Thunder & Ligtning

[cycle_bug]

Having been seriously considering commuting and building the 'its only a bit of rain' attitude rather well, it did strike me (no pun) that in the UK we do get a touch of some 'extreme' weather now and then.. thunder but more worryingly lightning.

- Is it dangerous?

- What to do if it happens during a ride?

- Any useful information about it?

I found out that its definitely not like being in a car - even with being on rubber tyres - as that phenomenon depends on the car body acting as some type of cage.. so I'm now literally worried if I cycle in this weather I'll be struck by lightning..

 

[AndyRM]

Unless you're the highest point, which I would say is pretty unlikely, you're not going to get hit.

As long as you don't go out with a bloody great pole attached to your bike, you'll be fine.

 

[pawl]

Unless you're the highest point, which I would say is pretty unlikely, you're not going to get hit.

As long as you don't go out with a bloody great pole attached to your bike, you'll be fine.

Does he run behind the bike or , do you get a tandem

 

[AndyRM]

Does he run behind the bike or , do you get a tandem

He walks in front ringing a bell to alert others of my presence.

 

[ianrauk]

I have commuted through a fair few thunder (and lightning) storms over the years. Rain so heavy and hard that it was impossible to see. If that's the case I usually stop and wait for it to pass as heavy cloudbursts like that don;t last long.

And sometimes, especially in warm weather, in a mad way it's quite fun.

 

[Tim Hall]

Get a recumbent. That way you'll be lower down than the other cyclists, so they'll get struck instead of you. Or ride next a bloke on an ordinary.

 

[psmiffy]

In the ordinarily course of thing being struck by lightning on a bicycle is pretty rare - but having sat and watched a fair few alpine thunderstorms where the lightning was striking less than a hundred metres from where I was cowering then it can be just a little intimidating and shouldn't be taken lightly

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Is there a greater chance of being struck than walking in in the same storm?

 

[fossyant]

It's actually quite fun getting stuck in a huge downpour !

 

[psmiffy]

It's actually quite fun getting stuck in a huge downpour !

If you think that you have never been in a proper downpour - hailstones big enough to dent cars and smash windscreens - solid extremely cold rain - and flash to bang time almost simultaneous

 

[fossyant]

If you think that you have never been in a proper downpour - hailstones big enough to dent cars and smash windscreens - solid extremely cold rain - and flash to bang time almost simultaneous

I didn't say golf ball hailstones though.

 

[jonny jeez]

Surely as you are insulated from earth by rubber tyres, you cannot be effected by lightning...strike or no strike?

Is there anyone here here who understands meteorology and physics who can comment?

 

[Origamist]

I can't say I've ever worried about lightning in UK, but when it gets really dark and the rain is teeming down visibility is a real problem as traffic rarely slows down much on 60mph NSL roads. In these conditions, I take shelter or pull over as the intensity doesn't usually last too long.

 

[subaqua]

Surely as you are insulated from earth by rubber tyres, you cannot be effected by lightning...strike or no strike?

Is there anyone here here who understands meteorology and physics who can comment?

yes. we will use you as guinea pig and then you can tell us .

how high a voltage and current rating do you think the tyre is rated to ?

car acts as a Faraday cage hence protected inside it . bike unlikely you wil get hit but if you do then you may look a little

 

[Tim Hall]

Surely as you are insulated from earth by rubber tyres, you cannot be effected by lightning...strike or no strike?

Is there anyone here here who understands meteorology and physics who can comment?

Seeing as the lightning bolt has just passed through however many thousand(?) feet of air, do you think 28mm of rubber is going to make an awful lot of difference?