# Biking in lightning storms



## bank5 (May 7, 2008)

How dangerous is it to bike single track (in the woods), power lines and paved roads in a lightening storm?


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## ferday (Jan 15, 2004)

it's scary when you have nowhere to go, but in many years of riding through impromptu mountain storms i've never had an issue. don't hold your frame over your head...


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## chuck80442 (Oct 4, 2009)

Timberline in a thunderstorm is asking for trouble...in the woods you might as well just keep riding, although I have wondered about the metal in the bike.


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## b-kul (Sep 20, 2009)

if i can help it i dont. but its probably ok.


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## RBowles (Jun 1, 2010)

I don't make it a point to stay in one spot for too long during an electrical storm.:eekster:


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## ssinglesspeed (Apr 17, 2006)

Once or twice, I have found myself wondering whether my sons aluminum frame or my steel frame was more likely to attract a bolt of lightning! No hits so far.


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## sprunghunt (May 14, 2006)

if this is about lightening storms shouldn't it be in the weight weenies forum?


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

When I was riding my bike beneath an avenue of trees in torrential rain, about 10 years ago, a tree beside me was struck by lightning and I was hit by the splash lightning. What saved me was that I was totally drenched, totally, and the water over me and the bike worked like a Faraday cage ... thank the Gods.

I was taken to hospital, I had a blackened and burnt thumb where I was struck the on my left hand and I had four burns, at the exit points of the lightening, on each of the knuckles above my fingers, on my right hand.

Being struck by lightning made my hair go white and my hair has been pure white ever since. This is no joke.

My wife Helen, saved the hospital report, and when she comes home, I could ask her to get it, and I'll post it if interests anyone?... and apparently I joined an exclusive club of the survivors of a lightening strike. There are not too many of us in this exclusive club.

I'm too evil to die by the hands of the Gods. I've had this attitude ever since.

My wife Helen has just come home and she was saying, that I kept saying, "I've been struck by lightning, I've been struck by lightning." The doctor said to Helen, people who have survived being struck by lightning say, "I've been struck by lightning, I've been struck by lightning, I've been struck by lightning." It is about being in shock.

Helen also reminded me that a chunk of my helmet was blown off. There was a third of my helmet missing, I now remember.










As I said, too evil to die and only 6 years ago not 10 years ago, ... this proves that when time flies you must be having fun.

Warren.


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## js_paddle07 (Jun 18, 2008)

Wild Wassa said:


> When I was riding my bike beneath an avenue of trees in torrential rain, about 10 years ago, a tree beside me was struck by lightning and I was hit by the splash lightning. What saved me was that I was totally drenched, totally, and the water over me and the bike worked like a Faraday cage ... thank the Gods.
> 
> I was taken to hospital, I had a blackened and burnt thumb where I was struck the on my left hand and I had four burns, at the exit points of the lightening, on each of the knuckles above my fingers, on my right hand.
> 
> ...


Let's see the hair! Completely white, like Raiden from Mortal Kombat?


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

coolest shots of lightning I've taken:


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## ReD_tomato (Jun 25, 2006)

Thats why I ride Carbon!! :thumbsup: 

Wild Wassa: you are one lucky sob!


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## michaelsnead (Aug 31, 2005)

*+1*



js_paddle07 said:


> Let's see the hair! Completely white, like Raiden from Mortal Kombat?


....that would be cool to see!

Thanks,

Michael:thumbsup:


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## BeakJones (Oct 29, 2008)

sprunghunt said:


> if this is about lightening storms shouldn't it be in the weight weenies forum?


Lol, this is true... it's not even spelled correctly on the hospital form heh. It's a totally phonetic word in my opinion.


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## Blurr (Dec 7, 2009)

Well it certainly is something to think about, a poster above mentioned that he did it all the time and never had any problems, that is like saying he also drives to work every day and never been in an accident, so they must not exist.

It is something to be aware of, and like everyone, I have been out in an open area on my bike or backpacking when the white light came, I simply moved into cover, its not something you want to temp.

Now I have to rain on Wild Waasaa parade even more, if you have been struck by lighteing once, statisticall you will be struck again, sorry bro. But you can honestly say you had LIGHTENING COME OUT YOUR FINGERTIPS!!! how cool is that?  









safety tips on lightening

https://www.cassmosheriff.org/msg_lightening.aspx


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## erginguney (Dec 30, 2005)

You folks might be interested in checking out this other recent thread:

Silly Question, but what to do when stuck on a mountain in a storm?


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## nixgame22 (Apr 10, 2008)

In my opinion, it's not worth the risk. 

I would hate to be dead right in this case :thumbsup:


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## dstepper (Feb 28, 2004)

As a kid during a Little League Baseball game one of our team members was struck and killed by lightening. The lightening found the metal button on top of his hat and went through him to his metal spiked shoes. When the hair on my arms stands up and I can smell the ozone I get away from my bike and dump my pack with metal objects in it.

