AM Radio is great.

Simon Mason said:

Apart from keeping me company on my commute and letting me triangulate my position by DF'ing with
the ferrite rod, there was another useful property today. After getting into bed at 0800 after
nights, I had to be up at 1315 to go back to work again. There was a thunderstorm at 1200 and each
lightning strike could be heard clearly through the earpieces, stronger strokes resulting in
louder crashes.

After each crash I counted the seconds until the thunder could be heard. By using the formula 5
secs gap = 1 mile, its progress could be tracked and at one stage it was only a mile away. Because
of the risk, I would not bike to work in the thunderstorm, but luckily it headed out to sea and by
the time I set off was not audible in the radio, so it was safe. Simon

Is it really risky to be out on a bike in a thunderstorm? I can imagine if you're the highest point
on an exposed hilltop or empty field with no trees around, and I guess for all I know your cycle to
work is over this sort of terrain - but if it's not, is there still a high risk of being struck?

Velvet

email hidden (Simon Mason) in said:

I would not bike to work in the thunderstorm, but luckily it headed out to sea and by the time I
set off was not audible in the radio, so it was safe.

I have just conjured up a picture of you cycling around with a telescopic ariel on your helmet. Now
I know why you listem to AM.
--
If ingnorance is bliss then I am the erm er luckiest thingy in the whatchamacallit. To mail me,
change the obvious bit to richard

Velvet said:

Is it really risky to be out on a bike in a thunderstorm? I can imagine if you're the highest
point on an exposed hilltop or empty field with no trees around, and I guess for all I know your
cycle to work is over this sort of terrain - but if it's not, is there still a high risk of
being struck?

I was wondering that too. It is at least more dangerous than being in a metal box, aka a car!

~PB

Velvet said:

Is it really risky to be out on a bike in a thunderstorm? I can imagine if you're the highest
point on an exposed hilltop or empty field with no trees around, and I guess for all I know your
cycle to work is over this sort of terrain - but if it's not, is there still a high risk of
being struck?

No more so than walking. I suppose there could be a theoretical difference, but it's unlikely to be
great. You are surely less at risk if there is a close near-miss strike (where the different ground
potential could cause a shock to go up one leg of a pedestrian and down the other - hence the advice
to put feet together and crouch).

James

It's safe as long as you are 'on' the bike, i.e. rubber wheels insultating you from the ground
(don't put your foot down). Remember from school day faradays experiements. Another advantage
of cycling!!

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Apart from keeping me company on my commute and letting me triangulate my position by DF'ing with
the ferrite rod, there was another useful property today. After getting into bed at 0800 after
nights, I had to be up at 1315 to go back to work again. There was a thunderstorm at 1200 and each
lightning strike could be heard clearly through the earpieces, stronger strokes resulting in
louder crashes.

After each crash I counted the seconds until the thunder could be heard. By using the formula 5
secs gap = 1 mile, its progress could be tracked and at one stage it was only a mile away. Because
of the risk, I would not bike to work in the thunderstorm, but luckily it headed out to sea and by
the time I set off was not audible in the radio, so it was safe. Simon

"Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It's safe as long as you are 'on' the bike, i.e. rubber wheels insultating you from the ground
(don't put your foot down). Remember from school day faradays experiements. Another advantage of
cycling!!

I suggest that you do not rely on this to save you in a thunderstorm.

T

"Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It's safe as long as you are 'on' the bike, i.e. rubber wheels insultating you from the ground
(don't put your foot down). Remember from school day faradays experiements. Another advantage of
cycling!!

This is a popular myth. In no way would several million volts of electricity, that has travelled
though miles of air be stopped by a few mm of rubber tyre! The car is the safest option, (after a
building), as it provides an easy route to earth around the sides of the body shell.
--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W simonmason.karoo.netsimonmason.karoo.netOpen ↗

"Velvet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Is it really risky to be out on a bike in a thunderstorm? I can imagine if you're the highest
point on an exposed hilltop or empty field with no trees around, and I guess for all I know your
cycle to work is over this sort of terrain - but if it's not, is there still a high risk of
being struck?

At several places in my commute, I *am* the highest point (ex rail track in flat terrain) and after
cycling through one last year, I would definitely not want to repeat the experience -I was
terrified!

--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W simonmason.karoo.netsimonmason.karoo.netOpen ↗

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

At several places in my commute, I *am* the highest point (ex rail track in flat terrain) and
after cycling through one last year, I would definitely not want to repeat the experience -I was
terrified!

The risk is probably *far* lower than typical daily activities like driving a car, which people
think of as pretty safe.

Stats anyone?

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Apart from keeping me company on my commute and letting me triangulate my position by DF'ing with
the ferrite rod, there was another useful property today. After getting into bed at 0800 after
nights, I had to be up at 1315 to go back to work again. There was a thunderstorm at 1200 and each
lightning strike could be heard clearly through the earpieces, stronger strokes resulting in
louder crashes.

Learn French and listen to the TdF on 164 long wave.

"Adrian Boliston" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

At several places in my commute, I *am* the highest point (ex rail track in flat terrain) and
after cycling through one last year, I would definitely not want to repeat the experience -I
was terrified!

The risk is probably *far* lower than typical daily activities like driving a car, which people
think of as pretty safe.

Stats anyone?

