Thunderbolts and lightning

Andrew Price wrote n part:

- I see the recommendation if you get a tingling sensation if unavoidably
outside is to get off the bike, away from metal objects and to crouch (not lie)
down cover your ears and presumably kiss your bottom goodbye.

Just wondering if anyone in the group has any better wisdom about being smarter
if unwittingly you get caught riding in a storm with lightning.

best, Andrew


I love the part about "cover your ears." If you're going to get hit by lighting
you might as well not be disturbed by the very loud noise eh?

I think I may have been touched by lighting once, or something. I was riding
along in a brutal thunderstorm, urban setting, just trying to get home,
lightning strikes very close. A shaft of electrons connected with a pole or
tree somewhere very damn close. Sound only travels 1000 feet per second but
when it only has 20 feet or so to travel the blast is almost instantaneous. The
thunderclap is the sound of air being superheated and expanding violently.
There was the flash of light and the incredible explosion of sound and just
then a massive spark arced between my right thumb and the left brake lever on
my bike. I think one of the lightning bolt's tendrils reached out and got me
perhaps. Scared the **** out of me but curiously, I didn't feel a thing. I have
a friend who reports being blasted off his bike in a similar event.

Here's a fun fact--only 20 percent or so of lightning strike victims die from
the incident. Nobody is too sure what happens to the rest of em.

Robert

Here's a fun fact--only 20 percent or so of lightning strike victims die
from
the incident. Nobody is too sure what happens to the rest of em.

They get religion.

Austin

I see the recommendation if you get a
tingling sensation if unavoidably outside
is to get off the bike, away from metal
objects and to crouch (not lie) down
cover your ears and presumably kiss
your bottom goodbye."

I would rateher hold my nose. I hate the smell of burning flesh...

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

(R15757) wrote in message ...

I love the part about "cover your ears." If you're going to get hit by lighting
you might as well not be disturbed by the very loud noise eh?

Robert

Actually the point is that the spark, if it strikes you, tends to pass
over the surface, but may enter at openings such as the ears, causing
internal damage. My advice: keep your mouth shut too, you don't want
THAT entry and exit path!

-- Ken