Dean


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## jollybeggar (Feb 2, 2004)

Odds of being stuck by lightning are some where up there with the odds of getting attacked by a cougar, next to nil. Fear will suck the life out of you. Go ride, life is an adventure, live it.


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## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

Even the doctors in your area can't spell lightning?! That's awesome.

I have a couple heavy bikes that could stand going through a lightening storm.


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

js_paddle07, G'day Mate. I've got another lightning story that is even better. I put it on an Aussie site, I'll copy it, and add it to this tread. I hope you like my 'Selbst Portrait', following your request. The hair may have changed colour but I've always been this ugly. That isn't white hair on my arms, it is paint. I paint things.

byknuts, I'd be the last person to attempt to spell "lightening." Look, I wont even try.

Blurr, Cheers to you too Brother. Very funny Mate.










Warren.


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## gtluke (Aug 15, 2007)

Growing up I had 3 kids in school killed by lightning. 2 in a thunderstorm at the same time, and then one kid basically exploded on 2nd base during a baseball game. It the only lightninged that one single time, and it never rained at all. Super super freaky and pretty much devastated everyone who saw it happen, which was a huge crowd of people.

So yeah, lightning scares me. We have these ion detectors on all ball fields/playgrounds now and they sound a siren when there is potential for lightning.

Oh and I live in boring suburban NJ, nowhere where storms or lightning are even remotely bad.


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## racergurl (Apr 19, 2004)

Been struck too. Pretty freaky experience. Was making out under a tree with my boyfriend and then the next thing I knew, I was waking up ten feet away from the tree, images flying through my head of my life like a movie on fast forward, my ears ringing, paralyzed, unable to talk.
Saw my boyfriend lying knocked out beside me. Didn't know if he was dead or not and I couldn't even move to get over to him.
Paralysis wore off a few minutes later and my boyfriend finally regained consciousness. We ran back to his house and were then taken to the hospital where it was confirmed that we had been struck by lightning. Gee really? Like we didn't know that. Had the worst headache of my life that night. 
These days, if I'm ever stuck in a storm out biking, I almost have a nervous breakdown. You never think it could happen to you! Now, I'm still waiting to win the lottery.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

jollybeggar said:


> Odds of being stuck by lightning are some where up there with the odds of getting attacked by a cougar, next to nil. Fear will suck the life out of you. Go ride, life is an adventure, live it.


Sure, on a calm day, blue skies, etc.

The odds of getting hit on a lightning rod (mountain bike) during a Thunderstorm, in the open, and on top of a mountain are probably dramatically better. I've had it come within a hundred feet while riding, and that's a situation I NEVER EVER want to be in again.


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

That's like smoking bad idea weed...


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## Fly Rod (Mar 13, 2007)

If I can avoid it I will. No matter how fast you ride you won't be fast enough when it is you turn! 

The fact that you are riding on tires may help keep you alive. IIRC, if it can't ground out through you it will pass over you. But then I really can't confirm that.

I did have a bolt hit a tree in a river @ 30 yds from me. I was standing waste deep in the river and felt the juice flowing over my body. Freeky! I ran the mile back to the ranch and don't even remember the four barbed wire fenses I had to go through.


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## toadwaker (May 17, 2009)

Why is everyone spelling lightning with an E? 

Warren(Wild Wassa) that's pretty awesome that you survived, very lucky of you, very. Hope the hair got you some extra attention from the ladies, sure is one heck of a story 

I wouldn't mess with lightning, you try and think about the crazy amount of power it takes to turn air into plasma for that current to go through and you gain a whole new respect for it.


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## CraigCreekRider (Apr 12, 2007)

Wild Wassa said:


> When I was riding my bike beneath an avenue of trees in torrential rain, about 10 years ago, a tree beside me was struck by lightning and I was hit by the splash lightning. What saved me was that I was totally drenched, totally, and the water over me and the bike worked like a Faraday cage ... thank the Gods.
> 
> I was taken to hospital, I had a blackened and burnt thumb where I was struck the on my left hand and I had four burns, at the exit points of the lightening, on each of the knuckles above my fingers, on my right hand.
> 
> ...


Amazing story Wild Wassa. Been stuck in several lightning storms that scared the bejesus out of me. One of them was last year.

Always think of Roy when lightning gets mentioned. 
https://www.nationalparkstraveler.c...sullivan-set-world-record-being-hit-lightning
A human lightning rod he was.


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## Megashnauzer (Nov 2, 2005)

i was out doing trail maintenance yesterday and i was parked at the tree line near some power lines. i knew a storm was coming but i worked until i got a blast of cool air signifying impending rain. i hoofed it back to the car to wait out the storm. i wasn't in the car 5 minutes when the power pole nearest my car got popped. scared the shite out of me. i've been close to it while riding and it's not my favorite experience. i researched what to do if you're out in the woods when a storm comes up. the website recommended removing all metal objects (which i guess could include zippers and buttons), stay away from the taller trees and squat down in a ball and wait out the storm. i envisioned someone finding my fried naked body out in the woods.


