My Shocking Bongo

[Bongalow Bill]

Anyone else get an electric shock when getting out their bongo?

Iv even tried closing the door with my sleeve over my hand and it still shocks! Owhhh!

[Simon Jones]

You need rubber pants . I've never had any static problems in nearly 10 years of Bongo ownership. In the olden days, you'd often seen cars with conductive rubber strips fitted to metal rear bumpers to prevent build up of static but either the composition of tyres has improved or people have stopped wearing polyester clothing as you rarely see them anymore.

[BigPanzer]

Hi,

Never had that problem with the Bongo, but my old Laguna was a b*gger for it in warm dry weather to such an extent that I would let 'er in drawers touch the door handle first. I actually saw a small spark on a few occasions, accompanied by a small "crack" and it could be quite painful. I remember our Collie getting caught on his nose once.

Never found a lasting solution other than something conductive and dangly underneath, but they tend to wear out quickly. I remember in days gone by people used to use bits of old bog chain.

Simon raises a valid point about tyre rubber compounds. Possibly some manufacturers use more of something like graphite in their mix than others, which would aid conductivity. Might be interesting to know if anybody with the same make and type of tyre has the same problem.

Peter

[helen&tony]

Hi
Yes...Tyres!!!...Basically cars, planes, anything moving through dry air quickly, build static which has to leak as Simon and Peter say....Danglies that touch the road when you stop instantly discharge onto the road. The danglies are also supposed to stop car sickness (also not as common today)....and probably, like on the "Goons" L.P. they'll cure spots before the ankle, soft shoulders and pink toenails! As stated, modern tyres are better at leaking static to earth because they put carbon in the tyre mix, and it reputedly helps earthing the car in the event of lightening strike, so the next time you decide to go to France and bring home a life-size replica of the Eiffel Tower on the roof, you'll know that you're safe driving in a lightening storm!
Your immediate cure....well, more expensive tyres are supposedly better, and avoid synthetic clothes in summer, plus wear rubber soles!.
Cheers
Helen

[Bob]

A tip I was given is to hold the door handle as you get out so your foot touches the floor before you let go, rather than get out then touch the car.

And don't get in and out of your car while filling up:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tuZxFL9cGkI

[Bongalow Bill]

Thanks everyone, as the tyres are still in good nick I may try a dangly thing first before replacing all the tyres

To ebay ...

[Tony x]

I remember our old Mazda 323f - which was about the slowest car there was that had pop up headlights, had a plastic button on the doors inside, just by the locking pokey out thing.
This was for touching prior to getting out of the car and prevented you from getting shocks. I thought it was great but I've never seen it on any other vehicle.

Maybe now BHS have gone bust, the type of clothes I'll now be forced to wear will prevent such shocks

[Bob]

If you can wait 2/3 weeks these are a song:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/27205120 ... noapp=true

[Tony x]

If you can wait 2/3 weeks these are a song:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/27205120 ... noapp=true

Whilst the fact that "It prevents shock produced by the displesurable static electricity which charges power on chassis and reached to the car by electricity through to belt" is just what I was looking for, it doesn't appear they do them in my favourite colour (puce)