It's really starting to annoy me now...over the last few weeks(?) I've started to notice that I'm getting a lot of static electric shocks...it only happens to me in the office but it has wound me up sufficiently to yesterday keep a tally - I counted 8 - one from the drinks machine, one (very bad one - there was an audible *crack*) from the water fountain, one from my own desk as I sat down and the rest from metal door handles around the place...
So, what has changed? The carpet? Nope. My clothing? Nope (well, obviously it changes from day to day, but I haven't bought many new garments to speak of). My washing tablets? Nope. My shoes? Yes, but I even get them wearing my Vans and my Nikes (which I never did before) so by a process of elemination, shoes are also nope...drinks machine, water fountain and door handles? Nope, nope and nope...
So why is this happening?? I'm not alone either, I've overheard at least one other person in the building moaning about it...can the building itself be charged up? I mean, there's a lot of construction work going on next door...could that be anything to do with it? Can't help but feel I'm starting to clutch at ridiculous straws though...
Most mysteriously of all, and this is quite freaky, is that Tommo and his Mrs independently reported that *they* have spontaneously started aquiring a charge, so much so that their tiny dog "Lottie" has become afraid to approach them because when they reach out to give it a stroke more often that not it receives (instead of a pat) a sharp shock on the nose! Poor little thing cowers and shivers when you reach out to greet it now...!
So what on *earth* is going on? There must be a simple explaination...! There is an article about it on Wikipedia but it wasn't much help, learned one thing though, pollen sticks to a bees legs through static charge...interesting, but it doesn't help much when I'm trying to fill up my water bottle... >:(
Still, off on holiday tomorrow, so one weeks grace... ;)
6 comments:
Dude, I get this all the time in the building too. Had one from the coat rack yet? Nils seems to get it too! You're not alone!
Well, that's really good to hear, once when I was a kid (middle school in Wimbledon) I was basically transformed into the Marvel villain "Electro" for a period of about a week, my body just crackled for the whole time and at will I could (even just walking down the road) give nasty shocks to my unwitting victims...I found it cool as a naughty schoolboy, but to suffer this recurrence is just blooming annoying...!
Finky, it's been happening to me the last couple of weeks, spooky, are we on to something here. These are mean zaps as well, even Lottie wont come near me now as every time I reach out to touch her she gets it too and runs round the room shaking her head. Is it nylon stuff or are we taken over by some electromagnetic beings.
We usually only notice static electricity in the winter when the air is very dry. During the summer, the air is more humid. The water in the air helps electrons move off you more quickly, so you can not build up as big a charge. In order to prevent zaps, don’t overheat rooms. You’ll know humidity is too low when you get static shocks from walking across the floor. In general, try to keep indoor temperatures between 18º C and 24º C in cold weather to reduce the drying effect.
Oh that's very interesting, it's seriously hot in our office! We've just asked them to turn the heating down, lets see if that makes a difference...! Thanks! :)
By the way, anonymous - that worked, only tiny, minor shocks since..! Thanks! ;)
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