80 people killed in USA per year, but many more are disabled. "Avoid leaning against vehicles. Get
off bicycles and motorcycles. "

lightningsafety.noaa.govoutdoors.htmOpen ↗

Simon

"W K" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Apart from keeping me company on my commute and letting me triangulate my position by DF'ing
with the ferrite rod, there was another useful property today. After getting into bed at 0800
after nights, I had to be up at 1315 to go back to work again. There was a thunderstorm at 1200
and each lightning strike could be heard clearly through the earpieces, stronger strokes
resulting in louder crashes.

Learn French and listen to the TdF on 164 long wave.

I understand Dutch and can listen to it on 747 kHz MW.

--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W simonmason.karoo.netsimonmason.karoo.netOpen ↗

I would expect cycling underneath a thunderstorm with lightening to be risky as the bike not only creates a charge as it goes along (the tyres rubbing against the road would pick up eletrons and then throw them into the frame just like a car does which can result in a chock if you touch the car door upon opening it) but is also atracting the attentino of elertical energy with its conductivity, the otherweek I read in the paper that a golfer got struck twice in one match!

Jonathan

Quoted message said:

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Apart from keeping me company on my commute and letting me triangulate my position by DF'ing with
the ferrite rod, there was another useful property today. After getting into bed at 0800 after
nights, I had to be up at 1315 to go back to work again. There was a thunderstorm at 1200 and
each lightning strike could be heard clearly through the earpieces, stronger strokes resulting in
louder crashes.

After each crash I counted the seconds until the thunder could be heard. By using the formula 5
secs gap = 1 mile, its progress could be tracked and at one stage it was only a mile away.
Because of the risk, I would not bike to work in the thunderstorm, but luckily it headed out to
sea and by the time I set off was not audible in the radio, so it was safe. Simon

On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 09:25:12 +0100, "Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote (more or less):

Quoted message said:

It's safe as long as you are 'on' the bike, i.e. rubber wheels insultating you from the ground
(don't put your foot down). Remember from school day faradays experiements. Another advantage of
cycling!!

Won't these rubber tyres be covered in water during a thunderstorm?

Cheers, Euan Gawnsoft: gawnsoft.co.srgawnsoft.co.srOpen ↗ Symbian/Epoc wiki: html.dnsalias.nethtml.dnsalias.netOpen ↗
Smalltalk links (harvested from comp.lang.smalltalk) html.dnsalias.netsmalltalkOpen ↗

visual_infinity <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I would expect cycling underneath a thunderstorm with lightening to be risky as the bike not only
creates a charge as it goes along (the tyres rubbing against the road would pick up eletrons and
then throw them into the frame just like a car does which can result in a chock if you touch the
car door upon opening it)

This is another myth. It's not the car that gets charged with static electricity, it's you! As you
get out of the car's seat, the back of your shirt rubs against the car seat and charges you up,
like a glass rod being rubbed with a cloth.

As you close the door, you discharge yourself into the car's metal body, which acts as an earth
(not *the* earth, but just an earth.) Once, to stop myself getting a shock, I shut the car with my
hand on the glass window, but I was still carrying a charge and I got a shock on a metal letter box
instead. Simon

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This is another myth. It's not the car that gets charged with static electricity, it's you! As
you get out of the car's seat, the back of your shirt rubs against the car seat and charges you
up, like a glass rod being rubbed with a cloth.

As you close the door, you discharge yourself into the car's metal body, which acts as an earth
(not *the* earth, but just an earth.) Once, to stop myself getting a shock, I shut the car with
my hand on the glass window, but I was still carrying a charge and I got a shock on a metal
letter box instead. Simon

Sometimes it gives you quite a strong shock. I have been know to embarrass myself when parking in a
busy street and letting out a few not very lady like words when it happens!!!

Fortunately, it doesn`t seem to happen nearly so much with the car I have now. Don`t know why this
would be, but I am not complaining.

Maureen

Maureen said:

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This is another myth. It's not the car that gets charged with static electricity, it's you! As
you get out of the car's seat, the back of your shirt rubs against the car seat and charges you
up, like a glass rod being rubbed with a cloth.

As you close the door, you discharge yourself into the car's metal body, which acts as an earth
(not *the* earth, but just an earth.) Once, to stop myself getting a shock, I shut the car with
my hand on the glass window, but I was still carrying a charge and I got a shock on a metal
letter box instead. Simon

Sometimes it gives you quite a strong shock. I have been know to embarrass myself when parking in
a busy street and letting out a few not very lady like words when it happens!!!

Fortunately, it doesn`t seem to happen nearly so much with the car I have now. Don`t know why this
would be, but I am not complaining.

Maureen

The trick is to make sure you're holding the edge of the door *all* the time when you're getting out
of the car. That way as the charge builds, it instantly drains, no shocks.

Not always easy to stay connected to the door though - it's not natural.

Velvet

"Maureen" <maureendotdoigatbtinternetdotcom> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Sometimes it gives you quite a strong shock. I have been know to

embarrass

Quoted message said:

myself when parking in a busy street and letting out a few not very lady

like

Quoted message said:

words when it happens!!!

Fortunately, it doesn`t seem to happen nearly so much with the car I have

now.

Quoted message said:

Don`t know why this would be, but I am not complaining.

Maybe leather seats instead of cheap synthetic fibre ones? Simon

Simon Mason said:

"Maureen" <maureendotdoigatbtinternetdotcom> wrote in message

[About shocks from static electricity ]

Quoted message said:

Maybe leather seats instead of cheap synthetic fibre ones? Simon

Well, I have a Brooks B17 and have never had a problem with static shocks.
🙂