Static cling?

[auld argonian]

FHACG suffers from the same malady that I suffer from: surrounded by a big field of static electricity that wants to go to ground and it HURTS when it does. My kids still laugh about the times that we would go to the supermarket and I would throw a spark whenever I reached for an item on the shelf. Perhaps this is yet another one of the problems of red-headed-ness (I think that Tom Robbins wrote about some of the others in Still Life With Woodpecker).

I just always assumed that it was because I was wearing rubber soled shoes and (usually) cotton jeans. Beloitpipers advice to wear wool seems good but remember that the classic static electricity experiment in your grammar school science book that told you to rub a glass rod with a piece of wool to create a static charge...ZOTZ!

All that I've ever been able to think of is to wrap a length of chain around my left ankle and let a foot or so drag behind me as a grounding strap. Granted, you'd feel like Marley's Ghost but it would ground out the static.

Best

AA

[ccga3359]

You know, there is less static cling if you don't wear support hose. So, get rid of the nylons and you'll do fine!

Seriously though, the whole door knob idea works, but don't forget that you'll get a bit of a shock when you do it. I HATE static electricity! Every time I get out of my car, I produce a huge amount of static electricity and shock the Holy S*** out of myself closing the car door. My friends are always warning me about causing an explosion at the gas station! I know the pain is minimal, but I just can't stand it. I was shocked by an electric fence as a youngster and I don't think I've ever gotten over it.

Be well,

I suggest that you get a grounding strap for your car (if they work). I've seen a gas station video of a woman who started filling her car, walked away, reached into her car for a second and alking back wiped her hands on her sweater (wool?) when she touched the nozzle a static spark ignited the gas fumes. Her mistake was when she let go of the nozzle she was no longer grounded but it' one scary video and a very real hazard.

[Ozman1944]

All I used to do was hold the car key, then touch it to the metal door handle first. The spark then discharged between key & handle rather than ME & handle. Same for front door knob.

[kiltedsawyer]

I suggest that you get a grounding strap for your car (if they work). I've seen a gas station video of a woman who started filling her car, walked away, reached into her car for a second and alking back wiped her hands on her sweater (wool?) when she touched the nozzle a static spark ignited the gas fumes. Her mistake was when she let go of the nozzle she was no longer grounded but it' one scary video and a very real hazard.

I thought the guys on MythBusters de-bunked that urban myth. More importantly......where do you attach the ground wire to the cat?

[rmmcscott]

Some people just have high electricity in their bodies, naturally. My grandmother is one of those people, she can't wear a battery operated watch (analog or digital) because within 7 days, it's fried. We've even tried painting the back of the watches with clear fingernail polish to help diffuse the electricity, but that only works for so long.

Now the only watch she uses is a ladies "pocketwatch" which pins on her clothing or my grandfather's pocketwatch which she keeps in her purse.

[auld argonian]

If you look at big rig trucks, they have grounding straps dragging along after them. The two things about vehicles that create static are the stream of air molecules moving past the vehicle while it's in motion and the interaction between whatever clothing you have on and the material that your car's upholstery is made of.

Best

AA

[Nighthawk]

You know, there is less static cling if you don't wear support hose. So, get rid of the nylons and you'll do fine!

Be well,

But they make me feel so... SEXY!

[rmmcscott]

But they make me feel so... SEXY!

*sings* Dontcha wish your girlfriend was HOT like ME?"

Sorry Nighthawk! Couldn't help myself!!

[Brian F]

My friends are always warning me about causing an explosion at the gas station! I know the pain is minimal, but I just can't stand it.

If you describe the pain of an exploding gas station as minimal, either you're highly mistaken, or I need to reevaluate my pain tolerance!

[ccga3359]

I thought the guys on MythBusters de-bunked that urban myth. More importantly......where do you attach the ground wire to the cat?

They debunked the cell phone myth, and the question is not where but how? Very cafefully!

Found the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFKrlPUSBJU