Re: Static shocks

[Psycho Bob <honge@creighton.edu>]

> Now that the dryer weather is starting here in the UK, I have started
> getting static shocks off my car.  Whenever I get out, I get a shock
> off the door and sometimes it makes quite a crack, followed by a yelp
> from me.

> On previous cars I have tried the rubber strip underneath but these
> never seemed to work.
> Any ideas how I can stop this ?

I actually tried that "rubber strip" underneath the car (with lotza 
people rolling down the windows telling me something is hanging down from 
me car). But you do know that it's just not only a rubber strip? It's the 
conductive metal wires inside them that makes the whole darn thing work.

First, check the tires. Honda has official notes regarding some tires 
that lack in something or other that would retard the conductiveness of 
electricity of tires. I also found those cheap tires (especially OEMs) 
have tendency to make a car statically charged. Solution here is get a 
better set of tires (preferably something at least HR).

Second, is cloth interiors. If you got cloth interiors, you might be in 
for rude awakening. Those "cloth" interiors of U.S. domestics is 
absolutely shocking (sorry 'bout the pun) -- I think many of them (on 
cheaper models) are nylon in origin. Here, use some sort of static- 
stopping spray to get rid of them (e.g. Scotch Static Guard, etc.).

Back who knows when, I had regular rides in Caddi DeVille and Olds 
Cutlass -- both are pure Detroit shockers with nice fuzzy cloth 
interiors. My trick on riding them is to hold onto the door handle (which 
is chromed metal, very conductive) for the whole ride (quite damn 
annoying). It works, but sometimes very painful (to have the conductive 
property, you can't wear gloves -- and in the winter, it's absolutely
freezing).

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