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## toadwaker (May 17, 2009)

Megashnauzer said:


> i was out doing trail maintenance yesterday and i was parked at the tree line near some power lines. i knew a storm was coming but i worked until i got a blast of cool air signifying impending rain. i hoofed it back to the car to wait out the storm. i wasn't in the car 5 minutes when the power pole nearest my car got popped. scared the shite out of me. i've been close to it while riding and it's not my favorite experience. i researched what to do if you're out in the woods when a storm comes up. the website recommended removing all metal objects (which i guess could include zippers and buttons), stay away from the taller trees and squat down in a ball and wait out the storm. i envisioned someone finding my fried naked body out in the woods.


I'd imagine it will look like a botched time travel experiment.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

treeline, trees at the edges of clearings, and trees in the middle of clearings are all bad news.

I was in UT in 03 working for the USFS out of Escalante. Once mid summer rolled around, we'd have to get off the mountain by around 2pm daily because of the monsoons. Oftentimes, we'd be in the middle of the forest, but there'd be a clearing between us and our car. We'd have to alter our course to go around the clearing, staying in the middle of the trees.

I once went camping that summer. I thought I was in a place reasonably safe from the lightning. I was in the middle of the forest, and I was nowhere near the top of the mountain. I was under my tarp eating dinner and lightning struck somewhere nearby (I never saw the bolt) close enough that I felt an impact across my body. To this day I don't know if it was current dispersing across the ground or a shock wave of some sort. Either way, I was close enough to feel it, but not quite close enough for it to really get me. I packed up and left, and some people in RV's came to check on me as I was packing. Not a fun experience.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

NateHawk said:


> treeline, trees at the edges of clearings, and trees in the middle of clearings are all bad news.
> 
> I was in UT in 03 working for the USFS out of Escalante. Once mid summer rolled around, we'd have to get off the mountain by around 2pm daily because of the monsoons. Oftentimes, we'd be in the middle of the forest, but there'd be a clearing between us and our car. We'd have to alter our course to go around the clearing, staying in the middle of the trees.
> 
> I once went camping that summer. I thought I was in a place reasonably safe from the lightning. I was in the middle of the forest, and I was nowhere near the top of the mountain. I was under my tarp eating dinner and lightning struck somewhere nearby (I never saw the bolt) close enough that I felt an impact across my body. To this day I don't know if it was current dispersing across the ground or a shock wave of some sort. Either way, I was close enough to feel it, but not quite close enough for it to really get me. I packed up and left, and some people in RV's came to check on me as I was packing. Not a fun experience.


Yeah, I've felt the shock wave a few times now, so loud that it seems like a bomb going off. Anyways, little correction, there is one "monsoon" for a region, as it's a seasonal change in the weather pattern. Thunderstorms are still thunderstorms, not "monsoons".


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## Wild Wassa (Jun 4, 2009)

CraigCreekRider, Cheers Mate.

I originally put this post on an Aussie bush walking site. The thread was about the worst night spent camping.

Helen my wife and I were on Carruther's West Ridge on the Main Range in the Australian Alps. I had set up the tent on the highest point of the ridge above the Sentinel Track. I was doing photography, and I wanted an awesome location for early morning. The evening was well below zero, like minus heaps below C and sheet lightning and a storm, came in without any warning ... like totally life threatening lightning, flashing as brightly as daylight and with gale force winds and no chance to even count to "one-Mississippi," between the thunder claps.

Like we were on the highest point getting totally hammered and I had a raised metal object, the tripod, sitting beside the tent with lightning striking all around.

I was half naked in the tent, changing clothes and Helen was asleep. I had to get the metal tripod away from the tent as quickly as poss' because the lightning strikes were very close. I ran away from the tent and laid the tripod on the ground. The sheet lightning was supplying all the intermittent illumination needed to leave the tent, just like daylight ... the wind was absolutely hammering.

I was maybe 30 metres from the tent and the illumination from the lightning stopped. Then total blackness. With a threshold-of-pain roaring wind.

Helen couldn't hear me. I couldn't see the tent. I was disoriented in the wind but facing into the prevailing wind. I couldn't see didly-squatt. Helen was sleeping through the storm and didn't know that I had left the tent.

I couldn't find the tent after half an hour of searching, while half naked and freezing. I could have been with in a metre or two of the tent at any stage and not found it ... nor have Helen hear me shouting because of the howling wind.

I walked down wind to start the search again. If you know the Sentinel falling to one's death has happened to other people.

I left a wrapper from a Cadbury's Picnic, in the vestibule of the tent and it had eventually blown out. In one flash of lightning the only flash within half an hour, I saw the Picnic wrapper blow between my legs. I followed the direction I though it had come from, and I eventually tripped over the tent ... I didn't see the tent, I tripped over a guy rope of the tent.

