Electricity Explosion

[JohnW2]

But consider this : if you are dead or seriously hurt then you cannot help the original victim; and you've just added another victim to the incident for others to deal with (ie made things worse).

Yes, we all know that - and that's why there is a dilemma. However, it is in the very nature of many of emergency services that members of the service inevitably often have to put their own life/limb at risk in order to save others, so they have to make a professional judgement (about 'calculated risks') before they do anything. Some situations will inevitably be 'hopeless' (i.e. the risks involved are just not worth taking) but it would be pretty/very rare to hear of cases when, say lifeboat crews, mountain rescue teams or whoever had decided to 'do nothing' because the risk to themselves was too great.

If I came across a situation as described then I'd probably want to help. What I'd do would have so many variables it's hard to say - but if for example I happened to be in the Land Rover, and it was dry, then I might be tempted to reverse up to it with the back door open, drop a (dry) tow rope onto it from inside the LR, and pull it free. If it's raining then I'd think a bit more before doing that but might still do it.

Sure. I've fortunately never been faced with having to deal with a situation like that on my own, so it's hard to know how I would react - but probably similarly to you. However, you and I are both 'amateurs' in this regard, and that's very different from professionals who are employed and trained to take calculated risks.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Lower]

As the vehicle would, hopefully, be insulated from the ground by the tyres is it permissible to touch something metallic such as a window winder to warn people to stay clear?

Do you jump clear simply to avoid having one foot on the car and the other on the ground? In other words, can you safely stand on the door edge, grip the door sides and hurl yourself forward or should you not touch any metal under any circumstances?

Tyres are black because they are full of carbon to make them conductive so that the static electricity that builds up on the car as it passes through the air can discharge to ground.

I'm afraid that doesn't seem to work with my wife's car. Almost every time I get out I get a shock (of course it could be me discharging to the car body).

I've got into the habit of not touching the metal bodywork and shutting the door by pushing against the window.

That will the static charge you've picked up from rubbing against the seat and the carpets discharging to ground through the car.

 

[JBR]

I'm afraid that doesn't seem to work with my wife's car. Almost every time I get out I get a shock (of course it could be me discharging to the car body).

I've got into the habit of not touching the metal bodywork and shutting the door by pushing against the window.

That will the static charge you've picked up from rubbing against the seat and the carpets discharging to ground through the car.

Yes, indeed. As BAS said earlier, I really must stop wearing my wife's nylon lingerie.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It's OK to wear it on your head.

Or under a wetsuit (it insulates you).