuel distributor has a depot at Brisbane, Gladstone, Mackay, Townsville, Cairns ie the major ports. This fuel is pumped from a ship into each depot's storage tanks and so is exactly the same fuel. Where this fuel is loaded from is most likely different each time. The 98 octane fuels are different. This fuel is transported by truck to either a storage tank at the depot, or directly to the service station. Bp Ultimate comes directly from the Brisbane refinery with their octane boosters and other additives already mixed. I'm not certain about how other companys mix their 98 octane fuel. From what I have heard, BP Ultimate is the preferred fuel as there have been people who have complained of gummed up parts when running on Optimax. It's up to the person on what type of fuel they run. Personally I would get my car tuned on one type of fuel then stick with that.

You are totally right about the phones. It's only the faulty phones with bad connections to the battery ect that are the problem. Most phones are fine to be used around petrol pumps. That was the only problem with the mythbusters experiment is they only used new phones. I work in a servo and I know how much petrol gets spilled so I would be getting out of the way fast if I saw anyone with a lit cigarette. It's no suprise though that the best customers in servos are the import owners and car enthusiasts. They are the most cooperative when you ask them to shut off the engine (most do it anyway). The worst would be the bombs that come in with a rooted battery that complain that they won't be able to start it again or the 4wd owners that argue that a diesel car doesn't spark so it can't catch fire. I think the servo operator that called the cops cause of the guy smoking on the driveway was a bit extreme. Mostly if I catch someone smoking i give them a serve. It's amazing how many don't even realise what they are doing.