I make no bones about that night. I could have died that night ... and the lovely Helen missed all the action.

I still love Cadbury's Picnic bars and I always will. I love Helen too and I always will ... despite her lack of concern shown that evening.

Warren.

PS, " The worst night camping?" ... I think it was the best in hindsight. It certainly could have been the worst.

Warren.


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## erginguney (Dec 30, 2005)

gtluke said:


> Growing up I had 3 kids in school killed by lightning. 2 in a thunderstorm at the same time, and then one kid basically exploded on 2nd base during a baseball game. It the only lightninged that one single time, and it never rained at all. Super super freaky and pretty much devastated everyone who saw it happen, which was a huge crowd of people.


Wow. The baseball game story is pretty freaky. No rain and no other lightning? That's a true "bolt out of the blue". It's not hard to understand, in a simpler time, how people would believe in a thing as being "struck down by the gods". What else would you believe in a situation like this if you're a simple farmer living in a pastoral pre-industrial society?


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## huckie (Feb 28, 2004)

It bears repeating if it's already been posted and I missed it. You want to lower you profile, squat down in a ball wrapping your arms around your legs, and tuck your head in. Electricity can do some awful things to the human body when entering and exiting.


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## davidarnott (Feb 28, 2007)

*A Family Tail*

About the cattle trail. My grandfater Edward Arnott Sr had a hired hand that was struck by light ning four times while riding horseback. The fourth strike killed him. They buried him out behind the barn. There was a longish multi decade discussion as to WHY he was hit so many times. My uncle insisted that he couldn't stand being inside so he was always out riding thus increasing the odds of getting hit in the first place. THEN my uncle argued. he was brain damaged from the lighting strike and didn't have the sense to come in out of the rain. Others in the fam argued religous, moral, supernatural, synchronistic, anomalistic, etc etc etc. But my dad said that he couldn't TOUCH the guy without getting shocked. The kids all used to try to get him to show off his scars. They would beg him to take off his shirt to see the huge blast between his shoulder blades. And the one on the top of his HEAD.

SO. The first three strikes killed all three of the horses he was riding on. The fourth left the horse alive. We didn't use horseshoes at the ranch because of lightning. I wouldn't recommend standing under a tree in your clip ons.

hi warren


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## michael9218 (Dec 17, 2006)

I'd say you're about as likely to get hit as in a car...meaning it doesn't happen. You're riding on rubber tires. You have to conductivity to the ground. Aluminum, steel, carbon fiber...won't matter. Stay on your bike and you should be fine. Put a foot down and you now have conductivity to the ground.


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## Cedar Branch Biker (Jul 28, 2010)

If it is raining, and your tires are wet, the electricity will find a path on the outside of your tires TO YOU. Carbon fiber frames (I'm thinking graphite, right) is highly conductive. Ask fisherman who use graphite rods if they hold onto their fishing rod in a thunderstorm. One last thing, when dealing with the millions of volts in a bolt of lightening, there really is little of no insulation effect in a bicycle tire. Park your bike and look for the safest place possible, using the rules of safety for electrical storms. Avoid lone trees, try to get in a grove, don't be the tallest thing in the area, "How low can you go"? Others out there may be able to add on to what I've posted. Having been nailed with 460 volt, I can't imagine getting nailed by 46 million volts.


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## BigRuckus (Jun 5, 2010)

michael9218 said:


> I'd say you're about as likely to get hit as in a car...meaning it doesn't happen. You're riding on rubber tires. You have to conductivity to the ground. Aluminum, steel, carbon fiber...won't matter. Stay on your bike and you should be fine. Put a foot down and you now have conductivity to the ground.


In a car, it is the metal cage that protects you. Tires do not have much to do with protection from lightning. A lightning bolt can have over 1,000,000 volts and 200,000 amps. If a bolt of lightning can overcome one-mile of air, do you really think a quarter inch of rubber is going to protect you?


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## sooner518 (Aug 1, 2007)

ive had it hit within 50 feet of me and it is the loudest thing you have ever heard. When it struck, I was in my parent's garage watching the storm out the open garage door. I felt like I jumped and ran into the garage before I even heard it. it was just a natural reflex to get the hell away! i love thunderstorms, but I dont want to get any closer than that!

also had a bolt hit about 100 feet away when I was outside a cabin we had rented in the mountain of Colorado. No rain, but a overcast. We saw the smoke afterwards. freaky


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## Mtn-Rider (May 21, 2010)

I once saw a lightning strike about a mile away from my house near the desert late at night. The following morning I got on my bike and headed to where I though it had hit. Right by the trail I found where it had hit, right on a tall sahuaro cactus and obliterated it to scorched thunks and pieces within a 30 foot radius. The only thing left standing from it was some fresh skeleton veins some 5 feet high.

