3/25/10 11:02 AM Guest Article: An Electrifying Commute, by Jim Tolar | Bike Commuters Page 1 of 6 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/04/09/guest-article-an-electrifying-commute-by-jim-tolar/ HOME COMMUTER TOOLS ABOUT US FTC DISCLAIMER RSS FEEDS GO Navigation: Weblog / Blog article: Guest Article: An Electrifying Commute, by Jim Tolar Guest Article: An Electrifying Commute, by Jim Tolar POSTED BY RL POLICAR ON APRIL - 9 - 2008 Last week, I began riding my new commute bike, a GT Transeo, to work. My new bike allows me to get off the streets with their heavy traffic, and onto the local canal system, which is almost unused. My route to work is along the canal bank on the irrigation canal that runs E-W, between Elliot and Guadalupe, in Mesa, Arizona. I ride almost 4 miles on the canal before I cut South to Elliot for the final mile or so on the road. The canal portion is traffic-free, quiet, and quite pleasant except for one annoying phenomenon. As I ride to and from work I get occasional, fairly sharp electrical shocks, normally to one of my legs at the inside of the thigh, just below my shorts (sometimes the left leg, sometimes the right, sometimes one then soon after, the other). These shocks are sharp enough that the first few times it happened, I thought a bee had stung me, or that I had jabbed a bare bike cable end into my thigh. This happens at least once or twice on each ride, and has had me groping for some kind of explanation. No bees, no bare cable ends, no debris being kicked up by my tires and hitting me in the legs, no residual marks to indicate injury. A couple of times, I’ve reached down right after this has happened and felt an electrical shock to my finger or hand. This has happened frequently enough that I am certain it’s not my imagination. After a week of this, I finally figured out what was going on. It’s a practical demonstration of the physical laws that govern many of the machines we take for granted around us. My route on the canal banks runs parallel to, and about 50 feet directly under, the high-voltage transmission lines that share the right-of-way with the canal and distribute power throughout much of the East Valley in Phoenix. These lines produce a sizable electro-magnetic field (EMF), which is one of the reasons they’re in this right-of-way to begin with. It is well known that a conductor moving through an electric field will generate an induced electric current. This is one of the operating principles behind power transformers, motors, and generators. Sponsors BIKE YOUR DRIVE!
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3/25/10 11:02 AMGuest Article: An Electrifying Commute, by Jim Tolar | Bike Commuters
Page 1 of 6http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/04/09/guest-article-an-electrifying-commute-by-jim-tolar/
HOME COMMUTER TOOLS ABOUT US FTC DISCLAIMER RSS FEEDS
GO
Navigation: Weblog / Blog article: Guest Article: An Electrifying Commute, by Jim Tolar
Guest Article: An Electrifying Commute, by Jim TolarPOSTED BY RL POLICAR ON APRIL - 9 - 2008
Last week, I began riding my new commute bike, a GT Transeo, to work. My new bike allows me to get
off the streets with their heavy traffic, and onto the local canal system, which is almost unused. My
route to work is along the canal bank on the irrigation canal that runs E-W, between Elliot and
Guadalupe, in Mesa, Arizona. I ride almost 4 miles on the canal before I cut South to Elliot for the final
mile or so on the road. The canal portion is traffic-free, quiet, and quite pleasant except for one
annoying phenomenon. As I ride to and from work I get occasional, fairly sharp electrical shocks,
normally to one of my legs at the inside of the thigh, just below my shorts (sometimes the left leg,
sometimes the right, sometimes one then soon after, the other). These shocks are sharp enough that
the first few times it happened, I thought a bee had stung me, or that I had jabbed a bare bike cable
end into my thigh. This happens at least once or twice on each ride, and has had me groping for some
kind of explanation. No bees, no bare cable ends, no debris being kicked up by my tires and hitting me
in the legs, no residual marks to indicate injury. A couple of times, I’ve reached down right after this has
happened and felt an electrical shock to my finger or hand.
This has happened frequently enough that I am certain it’s not my imagination. After a week of this, I
finally figured out what was going on. It’s a practical demonstration of the physical laws that govern
many of the machines we take for granted around us.
My route on the canal banks runs parallel to, and about 50 feet directly under, the high-voltage
transmission lines that share the right-of-way with the canal and distribute power throughout much of
the East Valley in Phoenix. These lines produce a sizable electro-magnetic field (EMF), which is one of
the reasons they’re in this right-of-way to begin with. It is well known that a conductor moving through
an electric field will generate an induced electric current. This is one of the operating principles behind
3/25/10 11:02 AMGuest Article: An Electrifying Commute, by Jim Tolar | Bike Commuters
Page 4 of 6http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/04/09/guest-article-an-electrifying-commute-by-jim-tolar/
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RocBike.com | The RocBike Review »Links of the Day: 9 April 2008 says:[...] Guest Article: An Electrifying Commute, by Jim Tolar (Bike Commuters) [...]
April 9, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Fort Orange Cycling » Links of the Day: 9April 2008 says:[...] Guest Article: An Electrifying Commute, by Jim Tolar (Bike Commuters) [...]
April 9, 2008 at 1:00 pm
miker says:I used to experience that along Virginia’s W&OD trail in Falls Church. The trail is also along a power
right-of-way & only in the Falls Church section was the power high enough or the lines close
enough to cause that effect.
I used to play with watching the sparks fly between my fingers hovering close to the brake levers
(with my hands on the rubber grips).
Interesting science experiment, but yes, what does that high voltage do to your body systems in
general?
April 9, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Bill says:Ben C has the right idea. If you get an anti-static wrist strap used for computer repair, that should
keep the potential energy balanced quite nicely.
Just watch that first step off of the bike.
April 9, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Rick says:I remember riding under those types of power lines. There was a constant crackling. I always
assumed that there was some sort of charge in the air.
April 9, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Dartanyon says:Have you given any thought to grounding the frame? Just drop a piece of conductive wire off the
bottom bracket to the ground, just barley long enough to make sure that it makes contact most of
the time?
April 11, 2008 at 10:47 am
Jot says:The solution to this is obvious. You have a metal bike, and you need something that can connect
you to that. Cut a hole in the front of your bike shorts, and voila, you’re set!
Probably solves the problem of the extra charge you generate between you and your chamois.
I’m just saying…
-Jot
April 28, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Margaret says:I have experienced something similar in SW Chicago suburbs, when I ride on a paved bike trail
through Cook County Forest Preserves. About a mile of the trail goes under and along high voltage
lines that constantly hum and crackle. I usually keep my fingers hovering over brake handles, and if
I touch the handles when crossing under the lines, I get shocks in my fingers. Otherwise, it is a
beautiful ride! (Just did a Google search to see for the phenomenon and found your article.)