RE: BIG DUMMY Accident

["Garry Freemyer" <Garry-at-NDFC-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

I would like to add, that I myself have been "guilty" of this but I would
not label such an act as disrespect. This implies negative connotations
about such a coiler's attitude as being bad or them being foolish. We got to
remember that much  misinformation exists when most every other publication
says you can safely take a hit from a tesla coil because of the much widly
believed myth that the human body is enough like a wire that the electricity
will travel harmlessly over the surface.

Until such misinformation is not commonly promulgated by the companies we
know of that sell tesla coils and plans, lets be kinder and not judge the
coiler but blame the common misinformation. Few of us are psychic so that we
can tell a truth from a lie if the source seems reputable. We can no more
detect false information about a field we are just learning about that we
can detect that the item we are about to buy at a yard sale is stolen
merchandise.

If we label newbie coilers as "Disrespectful", or "Stupid" or other bad
things for being victims of misinformation, we might scare them off and we
do not want to scare newbies off. This list changed my behavior. I used to
take hits off the coil myself. I would take hits using a florescent bulb,
til I asked and got some info explaining the TRUE nature of Tesla coils.
Taking hits from a secondary and using those tubes and taking hits and
passing hits between me and others was a thing I did out of being
misinformed, not disrespect or even deliberate ignorance. I read up, I just
got the wrong info.

Now, I don't take hits personally. I watch where my head is going. I draw
arcs with a wooden dowl and a grounded doorknob on the end. I don't mind
erring on the side of caution but sometimes it's hard to know what to be
scared of or cautious about without correct knowledge.

What I would like to add is there is also the danger of taking enough of a
hit from static buildup to cause the muscles in your forearm to contract and
crush the bulb, cutting your hand. That glass IS vicious!

Take and find the one person in the world with the highest intelligence, and
I bet you'll find that at some point in their life, they have taken in and
believed false knowledge.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2000 12:36 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: BIG DUMMY Accident


Original poster: "Metlicka Marc" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net> 

david,
i'm glad your still around to warn us all about your accident.
after taking a stupid hit from my bucket caps, being hit by a streamer
is my worst nightmare. i think we all must remember that two or three
30" streamers can turn into one long streamer if it gets a chance. my
buddy took a hit to the florescent tube by waving it around, it hit him
in a pretty important place for a man, or his girlfriend to for that
matter. all these posts of people holding florescent tubes in there
hands and taking a strike to the end on purpose baffles me, why would
any coiler have such a disrespect for the power of a coil, that they
would play childish games like this? as it has been stated, it will take
only one death, in this day and age, for the government to put a control
on coiling. i'm sure some committee is chomping at the bit to put a stop
to our interest's
please people, this isn't a tinker toy we have here, don't ruin it for
me with your stupidity.
i'm not directing this towards you david, the ones that play the kiddy
games know who they are.
unfortunately, accidents happen, we are only human, but to flaunt death
is something that really burns me.
just my piece of mind,   marc