That got my attention to what can happen when hit by lightning, but I still consider the possibility way too low to worry about it. I think the ride along the highway to a trailhead is far more dangerous than the slight chance of getting hit by lightning in the outdoors.


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## Blurr (Dec 7, 2009)

So funny thing about this thread, since it started my Mother got Struck a couple of weeks ago, not a direct strike I guess as all she knew was a strong jolt from what was intense static electricity and some blue flames shooting out her fingers as she closed the gate lol. 
I always knew she was a witch. Nothing else happened, I am hoping that if she gains a special ability it is to become a better driver.


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## michael9218 (Dec 17, 2006)

BigRuckus said:


> In a car, it is the metal cage that protects you. Tires do not have much to do with protection from lightning. A lightning bolt can have over 1,000,000 volts and 200,000 amps. If a bolt of lightning can overcome one-mile of air, do you really think a quarter inch of rubber is going to protect you?


If your concern is that you will be in the path of the lightening bolt as it's connecting to the ground, than I'd say you have little to be concerned about as the odds of you being in this path are remote at best.

The bigger issue is when you become the path to the ground. If you aren't grounded, than the lightening won't use you as a path. And yes, tires do insulate you from the ground. Cars don't get hit by lightening (at least I've never heard of one getting hit). This is why hikers are always instructed not to stand on granite rock in a storm, and why golfers often get hit as they stand on wet grass with cleated shoes. Conductivity to the ground...stand on an insulator like rubber and you aren't going to provide a ground for the lightening.

When it storms here in the Southeast, I feel a lot safer on the bike in the trees than going back to the parking lot and standing on the crushed granite or asphalt parking lot with spd cleats on my shoes...I keep riding 'til it's over.


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## Blurr (Dec 7, 2009)

michael9218 said:


> If your concern is that you will be in the path of the lightening bolt as it's connecting to the ground, than I'd say you have little to be concerned about as the odds of you being in this path are remote at best.
> 
> The bigger issue is when you become the path to the ground. If you aren't grounded, than the lightening won't use you as a path. And yes, tires do insulate you from the ground. Cars don't get hit by lightening (at least I've never heard of one getting hit). This is why hikers are always instructed not to stand on granite rock in a storm, and why golfers often get hit as they stand on wet grass with cleated shoes. Conductivity to the ground...stand on an insulator like rubber and you aren't going to provide a ground for the lightening.
> 
> When it storms here in the Southeast, I feel a lot safer on the bike in the trees than going back to the parking lot and standing on the crushed granite or asphalt parking lot with spd cleats on my shoes...I keep riding 'til it's over.


False, actually it is the metal frame which protects you as crazy as that sounds, the energy travels through the fame and into the ground the tires do not provide enough of an insulator.

http://www.weatherimagery.com/blog/rubber-tires-protect-lightning/


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## drumma022 (Jul 26, 2009)

This storm was rolling in FAST, but we were able to outrun it. There is nowhere to hide in the middle of the Florida Everglades!


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## Cedar Branch Biker (Jul 28, 2010)

As I understand it, if you can hear thunder, you are in danger from lightning. Lightning can travel up to 10 miles horizontally before going vertical, which my be right where you are standing, riding, walking, praying....


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## michael9218 (Dec 17, 2006)

Blurr said:


> False, actually it is the metal frame which protects you as crazy as that sounds, the energy travels through the fame and into the ground the tires do not provide enough of an insulator.
> 
> http://www.weatherimagery.com/blog/rubber-tires-protect-lightning/


Wow, thanks for sharing that...cool site.

I still feel that if you're on rubber you're less likely to emit streamers as discussed in this link on that site: 
http://www.weatherimagery.com/blog/lightning-rods-attract-lightning/

Lightening is obviously unpredictable and I suppose it can hit anything anywhere (even inside your house), but one would think you'd lower the chances by not being as conductive.


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## Blurr (Dec 7, 2009)

hey I agree with you, maybe the science behind it will change down the road, or not, either way, its nothing to play around with.


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## mr_bump (May 6, 2007)

It is amazing how many urban myths or just plain "bad science" is out there regarding lightning.
Metal has very little to do with being struck by lightning. Being the highest point in an area has lots to do with it. 
In a forest is a safe place to be, under a lone tree is a dumb place. Inside a car or train is safe due to the Faraday Cage effect of the metal structure. Metal skinned aircraft get struck by lightning and suffer no effects due to the Faraday Cage effect.
Golfers get struck because they are the tallest thing on the Fairway or are standing under a lone tree.
You can be struck inside your house if you are using the telephone or standing in the shower.
Having rubber tyres or rubber soled shoes makes no diference. The lightning has travelled more than 2 miles through thin air to get to you, an inch of rubber makes no difference to it.

This video may help in explaining the role of streamers and leaders in the formation of lightning.






