To the editor:

Regarding getting shocked while riding a bicycle under high tension lines: I have heard it said that one can hold a fluorescent tube in your hand under these lines and it will light up. So I am not surprised by the statement that one can get shocked while riding a bicycle or even walking while under them.

When I was a kid, there were people who would get static shocks from plastic-covered seats in an automobile. The answer to the problem was simple: Ground the car. It was simply done by connecting a length of metal chain to the car frame and dragging it on the ground.

My suggestion to anyone who rides a bike under high-tension lines, and whose body movements will generate static charge, is to ground yourself by dragging a wire or chain length behind the bike. Make sure it connects to the metal frame or fender and touches the ground and there will be no shocks. And don’t wear static-generating clothing like polyester.

Charles Wolf

Delaware