37 replies to this topic

[z2z007]

Come on, give me a break! Maybe some code from NTSB would be broken? This is supposed to be a humour thread. We shouldn't be all so serious. I don't think anyone really needs know what code or law would be broken. If they do, really I don't know what to say.

[Xilenx]

Code 32; Section 19; Clause 2: Who gives a dren?

All those who intentionally urinate on the third rail of the MTA system will be subjected to hysterical laughter as well as emprisonment for 30 years. Bail stands at $10,000, and a surcharge of $50 for every person who witnesses the situation.

[SptsNaz]

God, don't tell me no one here ever watched that Mythbusters episode (DISCOVERY CHANNEL) when they revealed the validity of the myth. They tested a stunt dummy made of jelly-like material with genuine [haha] urine inside. From what I remember the dummy was not effected from long range shooting, but was severely stunned when he pee'd from a short range (somewhere between one and two feet). Probably has to do with the increased concentration of the flow which can potentially hold more electricity. I think it the dummy even flew back a few inches.

Try to catch a rerun as they occasionally have them. Great show

[Xilenx]

so what did it shoot the urine out of? I wonder if this jelly like item was contained in a conductor like casing.

[Haissem]

Jelly conducts electricity...?
I woudlnt be surprised if the doll flew back a few paces...i mean it takes alotta energy to move the trains...

[Moose]

Think of pee as a bad conductor. If you were peeing copper, you would be easily electrocuted. But since pee isnt as electricity-friendly as copper, the voltage will degrade and drop for every cubic centimeter of pee it has to travel through. Now, if you were eating meats, salty foods, or mineral water, then your pee is more conductive. The real problem starts if you are standing on the trackbed, or the rails themselves. If you are, you are providing a tasty connection to ground. I say tasty because electricity will rather go through your salty urine than any other venue (apart from copper). Now, if you stand on either rail and pee on the thrid, that's 600 volts of DC into your container of future child support recipients. Whats even worse is that 600 volts is a magical number. It's the human clamping voltage. If you were to grab two wires with 600 volts between them, then you will be electrocuted, but more importantly, the 600 volts will cause your muscles to tighten and your hands will clamp onto the wires. No matter how hard you try, you cant let go. Then you die.

That's EE for ya

[LeonM]

Fun times...most i've ever felt is a few volts from licking the phone wire to test if it was dead...

[Frightcrawler]

I once experimented with a fork and an outlet.
Bad idea. :roll:

[Xilenx]

I know a guy who got tazer'd once.

[Spices86]

Well I also heard from one of the physics teachers that if a pigeon lands with both feet on the third rail that it won't get electrocuted either. Is it true? :?: :?:

[WEBS]

I believe as long as no body part is touching the ground, you wont get electrocuted.

[Frightcrawler]

Well, I dont know if this works with the subway track, but it works with power lines. When pigeons land on power lines, their feet are small, so they only touch one wire. No other body part touches another object (including the earth). The pigeon must touch another object in order to get electrocuted. So, in theory, if a person grabbed a single power line, we would not get electrocuted, as long as we were being suspended in the air (or hanging from the wire).

Think of it as a circuit, the current wont flow unless it's a closed circuit.

Edit: WEB beat me to it.

[BKBuffyGurl]

I got eletrocuted in Ms. Cook's class once and my friend when she was little stuck the top part of a umbrella into a socket she flew across the room.

[Frightcrawler]

It feels weird when you get electrocuted. I remember feeling a tingling, numb feeling for a few seconds.

[TheSoundOfE]

The pigeon things works as so. If you stand on one foot on the rail you're fine. If you stand with both feet you're fried because you create a current. Also, if you stand with one foot on the rail and one on the ground you are fried. I believe that's how it works. Do correct me if I'm wrong.

[BKBuffyGurl]

No you are right which is what annoyed me about Beat Street when they guy got eletrocuted toward the end. He only touched the rail with one hand. Wouldn't he have had to touch it with both?

[z2z007]

Well he could have been grounded...

[BKBuffyGurl]

Hmmm yeah but the whole thing seemed off the homeless guy pushed him over and the next thing you know his hand is wedged under the third rail. Dumb 80's movies.