Mr Bump (Physics Teacher)


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

michael9218 said:


> I'd say you're about as likely to get hit as in a car...meaning it doesn't happen. *You're riding on rubber tires. You have to conductivity to the ground. Aluminum, steel, carbon fiber...won't matter. Stay on your bike and you should be fine. Put a foot down and you now have conductivity to the ground.*


:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

michael9218 said:


> If your concern is that you will be in the path of the lightening bolt as it's connecting to the ground, than I'd say you have little to be concerned about as the odds of you being in this path are remote at best.
> 
> The bigger issue is when you become the path to the ground. If you aren't grounded, than the lightening won't use you as a path. And yes, tires do insulate you from the ground. Cars don't get hit by lightening (at least I've never heard of one getting hit). This is why hikers are always instructed not to stand on granite rock in a storm, and why golfers often get hit as they stand on wet grass with cleated shoes. Conductivity to the ground...stand on an insulator like rubber and you aren't going to provide a ground for the lightening.
> 
> When it storms here in the Southeast, I feel a lot safer on the bike in the trees than going back to the parking lot and standing on the crushed granite or asphalt parking lot with spd cleats on my shoes...I keep riding 'til it's over.


seriously dood?
   
Lightning travels thousands of feet you think is cares about tires??
don't be a dummy


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## lidarman (Jan 12, 2004)

Being struck by lightning is like winning the lottery--but you save the two bucks.


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## lidarman (Jan 12, 2004)

...........


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## palerider (Jul 15, 2004)

Cedar Branch Biker said:


> As I understand it, if you can hear thunder, you are in danger from lightning. Lightning can travel up to 10 miles horizontally before going vertical, which my be right where you are standing, riding, walking, praying....


Yep, I watched a bolt strike maybe 7 miles out from a thunderstorm that was over the foothills. Lighting scares me.


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## HSMITH (Aug 11, 2009)

dstepper said:


> When the hair on my arms stands up and I can smell the ozone
> 
> Dean


This ^^^^ is a guy that has been really close to a lightning strike, REALLY close. I have had it hit 30 feet from me, you can feel and smell it build. It doesn't last long before the flash and a noise so loud you can't really hear it happen. Had it happen twice and it is damn scary.

Worked search and rescue years ago and found a hunter that had been struck, went in right above his ear and all over his shoulder, probably 8" in diameter. Blew the bottoms off his feet, including the bottoms of his socks AND the soles of his boots. Burnt flesh and bones sticking out of the bottom of his boots. Melted a gold chain and medallion he was wearing into his neck and chest. Smelled awful. I won't mess with lightning.


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## nuclear_powered (Apr 18, 2007)

I won't pretend to be an expert on this, but if there's lightning, there's often rain (not always, but often). I'm sure I read somewhere that if you're on wet ground, or in a pool, and lightning strikes nearby (or into the pool) then the current will travel through the water and have an effect (like electrocution) on the human body. To the point I remember a news story about a woman standing under a tree in the rain, and the lightning struck the tree, and she got zapped from the feet upwards via the puddle she was standing in. Any merit in that, science geeks? Or am I remembering a scene from a movie. I'm sure it was a news story though.

In any case it certainly didn't stop me from staying in the hot tub on new years with friends during a wickedly spectacular electrical storm at the beginning of the year. I figured we were under a pergola, surrounded by tall trees, next to a 2 story house which had a huge aerial/antenna on the roof - chances were slim enough to finish the beers while submerged.


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## Blurr (Dec 7, 2009)

nuclear_powered said:


> I won't pretend to be an expert on this, but if there's lightning, there's often rain (not always, but often). I'm sure I read somewhere that if you're on wet ground, or in a pool, and lightning strikes nearby (or into the pool) then the current will travel through the water and have an effect (like electrocution) on the human body. To the point I remember a news story about a woman standing under a tree in the rain, and the lightning struck the tree, and she got zapped from the feet upwards via the puddle she was standing in. Any merit in that, science geeks? Or am I remembering a scene from a movie. I'm sure it was a news story though.
> 
> In any case it certainly didn't stop me from staying in the hot tub on new years with friends during a wickedly spectacular electrical storm at the beginning of the year. I figured we were under a pergola, surrounded by tall trees, next to a 2 story house which had a huge aerial/antenna on the roof - chances were slim enough to finish the beers while submerged.


most people are not directly struck by lightening, it is from passing through the ground ect.


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## lidarman (Jan 12, 2004)

Lots of funny advice in this thread.

I know light(e)ning isn't funny but some of the content in this thread could keep the _Mythbusters_ dude's busy for two seasons.


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## Dogbrain (Mar 4, 2008)

jollybeggar said:


> Odds of being stuck by lightning are some where up there with the odds of getting attacked by a cougar, next to nil. Fear will suck the life out of you. Go ride, life is an adventure, live it.


