Ive started to notice that many cars and pickups have what looks like a colored plastic strip hanging from the underneath of the vehicle.

 

 

 

What is it and what is it for ? 

Supposed to discharge static electricity, but not sure if it's really effective. I don't have one and I don't get that zap anyway.

Lightening conductor?

38 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Supposed to discharge static electricity, but not sure if it's really effective. I don't have one and I don't get that zap anyway.

Just had a second look. Normally those strips are supposed to touch the ground, so maybe they are for something else.

Ment to give a JDM looks, no purpose, although in the JDM drift scene the cars would have a strap strong enough to tow the car which is where the trend started but most regular cars have straps or strips just just for the look/fashion.

I've also wondered about this many times and came to the conclusion that it's just a fashion thing, but i didn't know where it comes from or what this is considered "cool"

But jay1980 just gave the answer, If you google "car tow strap" you can see pictures of where it most likely comes from.

This was fashion in Germany in the mid 70's.

Looks like they are night time  reflectors, not earth thingies...

56 minutes ago, transam said:

Looks like they are night time  reflectors, not earth thingies...

You could be correct there. As most Thais don't have rear lights ''that work'' could be their saving grace. They do look a tad better than having the normal DVD discs dangling that they normally use.

Sometimes it’s a little teddy bear, it’s supposed to attract your attention to the rear of the car, rather than look elsewhere


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

18 hours ago, champers said:

Lightening conductor?

Just as likely to be a darkening conductor.

It is made of reflective material similar to traffic signs.

It is usually printed with the name or logo of the local or European football team.

 

It is I believe a reflective strip and turns round in the wind. The thinking is that when your vehicle is parked and another vehicles headlights catch it as it approaches it attracts the drivers attention with less chance of a rear end shunt.

19 hours ago, giddyup said:

Supposed to discharge static electricity, but not sure if it's really effective. I don't have one and I don't get that zap anyway.

Correct, providing they touch the ground, can't see that clearly in the pic.

Kangaroo scrotums (scrota?) are all the go in Oz

4 minutes ago, poyai111 said:

Kangaroo scrotums (scrota?) are all the go in Oz

I believe they are known as "truck nuts". Plenty of pics on Google. Seems they are popular in the US.

20 hours ago, giddyup said:

Supposed to discharge static electricity, but not sure if it's really effective. I don't have one and I don't get that zap anyway.

 

      Yes, they should have a copper or aluminum wire running through them...(plastic alone does nothing)...one end fastened to the metal frame, and the other end touching the ground in order to dissipate any static electricity build-up in the vehicle.

    (Remember walking across a carpet when there is low humidity in your house or apartment in North America or European winters and then touching a metal door knob or handle? ) 

    Some people will buy a thin metal chain to fasten to the frame of the vehicle and let the other end dangle on the ground. It will perform the same function very effectively.  (thin chain so if it catches on something the chain will break with no damage to the vehicle.) 

4 minutes ago, Catoni said:

 

      Yes, they should have a copper or aluminum wire running through them...(plastic alone does nothing)...one end fastened to the metal frame, and the other end touching the ground in order to dissipate any static electricity build-up in the vehicle.

    (Remember walking across a carpet when there is low humidity in your house or apartment in North America or European winters and then touching a metal door knob or handle? ) 

    Some people will buy a thin metal chain to fasten to the frame of the vehicle and let the other end dangle on the ground. It will perform the same function very effectively.  (thin chain so if it catches on something the chain will break with no damage to the vehicle.) 

Those in the OP photo are nothing to do with zaps...

10 minutes ago, transam said:

Those in the OP photo are nothing to do with zaps...

  Yes.... I can see that.  I never said those ones were for static discharge purposes.  I said what they "...should have..."    if they were for that purpose. 

5 hours ago, fredob43 said:

You could be correct there. As most Thais don't have rear lights ''that work'' could be their saving grace. They do look a tad better than having the normal DVD discs dangling that they normally use.

 

<As most Thais don't have rear lights ''that work''> this is - of course - complete b.s. again and you know it...

Avoid Ghosts for sure.

short answer - nobody here knows.

13 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

short answer - nobody here knows.

You just stay tuned in...

The idea has come from aircraft cover tags, you know the ones that say remove before flight. It looks cool on your aircraft and I bet as the motorbiker slides under you truck, he's thinking how the crossover to under your car looks cool too! Better than the hanging monkey of the back windscreen wiper!

16 hours ago, hkt83100 said:

This was fashion in Germany in the mid 70's.

UK too and probably elsewhere, meant to earth static electricity,. don't know if they worked though, saying that, i've had some cars where you can get quite a jolt off the static electricity!

Only if you got cheap flips flops on, but then thats what Tesco trolleys do when you have build up enough charge and move your hands of the plastic!

 

5 hours ago, fredob43 said:

 As most Thais don't have rear lights ''that work''

So you are saying in effect that 51% of Thai registered vehicles do not have working tail lights ?

Time to give up driving if your vision is this bad.

17 hours ago, hkt83100 said:

This was fashion in Germany in the mid 70's.

and in Scotland, there used to be a pair dangling from the back bumper.

4 hours ago, sensei said:

It is made of reflective material similar to traffic signs.

It is usually printed with the name or logo of the local or European football team.

 

I'd much prefer they had Serpico on them ...

16 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

So you are saying in effect that 51% of Thai registered vehicles do not have working tail lights ?

Time to give up driving if your vision is this bad.

I was on the 1 AH last night and at least 50% of lorries cars had some sort of defective rear lights. One a large coach had none working on the rear at all, but it did have indicators, well the right turn one anyway, spotted that as it decided to turn right at a set of T/lights from the inside lane going across 4 lanes of traffic. Nothing wrong with my vision had an eye test yesterday when I obtained my new D/Licenses.