[TCML] Re: Accidents -report or not? (fwd)

[Garry Freemyer]

No offense intended, but I don't report when I get shocked not out of shame, but out of the simple fact, that people don't understand Tesla coils and people fear what they don't understand and what they fear they tend to outlaw if geven an excuse to do so. Reporting every little shock or accident is one good way to give them that excuse.

Education beforehand is a good way to prevent accidents, I don't have to put anyone's name to them, or give out statistics. Reporters ten do sensationalize things that get the oh's and ah's and Tesla coils fall into that category.

I don't think it's my civic duty to report every little booboo I do, any more than I would report falling off a laddar unless it were at work.

It's not about shame, its about being balanced. I do not feel that I have done a dis-service if I don't report that I once had a defective NST switch that resulted in me getting a jolt.

I want to protect my hobby not sacrifice it on the Altar of self-imposed civic duty.

PS: This sounds harsh, I don't intend it to be so, I suppose that if I spent 5 hours thinking of it, I could season this with salt and make it read like a tasty snack, but instead I only have time to say No offense intended.


----- Original Message ----
From: Tesla list <tesla at pupman.com>
To: tesla at pupman.com
Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2007 6:21:45 PM
Subject: Re: Accidents -report or not? (fwd)


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:16:58 +0900
From: Peter Terren <pterren at iinet.net.au>
To: Tesla list <tesla at pupman.com>
Subject: Re: Accidents -report or not?

You never hear of any accidents for two reasons: because people are ashamed 
to admit to them and because there is a feeling in the HV community that 
people start to compete (Thats nothin', I got a shock from a pole pig..").
The feeling here and on 4HV forum is that no-one wants to talk about them.
I strongly believe that this is WRONG.
Occupational Health and Safety (or what ever it is called where you are) for 
both government and business mandates reporting of all adverse problems. 
This is responsible practice the world over.
I believe that we should come clean as a hobby on this with responsible 
reporting and indicating how things could have been done more safely.
And for the record, I had one significant shock around 30mA a few years ago, 
documented on the old 4hV forum before the thread was shut down.

Peter  http://tesladownunder.com

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:11:14 -0500
> From: David N. Van Doren <DNVanDoren at comcast.net>
> To: tesla at pupman.com
> Subject: Accidents
>
> There are a lot of coilers out there, some very experienced and some other
> wise, and a lot of coils, but I never hear of any accidents (God forbid)
> It amazes me that people are so careful. (this is a good thing) The way
> things are, I am surprised that we can get half the stuff we get. Such as
> NST's, OBIT's, Pole pigs and so on. A capacitor can store a charge for a
> good wile. there are so many places in this hobby that someone can get
> hurt. Maybe I shouldn't think about this, but knowing about what has gone
> wrong sometimes can help in knowing what to watch out for.
>
> Cheers,
> Dave
>
>