Actually you're many times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a cougar. It's even more likely to kill you than Pit Bulls 

http://www.struckbylightning.org/


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## michael9218 (Dec 17, 2006)

Well, I think this has been a good thread. I’ve certainly been guilty of bad advice and myth. I appreciate the being enlightened about lightning…

Two things that I’ve gotten from this thread and the informative links:

The odds of getting struck are pretty low. Only about 1,000 people per year get struck in the US and of those few die (10-15%). 

Once out on the trails, there doesn’t appear to be much you can do about it. It looks like my opinion of staying on the trails in the woods is better than going to the parking lot is correct (keep in mind that the woods in the Southeast are very dense).…even if for the wrong reason, unless you feel lucky and prefer to make a mad dash for your car in an open parking lot. 

Since thunderstorms are a regular occurrence in the Southeast, it’s a bit tough to plan around this. Life is short, just ride and don’t worry too much about it…


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

michael9218 said:


> Well, I think this has been a good thread. I've certainly been guilty of bad advice and myth. I appreciate the being enlightened about lightning&#8230;
> ...


No worries mate :thumbsup:


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

lidarman said:


> I know light(e)ning isn't funny but some of the content in this thread could keep the _Mythbusters_ dude's busy for two seasons.


Although if they took some of this advice, they never would have done the car struck by lightning episode.


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## notaknob (Apr 6, 2004)

*from anthonys*

Took me awhile to track this one down from the archives but this thread reminded me of it.



//clicky for original thread. Photo Cred to Anthony


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

^^^Rip


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## Blurr (Dec 7, 2009)

michael9218 said:


> Well, I think this has been a good thread. I've certainly been guilty of bad advice and myth. I appreciate the being enlightened about lightning&#8230;
> 
> Two things that I've gotten from this thread and the informative links:
> 
> The odds of getting struck are pretty low. Only about 1,000 people per year get struck in the US and of those few die (10-15%).


That is kind of a misleading stat as most people work indoors and spend most of their time indoors therefore lowering the statistics greatly of even eing in that environment, the same goes for bear and shark attack statistics.


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## ajd245246 (Sep 1, 2008)

Non-related to biking, but a few weeks ago I had some buddies over my house playing hockey in the driveway. It started raining cats and dogs so we went in the garage to wait it, all of a sudden bam, lightning hit right on the other side of the fence in my neighbors yard. Something you don't realize when it strikes far away, but up close you can feel it in your chest! Also the ground was kind of sandy over there and it actually made a small amount of glass.


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## EMrider (Sep 9, 2007)

Blurr said:


> That is kind of a misleading stat as most people work indoors and spend most of their time indoors therefore lowering the statistics greatly of even eing in that environment, the same goes for bear and shark attack statistics.


Right on, and 'misleading' is being kind. 'Worthless' is more accurate. If you are outdoors and caught in a thunderstorm, the odds of getting hit are far more than 1 in 1,000.......or whatever the odds for the general population.

Lightening scares the crap out of me. If I see thunder/rain coming, I do my best to get the hell indoors, into a vehicle or some other shelter. The advice from some here to just continue on and not give into fear or something similar is bonkers IMHO. If you were surfing and saw a dorsal fin circling you, would you just carry on? No, you'd get the heck out of the water.
R


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## Cedar Branch Biker (Jul 28, 2010)

If you want to see what lightning can do to sand, watch "Sweet Home, Alabama" with Reese Witherspoon.


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## lidarman (Jan 12, 2004)

EMrider said:


> Right on, and 'misleading' is being kind. 'Worthless' is more accurate. If you are outdoors and caught in a thunderstorm, the odds of getting hit are far more than 1 in 1,000.......or whatever the odds for the general population.
> 
> R


Hilarious.....

This is a gem.

" the odds of getting hit are far more than 1 in 1,000.......or whatever the odds"

Are you related to GW Bush?

Here is the problem.



EMrider said:


> Lightening scares the crap out of me.


Maybe you and Blurr can live in a save cave...just watch out for bats.


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## Blurr (Dec 7, 2009)

lidarman said:


> Hilarious.....
> 
> This is a gem.
> 
> ...


I love loud mouths like you, the classic person who thinks just because "it has not happened to me" it will not, ya, keep it up champ, people are rescued from the outdoors 365 days a year with your attitude. Just do yourself a favor, keep yer trap shut and do not drag others with you. Now people like me who have been raised in rural montana and spent my life in the mountains have a nice pleasant time because I am prepared and understand nature and what IM up against.


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## lidarman (Jan 12, 2004)

Blurr said:


> I love loud mouths like you, the classic person who thinks just because "it has not happened to me" it will not, ya, keep it up champ, people are rescued from the outdoors 365 days a year from people like yourself. Just do yourself a favor, keep yer trap shut and do not drag others with you.


"people are rescued from the outdoors 365 days a year from people like yourself"

That is a funny fact. So true!...and even seven days a week!

Actually as a matter of fact, I have helped out people in the outdoors...Thank you very much! How did you know? BTW, it's "by" people like myself rather than "from"

Glad you love people like me. Sorry, I don't love you the same way.


