[TowerTalk] original source of "avoid sharp bends" in lightning

[Jim Lux]

On 4/12/12 7:19 AM, Barry Merrill, W5GN wrote:
> I'm fairly certain that some of the earliest telegraph lines were curved
> rather than bent because there was a belief the signals would go
> straight if the turn was too sharp.
>
>
that's interesting.. do recall where you might have seen that?

In the 19th century and even well into the 20th, there were a lot of 
physical analogies used to understand Electricity and Magnetism.  You 
see references to "electric pressure" for instance.  Lots of references 
to "electric fluid" and analogies to hydraulics (which are still used)

And inductance does have a parallel to inertia in the mechanical world, 
so you can see how the thought that a fast moving transient might have 
trouble "staying on the tracks" might originate.  Or, comparing electric 
currents to water flow in a pipe, where bends ARE a big deal.