OT - Electric Shocks From Shopping Carts

[DerbyDad03]

I'll really show my age.

I worked for the IT department of a major company and spent a couple of years installing countless Radio Shack TRS-80 word processors. The static electricity issues with these machines were notorious for wiping out the data on the 8" floppies.

I recall one system where you could walk up, touch the plastic case of the keyboard and the daisy wheel printer would spit out a character.

In the worst locations we would attach grounding straps to the sprinkler system with a wrist strap for the users to put on before they sat down to use the machine.

[Frank]

This defines triboelectric effect:

I believe someone should be able to find tables of materials and relative potential charge when rubbed together.

[Doug]

So that explains your crazy thoughts about a week or so ago... too much heat and not enough water :-)

I guess you have less allergies or colds there tho ??

[jeff_wisnia]

I hate the unoiled squeeky wheel bearings, or the too tight dry ones which make the cart want to turn when you push it.

Jeff

[tanberryquick]

Did you ever get a BJ at BJ's?

[king_key]

Certain types of winter coats seem to cause this. I had one coat that was some sort of plastic material or nylon, or something like that, and it was always giving me shocks when I got out of the car. I sent that coat to the garbage and seldom got shocked with other coats.

[wabbit]

Just open the car door and take a piss on the ground first!!!!