Static shock getting out of the car

Reg'stoy

Firstly please move if I've posted in the wrong section.

I am increasingly getting a nice little jolt almost everytime I get out of the car (any car really). Googled static and car and got some answers but nothing definite, usual things about nylon clothes etc. I have seen a few cars with those rubber strips hanging from the rear bumper, I'm presuming that they are meant to discharge the static build up.

Has anyone solved their static problems and do those strips work. Any tips would be great, thanks in advance.

dsane1

Perhaps you bought new runners recently ? The soles on some types sometimes cause a static build up .

Anan1

Hold the door of your car while putting your foot on the ground - no shock.:)

niceirishfella

Anan1 wrote: »

Hold the door of your car while putting your foot on the ground - no shock.:)

yep, and try an remember that 100% of the time OP:D

Graham_B18C

When I was a kid I used to get em off my Dad's car all the time, he bought one of those rubber things and I stopped gettin em!

Berty

I get static shocks off most things and have grown a habit of tapping things with the back of my clenched fist first.

Graham_B18C

Berty wrote: »

I get static shocks off most things and have grown a habit of tapping things with the back of my clenched fist first.

You punch everything before ya touch it?!:D

Merch

Anan1 wrote: »

Hold the door of your car while putting your foot on the ground - no shock.:)

I do that a lot of the time (hold or just touch the door) As you are getting out but before u put your foot on the ground.
I'll get one shock, sometimes quite a jolt, then I'll hold/touch a metal part of the car or the door for the rest of the day before putting my foot down.
If think it's when I am wearing a particular top/t-shirt top/fleece combination it seems I build up static charge in the car. I believe the static charge is on the car as its more insulated from the ground than a person, you provide a route to ground when you put your foot on the, well the ground, so when you touch the door after your foot is down the charge jumps from the car to you hence that sometimes nasty shock and the involuntary swear :pac:
By that rationale the rubber strips you see hanging from some cars (which I presume have a metal rod in them) should work, but I think they look naff

Merch

Berty wrote: »

I get static shocks off most things and have grown a habit of tapping things with the back of my clenched fist first.

I do that with things that are hot but surely the static would still get you if you touch it? although the skin is different on the top and bottom of the hand so maybe not.

Merch

Anan1 wrote: »

Hold the door of your car while putting your foot on the ground - no shock.:)

I do that a lot of the time (hold or just touch the door) As you are getting out but before u put your foot on the ground.
I'll get one shock, sometimes quite a jolt, then I'll hold/touch a metal part of the car or the door for the rest of the day before putting my foot down.
If think it's when I am wearing a particular top/t-shirt top/fleece combination it seems I build up static charge in the car. I believe the static charge is on the car as its more insulated from the ground than a person, you provide a route to ground when you put your foot on the, well the ground, so when you touch the door after your foot is down the charge jumps from the car to you hence that sometimes nasty shock and the involuntary swear :pac:
By that rationale the rubber strips you see hanging from some cars (which I presume have a metal rod in them) should work, but I think they look naff

sogood

As I'm getting on a bit now, the occasional jolt is most welcome and eagerly anticipated. I remember my dad once refused to use those rubber things and got a terrible shock nine months later!

Ah well, back to the potting shed......dum dee dee dum dum

Berty

Grahamo999 wrote: »

You punch everything before ya touch it?!:D

Gonna punch you.

crosstownk

Berty wrote: »

I get static shocks off most things and have grown a habit of tapping things with the back of my clenched fist first.

+1.

I always 'knock' on the rear passenger door as I get out of the car - practically every time. I've gotten some nasty shocks in the past. One was heard by a salesman who was about 15 metres away from me.

You've less nerve endings on the back of your hand compared to the palm side so making initial contact with the back of your hand is less of a jolt.

It doesn't seem to matter what I'm wearing as it can happen at anytime. I've tried all the typical remedies and none work. The only constant is that it never happens in wet weather.

Reg'stoy

Cheers folks,

I'm curious, is the static in me or the car. Just thinking out loud here, should I get out avoiding the car body and allow my wife to discharge the charge as she closes her door and then close my door.

A lot of us seem to suffer these shocks so you would think that either car manufacturers or some bloke tinkering around in his shed would have sorted this out before now.

FearDark

Had the same problem in an Impreza I used to own. Havnt had a shock in a good while in the new car but Im still really nervous getting out of any car and will hold the door of the car until my foots on the ground, I also am very wary of the first metallic object I touch after getting out of a car!

I really really really hate getting shocked!!:o

crosstownk

Reg'stoy wrote: »

I'm curious, is the static in me or the car. Just thinking out loud here, should I get out avoiding the car body and allow my wife to discharge the charge as she closes her door and then close my door.

I've actually tried this. The Mrs got out with no shock but I still got a shock when I touched the car. It's not so much whether it's you or the car - it's the difference between you and the car, i.e car is positive and you are negative or vice versa.