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## Cedar Branch Biker (Jul 28, 2010)

One reason golfers used to get truck were the metal spikes sticking out of the bottom of their golf shoes, effectively making a path to ground.


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## BadHabit (Jan 12, 2004)

davidarnott said:


> Others in the fam argued religous, moral, supernatural, synchronistic, anomalistic, etc etc etc.


That dead old hired hand must've had a way about him to say the least.


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## BeakJones (Oct 29, 2008)

:nono:


Cedar Branch Biker said:


> One reason golfers used to get truck were the metal spikes sticking out of the bottom of their golf shoes, effectively making a path to ground.


Most courses do not allow metal spikes nowadays.... I still get my ass back to the clubhouse in a storm lol.


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## dixie whiskey (Jul 25, 2010)

Does a Tropical Storm count for anything? I failed to check the radar this morning before I left. Smooth & dry on the morning commute, might not fare so lucky this afternoon!


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## Circusjunk (Aug 20, 2004)

Dogbrain said:


> Actually you're many times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a cougar.


You aren't going to the right bar obviously


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## Ska (Jan 12, 2004)

All this talk reminded me of something.

Living where I live (along the shores of Lake Huron) the storms that brew up out of nowhere can be intense to say the least. I've been caught by surprise on a couple of occasions but the absolute worst (while riding) was about 12 years ago. A sudden calm came over the area I was in and the temperature dropped significantly (within a couple of minutes). Almost at the same instant, the sun disappeared; obviously a massive front. Being in a heavily wooded area I didn't see it coming at all but needless to say I turned and hightailed it back for the car (about a 1hr ride back from this point).

It wasn't 5 minutes after turning around that the first of what was to be many lightning bolts struck. First came a few loud rumblings from the sky - you know, the type that wake you up from a deep sleep in the middle of the night and you feel the entire house shaking? The type that send both dogs and kids diving for cover in your bed? The type that rumble on for about 5 seconds and for every second you can feel it in your chest? That's what was starting and it was one after another.

I was really nervous and I've lived here long enough to know it was going to be a gnarly one. Soon came the obvious sounds of lightning strikes over my right shoulder. At first it was just a couple but soon they came one after another and, for the first bit, I just continued on. I was in a straight section of trail so it was fast as hell (well, at least as fast as I could go back then) and adrenaline pumping until one struck about 200 feet over my left shoulder. As quickly as that one stuck, another did less than 100ft directly ahead and I could see the trunk of the tree had a couple of small flames at its base.

I literally stepped of my bike and it ghost-rode about 30ft ahead before striking something and falling over. Being in a wooded area, there really is not much you can do. What I thought was best at the time was to run in the opposite direction of my bike (which I did) and sit in the middle of the trail and wait it out (which I also did). There is nothing here but trees so ???

As soon as I sat down, there were 2 more very close strikes and the rain started. The rain was so intense I had to keep my face down. When I looked up, my nose filled with water. It was insane. There were countless strikes out there but I counted 16 lightning strikes that were insanely close (I remember because it was twice my lucky number) but I didn't look around to see. I figured if now's the time than now's the time. I wasn't moving anywhere and certainly NOT with my bike.

The lightning slowed about 5 or 10 minutes later once the hail and wind started so I had to wait that out too. Funny, the first indication of hail was when the leaves above got really loud and I heard my bike start pinging. Wasn't long before it started pelting me as well (I love my Camelbak). :thumbsup:

Was this the right thing to do? I can't say for sure but I am here typing this so......
Anyway, I'm glad now for radar access we have on line so now it's often our own fault if we get caught in risky situations.

For example; here's something I got too close to in 2008. It only touched down for a few hundred feet in a field (well far from us) and only tore up a fence I think - no biggy (thank goodness) but so very cool to see. We knew something was up when that temp dropped again


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## damon09 (Nov 5, 2009)

Weather wise the worst thing I have been thru was 40 miles North of Dallas in Full size 76 Chevy Blazer. We had retreated into it due to an approaching rain storm & the threat of lightning.
We got hit really hard & spent 20 + minutes with strikes all around & that big Blazer getting rocked back & forth by an amazing lightning & thunder show. Outside would not have been survivable. Retreat to any structure available if that is an option. Otherwise get low , low, low!


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## Cedar Branch Biker (Jul 28, 2010)

Ska, enjoyed your post, BTW, have you moved up to reggae, yet? I was missed by a tornado by about 75 yards one time. Was in a house, and it was raining so hard we didn't know there was a twister in the neighborhood until we heard it "roar" by the house. Presently reading a book by a retired park ranger who hiked the Blue ridge Parkway after years of driving it, who got caught in a storm and had lightning hit within a 100 feet of him 3 times. You did all you could do. Keep pedaling. What do you do in the winter when the snow is too deep to pedal in?


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