I seem to remember as a young child being told that it is safe to touch a Van de Graff generator (for the hair demonstration), but that if you let go before it is safe you will get a nasty shock. I know a bit more about electricity now, and I’m a little skeptical now. Is it possible to get a shock from letting go of something?
Thing that confuses me is that when you let go, you should have the same charge as the generator. No charge difference, no arc. Unless I’m wrong about something, which I probably am (hence my confusion).
The generator is generating a difference. Even if you have the same potential when you’re holding it, as soon as you let go, that ends.