Originally Posted by capejohn
Real bad luck for that motocyclist. Kind of like the hiker that was trapped when a rock fell on his arm and he had to cut it off.
If lightning is close, naturally take cover. It usually passes quickly. If it's off in the distance, there is really no reason to worry about it.
Colorado's thunderstorms have an intensity that is difficult to fathom if you've never been in one. Because the storms grow in the mountains and move down on to the plains, they have a terrific amount of charge in them. And, because the air mass is moving downhill, they have terrific speed in some cases up to 40 mph! Here you can also be hit by what is call 'clear air lightning' which may be far in advance of the actual storm. So you may not even have warning.