static

twanda

Hey,
have just gotten zapped by my car for the umteenth time this week- does anyone know what could be causing this static?
Oddly enough, it has only been happening in the last week or so - when I get out of the car, and try to close the door, it lifts me out of it with a shock..my b'friend drives it also and it's doing the same thing to him, so it's not that I'm over-sensitive to the elements or anything...
tonite was no exception - my hand is still tingling..
I heard it might be down to the type of material in clothes but it is happening regardless of the type of clothes I am wearing...and it's really starting to p**s me off...:mad: anyone know how to prevent this? thanks

andrew_ireland

Go to Halfords or any auto-shop and get a static strip, you've probably seen them hanging from the back of cars before. They'll earth the body of the car to the road so the static charge won't build up on the bodywork. Alternatively you could get a piece of chain and fix it to some of the bare metal work i.e exhaust but it must make contact with the road.

Hope that helps!

nialler

new shoes? Mine used to do it everytime I go out of the car, changed shoes, no problem

franksm

LOL
That *has* to be the best solution a girl can hear: "you must buy new shoes"

Just make sure to grab the metal part of the door when you climb out of the car, then you won't get zapped.

wyndham

I've had this for the last six weeks or so too and was wondering why. I actually saw a small spark at the tip of my finger when I touched the door to close it last night. It's freaky.

mike65

Static strips! lol

What do you think those big rubbery things at each corner do?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A6378744

Mike.

Zion

nialler wrote:

new shoes? Mine used to do it everytime I go out of the car, changed shoes, no problem

I am second to that. Got zapped all the time (regardless of getting from the car or picking up a bar of chocolate from the shelves in Tesco) with one of my Nike runners. No problem at all with the Adidas!

mike65

Have you put cheap nasty seat covers on in the last week? Do you both wear polyester shell suits? Leather shoes do make a difference.

Mike.

wyndham

Haven't changed my outfits and happens regardless of what shoes I am wearing. Figured it was something to do with the car. It's not painful or anything, just feels weird. There is no mark left on fingers.

andrew_ireland

mike65 wrote:

What do you think those big rubbery things at each corner do?

I was a bit blonde when I read that and couldn't think what the four rubbery things in each corner were- thought it was an anti-static feature on newer cars!:o

If a static charge isn't big enough then the potential difference between the body of the car and the road won't be big enough to break down the resistance across the tyres and a static shock is still possible.

The question still remains as to whether the charge has built up on the body of the car or the driver.

Volvoboy

When ya go to fill up yer car make sure ya touch yer car or else there will be flames burns and a you thinkin' i should of gotten new shoes.



-VB-

Anan1

mike65 wrote:

Static strips! lol

What do you think those big rubbery things at each corner do?

Mike.

They insulate the car, thus allowing the build-up of static. Static strips ground the car, preventing the build-up of static. The easiest solution, as franksm said, is to hold the door as your feet touch the ground.

Guy:Incognito

Just suck it up you bunch of women (appologies to any actual women, you are free to feel pain), pain is good for you. It's all part of being a double rock hard bastard

crosstownk

I used to get this a while back and it's really annoying. What I do now is touch the car with the back of my fingers as I step out - when I do get the static shock it's not as painful on the back of the hand as it is through the finger tips. Basically, I just 'knock' on the rear door. I find, for some reason, that I experience static shocks a lot more often in good weather.

testicle

The cause is the rubber soles on your shoes rubbing off the car mat. Change either.

Countryripple

Deadly... Ive been getting this too the last few weeks. I figured it was a combination of a cheap set of mats i had to buy as an emergency and also i got a coushion for my back that is filled with polystyrene beads so thought it might have been generated from them moving aroudnd creating static electricity!! Tried pulling my sleve over my hand to touch the door to close it but it has travelled through several times.

Now i have taken to kicking my door closed!!

ZiabR

The cause is your shoes, try a different pair and see do you get the shock.