[nudephil (OP)]

Peter sent us this question:

I find that while I am  in my car, some how I am building up static electricity in my clothes or my body. This happens more in summer than in winter. So when I open my door to get out of my car, I get a shock which is a bit unsettling. Is there a way that this can be prevented?

[evan_au]

Presumably, if the car builds up a static charge while driving, it should act somewhat like a Faraday cage, and have the charge build up on the outside of the frame, where the charges are as far separated from each other as possible.
- You, inside the car, should be somewhat isolated from this charge.
- I tend to wear shoes with insulating soles, so I don't normally feel a discharge as I am getting out of the car
- It is when I turn around to push the door shut that I most often feel a discharge.
- I assume that this is when I touch the highly charged outside of the car, and some of that charge rushes into my body, to equalize the charge?
- Insulating shoes should also help here, as the car only equalizes surface charge with you, not the whole Earth, reducing the charge transferred.
- How about a car that automatically shuts its doors when you press the remote-control to lock the car?

I find that if the static discharge goes via the ring on my finger, I hear it, but I don't feel it.
- It's a bit awkward, but you could hold a ring (or other metal object in your hand) out to the door-handle as you close the door; that might reduce the shock.

[alancalverd]

The car won't acquire a charge relative to the earth as modern tyres are intentionally conductive - this prevents explosions when refuelling.

The static charge is generated by rubbing friction between the occupant's clothing  and the car. Being a proper gent of course I only wear pure wool and cotton, and have tailored virgin goat leather seats in the Royce. The chauffeur's careful use of saddle soap also helps prevent static buildup. Not that one would complain about static shocks in any case - stiff upper lip and think of England.

But I understand that oiks tend to wear rubber-soled shoes and clothes made from recycled bottles, and various artificial fabrics are used for seating in post-1920 vehicles. Her Ladyship occasionally pops to the shops in the Range Rover and solves the problem by driving in the nude, thus ensuring conductive contact with the unnatural fabrics of the vehicle.  This works particularly well in summer, and in winter her chauffeur does indeed ensure that the vehicle is bien chauffee before the journey begins.   

[Colin2B]

.............. This works particularly well in summer, and in winter her chauffeur does indeed ensure that the vehicle is bien chauffee before the journey begins.

..... and keeps his eyes on the road

[JasonBailey]

Once a similar thing happened, it turned out that the problem was precisely because of my clothes, changing a little wardrobe I got rid of this problem x)

[yor_on]

Well, you could buy a bicycle?