Spark abduction?

[39topless]

After getting zapped by a hot spark plug wire, as per the current poster of the "Good Spark" thread, I came to realize that plug wires are not very well insulated. I then noticed that my plug wires are all touching metal surfaces. Along with the wire loom itself, metal surfaces like the heads and gas line etc. When in contact with a plug wire, do these metal surfaces become electrical conduits and have the effect of diminishing the strength of the spark to the plug by bleeding off a portion of the current? If so, perhaps the plug wires should be enclosed in rubber tubing.

 

[JSeery]

It can be interesting to watch the engine running in the dark. Sometimes it can look like an electrical storm. Ideally there should not be any leakage through the wires and you should be able to touch them without getting shocked.