Originally Posted by noisebeam
But this is for average lifetime exposure of an average person. For folks who put themselves at greater exposure (i.e. like golfers or cyclist who stay outside when there is lightning) the odds increase significantly.
Still not anywhere near as high as getting hit by a car. Especially for cyclists riding through urban areas (you're 5 times less likely to be struck by lightning in a built-up area than in an open field). I dunno: there are about 100 lightning-related deaths in the U.S. per year (most of which happen in open areas) and about 1000 non-trivial injuries. Compare this with 1000 bike deaths and many many more serious injuries. And being caught cycling and being caught in a rainstorm seems about equally unlikely to happen to the average American.
