It can be terrifying to pump gas alone at night. From random strangers trying to start brief but uninteresting conversations, to fear of what lurks just beyond a gas station’s fluorescents, it can feel like an unnerving experience. 

But, one Facebook user has some tips to make it feel a bit safer. Adore Ninii, a digital content creator and influencer from Miami, Florida, recommends using the gas pump like pepper spray in the event of an emergency. In a Facebook reel that has over 441,000 likes, she humorously points out that “you have a gas pump,” when filling up at a station and that it can be used as a weapon if sprayed the right way. 

Do People Regularly Use Gas Pumps as Weapons?

This isn’t the first time someone has used a gas pump as a weapon. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a man was able to thwart an attacker by spraying him with gasoline at a station. Then, in Washington, D.C., a man did the very same thing. Gasoline is also notoriously hard to get off, making it a great marker for any assailant that police can track down. 

But, it’s not the only way to stay safe at a gas pump. Generally, staying alert and undistracted can be a great deterrent. Blogs and publications recommend staying outside and alert and not going on a cellular device while pumping gas. It’s also a good idea to keep a hold on the gas pump and lock the vehicle to help prevent any potential risks. 

Commenters Recommend a “Spray and Light” Method—Is It Justified?

Commenters recommended spraying an assailant with gas and keeping a lighter on hand, but they should be careful utilizing that strategy. 

For one, it could create an incredibly complicated legal proceeding if a person actually lights their attacker on fire. While it’s technically “self-defense,” it’s not an automatic protection against legal proceedings. Lighting someone on fire can be considered a use of deadly force, especially if their injuries prove fatal. The threat, then, has to be imminent and deadly. 

It also has to meet something called a “reasonable person standard.” The court of law would also have to determine whether a reasonable, everyday person would act in a similar way or with a similar amount of force. That “reasonable person” standard could make or break a similar case. In a criminal proceeding, a jury would have to determine whether a reasonable person would pull out a lighter in that exact scenario. 

A reasonable person might spray an assailant with gasoline, but it doesn’t inherently mean they’d start a flame. That’s where advice to “spray and light” might falter. Starting a fire at a gas station is incredibly dangerous and could cause unnecessary risk to others. For that reason, it might not be considered something a “reasonable” person would do.

Plus, certain states have different laws. Some states have strict stand your ground laws, while others have none at all. It’s important to be mindful and cautious not to cause unnecessary damage when acting in self-defense.

Do Gas Pumps Really Spray Out Like That?

One viewer pointed out that not all gas pumps will spray out gasoline like a hose, and that’s generally true. There are gas pumps across the country that will not have the pressure to flow out the same way others do due to manufacturing differences, age, or other factors. But, most gas pumps have standardized nozzles which can reduce or constrict gas flow to a baseline level.

Many retail gas pumps come with some standardized pieces. That means that even if the gas’s velocity decreases or increases in the valve, it usually pumps at a very similar rate. There are not necessarily dramatic differences in pump velocity.  So, not all pumps will spray out gasoline like the example shown in Ninii’s video, but many still do. 

And, in a situation where a person’s in mortal peril, a low-pressure gas pump is still better than nothing. 

We’ve reached out to Ninii for more information regarding the video. We’ll let you know if she responds.