It happens when the weather turns cold...you get out of the car and grab the door to shut it when you receive an unexpected shock. You forgot over the summer that this always happens time of year, but by the time you get "popped", it's too late. The solution: anti-shock rubberized grips that can be custom placed wherever you grab your door the most. Sound unattractive? Get them to match your car's color. No more surprise shocks.
-- waxingpoetic, Dec 04 2002

A Greater Danger Than Perhaps You First Imagined http://www.classbra...sh/article_50.shtml
Recent major media blitz warning consumers of dangers of static elctricity around gas pumps. [jurist, Oct 04 2004]

Related http://www.pei.org/static/index.htm
[jurist, Oct 04 2004]

I never experienced a shock froma car door, and i live in one of the coldest places in Europe.
-- tyskland, Dec 04 2002


it's happened to me
-- iain, Dec 04 2002


Wear rubber gloves?
-- DrCurry, Dec 04 2002


happens all the time! I hate that. Actually, to prevent this all you have to do is hold onto the metal on the door before you step on the ground. the spark will not jump then (which is what causes the pain). instead, the charge will harmlessly pass right through your body. problem solved!!
-- djjosh1200, Dec 04 2002


Ah, yes, yes, the slap. I know it well.
-- waxingpoetic, Dec 04 2002


Try touching the metal first with the back of your hand. Less nerve endings = less painful shock.
-- Pharaoh Mobius, Dec 04 2002


This is a bigger and more consequential problem than might be readily apparent at first glance. The Petroleum Equipment Institute went on a media blitz this fall to report the findings from the investigation of 150 incidents involving static electricity charges and gasoline pumps. It does occur more often in cold weather, and it appears to happen most frequently to women and cell-phone users. The linked article--while not the flashiest I could have chosen from those Google listed--appeared to have some of the best tips about what to do to avoid a problem and how to not make it worse if it does occur.
-- jurist, Dec 04 2002


most of the static buildup is apparently from rubbing against your seat as you slide into and out of the car. it's made worse if you have nylon seat material.
-- mihali, Dec 04 2002


Since the reports at PEI suggest that fires generally started when someone touched the gas nozzle assembly, that would suggest that the gas nozzle assembly was at a different potential from the people involved AND that it had sufficient capacitance at that potential to produce a spark.

The solution, therefore, would seem to be to construct gasoline filler nozzles so that there is a moderately-high-impedance (100Kohm to 10Mohm) DC path between exposed conductive material on the grip and to both the metal nozzle itself and to the fuel pump. The handle of the nozzle would thus provide a safe place for someone to touch at any time before or after filling.
-- supercat, Dec 04 2002


The easiest solution is to merely hold onto the metal frame of the door, put a foot on the ground and Voila' no more shocks.
-- Micky Dread, Dec 04 2002


Coat your car in liquid rubber.
-- skinflaps, Dec 04 2002


Hmmm... we're going to have to stop abbreviating thumbwax to just 'wax, now that we have two of 'em.
-- RayfordSteele, Dec 04 2002


Something I just read says you can, along with what [djjosh1200] said, touch the window first.
-- Zimmy, Apr 18 2005



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