Do you remember the rubber strips under cars? We know why they disappeared

Just a few years ago, anti-static rubber strips were standard equipment in almost every car. Today, they are hard to find in modern vehicles. Nevertheless, they can still be purchased in stores specializing in the sale of automotive accessories.

Antistatic straps, also known as grounding, were fastened so they reached from the bumper to the road surface. Today, for passenger cars, they are mainly found on older models. There is still an opportunity to purchase anti-static straps in automotive stores, and their price is approximately $1.34.

One might ask: what were these strips used for? Their main task was to eliminate the so-called kick effect, which occurred when touching the car body. This phenomenon was the result of the accumulation of electric charge on the surface of the body, which was particularly noticeable in winter when the air was dry. The anti-static strip was designed to make it easier to get rid of this charge.

So why aren't antistatic strips commonly used anymore? The answer is simple. They do not fully fulfill their role. Indeed, they discharge electricity from the body, but the driver's and passengers' clothes also become electrified during the ride. Even if electrostatic charges are discharged from the vehicle's body, once we exit the car, we still carry them. As a result, potential shocks are still possible.

Despite this, antistatic straps are still mandatory for some vehicles. Although they have disappeared for good from the equipment of passenger cars, they are still mandatory for tankers. In this case, the application of antistatic strips is of much more serious importance than just avoiding the so-called kick effect. Their presence is intended to prevent any spark from appearing during fuel transfer, which could have tragic consequences.