Thunder and Lightning
 

Today on the way home from work, I ran into a short but nasty storm. As I crested a small hill, I could smell the burning ozone smell that is often associated with being near a very nasty lightning storm. My question is this. At that point, should I have pressed on and continue on my journey or seek shelter?

Lightening is one of the few weather conditions in which I absolutely will not ride. I would have sought shelter until it was safe to ride again.

People often underestimate how dangerous lightening is. It's safe inside a fully enclosed car because you're inside a metal Faraday cage. On a bicycle, you've got nothing.

I know a lightening can be real and dangerous but I guess there's more chance to get hit by a car on an everyday commute than by lightening during a thunderstorm. So I won't intently go in a thunderstorm but I won't hide either if I come across one.

It happened twice to me in the last two years and I must admit I liked it. The last time, earlier this summer, about 3 or 4 lightening fell within 1 kilometer (approx.) of me in the fields along the road, the light and sound was incredible, a was scared as hell but at the same time the adrenaline rush was a blast.

What I'd like to know or estimate is, if you are out in a storm what are your chances of getting struck? I've seen the usual statistics - 33-50 people killed annually in the USA depending on the source, 330 or more struck but not killed, one in a million chance, etc, but these are picking a random person and asking, knowing nothing else about them, what is the probability that he'll be struck. We are not random people; we are outside in storms sometimes. What are our odds?

If anything those statistics give us a false sense of security. Florida by far has had the most people struck by lightning, and partly because Florida has a lot of people but also because they tend to be outside during rainstorms. You get a direct strike if you're out in the open, and indirect strike, streamer or ground strike if you're too close to something taller that gets struck. It's hard to not be in one of those positions riding a bike on the road.

We really need to know how many people are outside during thunderstorms, and compare that to strikes, and figure our odds from that basis. I don't know of any way to even approximate that however. Anyone?

That's happened to me. Started out just being rain, and by the time I was away from anywhere I could seek shelter (and within 3 miles of home) the thunder started. I had nowhere to wait it out until I was within 3/4 miles from my house. At that point, what is the use?

We've had a lot of severe thunderstorms this summer and I avoid riding in them if at all possible. Riding home a couple of weeks ago, a storm blew up very quickly on my route with lots of lightning. Fortunately I was near a city park and sought cover in the rec center, waiting out the storm for 30 minutes. It didn't rain very long but there was a ton of thunder and lightning. Since my route climbs most of the way home with many hilltops and ridges to cross, it would be foolish to tempt fate. My commuting mileage is way off this summer due to all of the storms, but so be it. I'd rather be alive than hit by lightning trying to rack up a few more miles.

This has made me curious about where I could take cover on my route. There are a couple of stretches where a building is not accessible. I know getting under "a" tree is bad, but what about a forest or some woods? I pass several wooded areas. Is it safe to get 10 to 20 feet inside of that (assuming the underbrush allows it)?

I also pass a couple of corn fields. I reckon getting in one of those and crouching is better than the road too. In most cases I could probably book it in one direction or another to get to a house, but just trying to think ahead a bit. I pretty much always check the weather before heading out too, but you can get caught regardless.

I've thought about this often as well because there really is no place for me to seek shelter on my way home through the park - or even if I take the short way through the neighborhoods. Maybe I'll just find the biggest tree I can and stand under it.It also prompts another question - do you spell it 'lightning' or 'lightening' ?

You got that watching Doctor Who, didn't you?

Michael Faraday (1791-1867) was a bit before the 1st Doctor Who episode (50 years ago)

Faraday cage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you're hiking on a ridge they recommend to get to lower ground on the side of the mountain. I imagine is the same while riding. Building, house, car, lower ground would be my choices for shelter. If on open flat field, that's a toss to press on , go into the storm for shorter pass (if it's right behind you and over taking you) or ride to seek shelter? That's when praying could go a long way!

Double O

lightning

Forest or woods, I'd say you're safe, it would be less likely that the tree you're standing beside gets struck.

Corn field? Although lying down you'd be lower than the top of the corn stalks, I'm not sure that I'd feel more safe than lying on the ground in an open field. I'd stay away from the bike if that were the case, just in case it becomes a lightning rod.

I live in the Tampa Bay FL area "the lightning capital of the US". In a metropolitan area, you're fairly safe...plenty of tall buildings and they all have lightning rods and what-not so very unlikely to get struck riding a bike. Out in the open is a whole other story. Get low and get away from taller structures. Sit down and wait it out. If you can hear thunder, even if there's no clouds above you directly it is wise to take cover. Lightning can travel pretty far.

I recognize that, but I'm suggesting that the vast majority of people who know that a Faraday cage protects you from a lightning strike know that because it was mentioned in Doctor Who.

I don't sweat it much. My house is 35 feet high with a grounded lightning rod on top of it, it's been out in every storm for 20 years standing still and it hasn't been hit yet. The odds are low enough that I just keep riding. Besides, once I'm on the road, there's really nowhere for me to go unless I want to squat in a ditch, if I keep riding at least I'll be out of it sooner.

I watched Cosmos to get caught up on Mr Faraday's contribution to science .. we cant get BBC TV Here on Basic Cable .

now TV has gone back to the shallow Pandering to the masses

I try not to ride in storms if possible.

Cars are not true Farady cages or your precious cell phone would not work.....The holes are to big.

I look forward to lightening when it's dark in the morning but if lightning is close by I seek shelter.

For me, it just depends on where I'm biking. If I'm biking in the city where there's a ton of tall objects taller than me, I don't worry about it myself. If I was biking on the open plains as the tallest object around me, I'd be more apprehensive.

People think they're saying driving in their cars (I think it's the #1 source of death if you're under 40 or something?) but then freak out if there's lightning, seems kinda absurd to me unless you're the all object on a wide open plain.

If there's nearby shelter and lightning is abound, take the shelter.

This website has some good tips: Surviving a Lightning Storm | Wild Backpacker

Well, admittedly, I started watching Doctor Who almost two decades before getting my PhD in physics, but I rely on the latter more in these cases... :D

The height of the object doesn't matter. What does matter is the potential of the objects and you with respect to the cloud. If there is enough charge built up and you are a higher potential than all the high objects around you, you become the target for the lightning. If you are "smelling the ozone" that's a sign you are in an area that could be hit shortly. You don't want to be there.

I'd think that you could build up enough charge to cycling to raise your potential. Then if the lightning decided you were it's target, those little rubber tires wouldn't provide much protection as the lightning shorted to ground.

If you've ever been near a tree that was hit by lightning, then you get a healthy respect for it. It is no longer conceptual....

J.