Originally Posted by
wphamilton
Yep, that's the rule. 30 seconds is six miles, and then 30 minutes more for it to get further away. It happens. Moreover, lightning from that distance is likely to be the positive polarity strikes from very high, which are greater in intensity and duration making them more lethal.
I don't tell people to take risks, but frankly I ignore this rule. If you are concerned about these strikes from a distance you cannot ride through the gaps between storms. You must wait until the entire system has passed through. I try to minimize risk but not eliminate it, looking for a balance between risk and practicality.
I have to admit, a couple of days after the class, I was out riding. I don't think rain was predicted, and here in Northern California thunderstorms aren't a common occurrence. Of course midway through my ride, I thought I saw a flash (but my head was down so I couldn't be sure if it was lightning, or someone had taken a photo, or what). For whatever reason I started counting. I got to nine when I heard a big rumble. One or two days removed from the class I was trying to decide what to do. No shelter available, and I knew my tires weren't going to insulate me from a lightning strike. I decided to roll the dice and finish up my ride. Fortunately there were no more flashes so no problems. If there were I think I would have headed to the nearest bike shop about five miles away.