# That's odd and why is my pocket on fire? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 20, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761 "2007-06-20T20:15:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/21 "2007-06-21T04:12:42Z")
The first thing I thought of when I saw the title of this thread was the scene in the film _Hard Eight_ where John C Reilly’s pocket spontaneously catches fire. I think that was a book of matches, though. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/22 "2007-06-21T14:59:06Z")
[QUOTE=NinjaChick] Wait, if he says his pants were on fire when they really _weren’t_, he is therefore lying, therefore, his pants must be on fire, which means that he’s _not_ lying, so there’s no need for his pants to be on fire… [/QUOTE] Great. Now I’m bleeding from the ears. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/23 "2007-06-21T15:11:44Z")
[QUOTE=NinjaChick] Wait, if he says his pants were on fire when they really _weren’t_, he is therefore lying, therefore, his pants must be on fire, which means that he’s _not_ lying, so there’s no need for his pants to be on fire… [/QUOTE] Gee, thanks, Captain Kirk. You just blew up our computer. Now our civilization is going to have to learn to think for itself. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/24 "2007-06-21T15:20:16Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] I. I await the day when I see a women’s purse burning. [/QUOTE] _hastily yanks spare batteries out of purse_ ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/25 "2007-06-21T16:40:51Z")
You must be _really_ happy to see me… ---
**Author:** ![StinkyBurrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@StinkyBurrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StinkyBurrito)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/26 "2007-06-21T17:17:43Z")
A 9 volt got me good one time. I didn’t realize what was happening until it was really shocking and burning the crap out of my leg. I still hate thinking about that feeling. I thought I was the only one, but based on the replies here it seems fairly common. ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/27 "2007-06-21T17:47:32Z")
Holy crap! I had no idea that could happen! That’s quite scary. I’m happy you escaped injury. Thanks for letting the rest of us know what might happen. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/28 "2007-06-21T18:05:57Z")
And yet no sympathy for those of us whose professional careers demand that we lick 9V batteries. Sigh… ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/29 "2007-06-21T18:17:18Z")
Wow, I had no clue that sort of thing could happen! I keep spare batteries in pockets and purses all the time! I’ll have to be more careful. Thanks for the warning! ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/30 "2007-06-21T18:19:37Z")
Yup. Me too. Mine was a high performance rechargeable [Versapak](http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1287964) cell. That sucker got HOT! The culprit was an all metal pocket knife. It was a bit uncomfortable too. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/31 "2007-06-21T18:34:39Z")
Put me down as another who found out by experience that that can happen. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/32 "2007-06-21T18:36:14Z")
Me too, with a cheap flashlight that broke and I stuffed in a pocket, and some gum wrappers. ---
**Author:** ![Arch\_Trout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Arch\_Trout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arch_Trout)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/33 "2007-06-22T01:58:01Z")
Happened to me a while back, my key and keyring wrapped around an AA causing much anguish. It’s good to know I’m not alone! ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/34 "2007-06-22T02:02:29Z")
They warned us about this in third grade. Were all you asleep? ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/35 "2007-06-22T03:07:36Z")
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…ah, hah, wha? ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/36 "2007-06-22T04:06:59Z")
Oh Yeah?!?!?!?!?! Well, this one time, I was walking to work with a CAR BATTERY in my pocket… ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/37 "2007-06-22T05:01:34Z")
Time to change your name to Uncommon Cents. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/38 "2007-06-22T11:45:51Z")
Ouch, good thing this didn’t turn into a not-worksafe TMI thread, battery acid on the nethers or inner thigh! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/39 "2007-06-22T13:00:35Z")
[QUOTE=Sattua] They warned us about this in third grade. Were all you asleep? [/QUOTE] I stayed awake throughout third grade and never heard about this battery thing until a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761/40 "2007-06-22T13:12:05Z")
I did hear hot pants were coming back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-odd-and-why-is-my-pocket-on-fire/408761.md?page=3)