Thunder & Ligtning

[psmiffy]

Its a local one - Pitsford School Weather Station - about 4 miles north of where I live

 

[ColinJ]

I've also seen it blow holes in people's shoes. Depends on the lightning, and where it hit, but a direct contact would be quite a negative outcome.

That's exactly what I was going to say. A young man got hit by lightning on an open grassy area in front of my sister's local shops. One of his shoes had big holes burned through it and his clothes were pretty much burned off him!

My dad saw a herd of cows killed by lightning, and a local teenager was killed on another occasion when a tree exploded after being hit by a lightning strike. The sap vapourised and caused wood shrapnel to fly in all directions.

There is a thunderstorm going on here at the moment and anybody thinking that it is safe to go up on the hills on a bike or on foot in this is bonkers!

 

[ColinJ]

As for 'not many people get hit by lightning every year and most of them don't die' ....

Many more people would get hit by lightning if they didn't have the commonsense to avoid it, and being severely burned by a lightning strike would be horrendous even if you did not die!

I almost got caught out by a storm round here once. I saw it blowing in and took shelter down the hill at the steam railway station at Oxenhope. From there, I watched in horrified fascination as scores of lightning bolts zapped the hillside above me. I got into a conversation with an old man there and he told me that one of his neighbours had got thrown over a dry stone wall by a bolt of lightning!

 

[lazybloke]

Don't car tyres conduct electricity, due to the carbon content? Black tyres obviously...

And I seem to remember cows being in particular danger from nearby lightning strikes because of the "distance between their hooves" results in a large voltage across their bodies.

Presumably then, legs together is good advice. Now sure how bikes come into it!

Now I'm rambling...

 

[gavgav]

Not worth the risk

Lisburn lightning strike: Man and son critically injured
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36464969

 

[MrPie]

Very very frightening.

Oh, go on then......

Scaramouche, Scaramousche.....

 

[Tin Pot]

Golf is called off if there is lightning in the are, cycling would
Only concern me in an exposed area, over hills.

I wasn't quite sure what the situation s with lake swimming though - something tells me the discharge is more likely to occur into water than land.

 

[ianrauk]

In fact, a 'like' by Mr @McWobble has reminded me of the time we both descended into Brighton at speed, in one of the heaviest downpours I can ever remember. It was pretty mad.

 

[Wobblers]

In fact, a 'like' by Mr @McWobble has reminded me of the time we both descended into Brighton at speed, in one of the heaviest downpours I can ever remember. It was pretty mad.

Ah... I'd forgotten that - it was that time we got so soaked you decided to forgo the SMRbtH so instead joined the rest of us wasters select bunch of Super People in dripping water (but not the booze, obviously) over the floor of @User's flat, wasn't it?

Actually, I'm reminded of another time when I ended up riding through a thunderstorm in the company of CoG (who was ever so slightly the worse for wear):

The ride back to CoG's place will remain in the Cycle Chat annals of Legend forever. In retrospect, perhaps we should have realised that cycling back was perhaps not the best idea when CoG had a clipless moment at the second set of lights. But, undeterred, we forged onwards. Into the teeth of a thunderstorm. Complete with torrential downpour. We were soaked in seconds. But at least it wasn't cold. After a brief regrouping on the pavement, CoG collided with an inconsiderately placed bollard. And fell off. I suggested the train might be an idea. CoG demurred, so we forged onwards, the streets now more akin to rivers. I was very glad I was on the Galaxy, with its mudguards rather than the Cannondale which would have been an even more soggy affair. After a few more miles of swimming cycling we were halted by a set of lights which had the effrontery to be red. Whereupon CoG fell off. An onlooker rushed over to check that CoG was okay "It's all right, I'm just drunk". I suggested getting the train. CoG assured me about the efficacy of BEER as a pain killer, so we splashed onwards - after all, it's only blood isn't it?

 

[Lonestar]

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?

Well it's about 5 million volts so probably not.

 

[mustang1]

Don't use a metal bike. Oh and make sure you have carbon bars and stem. Wheels too for that matter. Though I don't think such a bike will take fenders.

 

[lazybloke]

[QUOTE 4315127, member: 9609"]does carbon conduct electric ?
have just tried a multimeter on a dry car tyre and as expected I cannot get any readings[/QUOTE]

Maybe tyres are conductive at higher voltages. But as has been said already, a bit of inflated rubber isn't going to provide any protection against lightning, so the question is irrelevant really.


The Dreamliner plane (lots of carbon fibre) is said to have layers of metal mesh or foil to deal with strikes. If I drive a car with carbon fibre panels (I don't), do I have to abandon it during lightning? What about a panoramic glass roof?

 

[doughnut]

I never learned to read music as a child and its paying off now, because I'm sure I'd make a really bad conductor.

 

[biking_fox]

[QUOTE 4312593, member: 9609"]what page are you using for the lightening strikes ?[/QUOTE]

https://www.lightningmaps.org/
is good for anywhere in the UK. realtime strikes plus the thunder ring. Quite mesmerising at times.

I've ridden through some - just man up and get wet, no particular need to be concerned about lightning, unless you're out somewhere very exposed.