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Scott S.
03-18-2008, 08:28 PM
I don't know if this is for real or not but I got this email from my boss. Truie or not, it never hurts to look before your grab something:
*********
Warning: Look at the gas pump handle BEFORE you pump your gas. Please read and forward to anyone you know who drives a car.

My name is Captain Abraham Sands of the Jacksonville , Florida , Police Department. I have been asked by state and local authorities to write this email in order to get the word out to car drivers of a very dangerous prank that is occurring in numerous states. Some person or persons have been affixing hypodermic needles to the underside of gas pump handles! These needles appear to be infected with HIV positive blood. In the Jacksonville area alone, there have been 17 cases of people being stuck by these needles over the past five (5) months. We have verified reports of at least 12 others in various states around the coun try. It is believed that
these may be
copycat incidents due to someone reading about the crimes or seeing them reported on television. At this point no one has been arrested and catching the perpetrator's) has become our top priority. Shockingly, of the 17 people who where stuck, 8 have tested HIV positive and because of the nature of the disease, the others could test positive in a couple years. Evidently the consumers go to fill their car with gas, and when picking up the pump handle get stuck with the infected needle. IT IS IMPERATIVE TO CAREFULLY CHECK THE HANDLE of the gas pump each time you use one. LOOK AT EVERY SURFACE YOUR HAND MAY TOUCH, INCLUDING UNDER THE HANDLE! If you do find a needle affixed to one, immediately contact your local police department so they can collect the evidence. PLEASE HELP US BY MAINTAINING A VIGILANCE, AND BY FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO DRIVES. THE MORE PEOPLE WHO KNOW OF THIS, THE BETTER PROTECTED WE CAN ALL BE.

Rose Lambert, Chief Aide to Supervisor Gerry Hyland, Mount Vernon District, 2511 Parkers Lane , Alexandria , VA 22306 .

Zak
03-18-2008, 08:50 PM
Scott,

That is a hoax.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/crime/a/abraham-sands.htm

Whenever you get emails like this you can usually put part of it in google and find out if it's a hoax or not.

Zak

Dima
03-18-2008, 09:46 PM
It's also nearly impossible from a scientific standpoint:
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/qa35.htm

HIV has troubles surviving outside the body. Finally, my education is paying off... :rolleyes:

Scott S.
03-18-2008, 11:02 PM
It's also nearly impossible from a scientific standpoint:
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/qa35.htm

HIV has troubles surviving outside the body. Finally, my education is paying off... :rolleyes:

Oh man, I'm more tired than I thought. I should have spotted that part right off. The virus has a max life outside the body of, what? 30 minutes or something?

Sorry all, I just left a local dance before 10 because exhaustion from insomnia just hit me all at once. Guess it's worse than I thought.

Scott

kansas49er
03-19-2008, 03:06 PM
As I recall, that is not strictly true. During my ems education, there was a study done on the drain pipes below some large city mortuaries. I cannot recall the ctiy. In any case, there was found to be live HIV virus in many of them. The humid, and dark, and blood rich environment was thought to be the culprit. I do not remember any followon studies.