Static Shocks from my car

[BailOut]

The explanation of why this happens is easy to understand but somewhat difficult to prevent. Static buildup occurs when a synthetic material rubs upon an organic material. Most of us have a mixture of organic-based clothing (cotton and wool blends) and synthetic-based clothing (polyester, nylon, rayon, lycra) This is why things can go nuts in your dryer sometimes.

This is how shuffling your rubber-soled, leather and cotton upper shoes with cotton socked feet on a nylon carpet allows you to build up a static charge. Did you ever notice that you could build up huge charges by shuffling your winter wool socked feet on a nylon carpet?

The material covering the seats in the Yaris is fully synthetic, so when you wear organic-based clothing the act of getting in and out of the car and shifting around in your seat is enough to build up a static charge. As my own wardrobe shifts to all organic materials (mostly hemp-based clothing) this is becoming more and more of an issue for me in my Yaris.

It is, of course, more prevalent and more pronounced in drier climates. However, while certainly annoying and discomforting the exit shock has never caused me pain, so I just live with it.