Thunderbolts and lightning

[Andrew Price]

Went for the long ride on Sunday - storms were "about" but it didn't look that bad when I
started out.

3/4 of the way through the ride hit a heavy rain shower - no big deal, both the bike and I needed a
clean anyway.

Except that this storm had the added thrills of hail and for my first time while riding, a serious
lightning storm and I'm a long way from shelter.

I guess I was lucky because in similar storms here this week there was one death and 2 injuries -
press reports at -

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/26/1075087964361.html

In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than Condoleezza Rice does and the
thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.

Found the first substantial building I could (a cafe 3km up the road) and drank a number of very
strong coffees reflecting on what I should have done, apart from choosing a better day/time to ride.

From a web site devoted to protecting people from lightning strikes at -

http://www.lightning.org/safety.htm

- I see the recommendation if you get a tingling sensation if unavoidably outside is to get off the
bike, away from metal objects and to crouch (not lie) down cover your ears and presumably kiss
your bottom goodbye.

Just wondering if anyone in the group has any better wisdom about being smarter if unwittingly you
get caught riding in a storm with lightning.

best, Andrew

 

[Elisa Francesca]

Andrew Price wrote:

> In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than Condoleezza Rice does and the
> thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.

Very, very frightening! I'm so glad the Great Zeus decided to spare you!

Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion?

EFR Doting in front of her Freddie Mercury wallpaper in Ile de France

 

[David Kerber]

In article <[email protected]>, Elisa.Francesca.Roselli@quadratec-
software.com says...
>
>
> Andrew Price wrote:
>
> > In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than Condoleezza Rice does and the
> > thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.
>
> Very, very frightening! I'm so glad the Great Zeus decided to spare you!
>
> Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion?

IME, yes.

> EFR Doting in front of her Freddie Mercury wallpaper in Ile de France
>
>

--
Dave (loves the _Bohemian Rhapsody_ scene from "Wayne's World") Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_
from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

 

[David Reuteler]

David Kerber <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote:
:> Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion
: IME, yes.

otoh i'm fighting the good fight. i'll report back if it's a losing one.
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

[David Kerber]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> David Kerber <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote:
> :> Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion
> : IME, yes.
>
> otoh i'm fighting the good fight. i'll report back if it's a losing one.

I hope you Triumph in your fight! As long as you've got The Magic Power in you, you should. ;-)

(Good trainer and treadmill music!)

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

 

[Doug Purdy]

"Andrew Price" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Except that this storm had the added thrills of hail and for my
first time
> while riding, a serious lightning storm and I'm a long way from
shelter.
>
> In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than
Condoleezza
> Rice does and the thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.
>
> Found the first substantial building I could (a cafe 3km up the
road) and
> drank a number of very strong coffees reflecting on what I
should have done,
> apart from choosing a better day/time to ride.
>
> From a web site devoted to protecting people from lightning
strikes at -
>
> http://www.lightning.org/safety.htm

Sure is exciting when you're soaked with rain, the highest thing in sight, a metal bar between your
legs and that huge thunderclap happens right overhead.

From your link, I should have just got off my bike and walked out to crouch in the the lower fields
beside the road but I just kept riding. Guess it was my turn to be lucky.

Doug For email, a sense of wonder.

 

[Elisa Francesca]

David Reuteler wrote:

> David Kerber <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote:
> :> Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion
> : IME, yes.
>
> otoh i'm fighting the good fight. i'll report back if it's a losing one.

Gotta get it right first time!

EFR

 

[Hitchy]

Originally posted by Andrew Price
Went for the long ride on Sunday - storms were "about" but it didn't look that bad when I
started out.

3/4 of the way through the ride hit a heavy rain shower - no big deal, both the bike and I needed a
clean anyway.

Except that this storm had the added thrills of hail and for my first time while riding, a serious
lightning storm and I'm a long way from shelter.

I guess I was lucky because in similar storms here this week there was one death and 2 injuries -
press reports at -

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/26/1075087964361.html

In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than Condoleezza Rice does and the
thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.

Found the first substantial building I could (a cafe 3km up the road) and drank a number of very
strong coffees reflecting on what I should have done, apart from choosing a better day/time to ride.

From a web site devoted to protecting people from lightning strikes at -

http://www.lightning.org/safety.htm

- I see the recommendation if you get a tingling sensation if unavoidably outside is to get off the
bike, away from metal objects and to crouch (not lie) down cover your ears and presumably kiss
your bottom goodbye.

Just wondering if anyone in the group has any better wisdom about being smarter if unwittingly you
get caught riding in a storm with lightning.

best, Andrew

G'day Pricey,

some of my club mates & I were out for a training ride awhile back. Whilst doing a few climbs, the sky turned black & the heavens opened. next thing we know, 4 of us are sitting on our arses!. A bolt of lightning struck a tree probably 30ft away...scared the **** out of me & fried my 720I HRM..... Not funny God!.... Still once we got back on the bikes, the next 'effort' was done without any complaining & at record pace!. Dunno what the solution is, but when the 'big guy' wants you to pull turns in his cycling club...you ain't got much choice,

cheers

 

[Doug Huffman]

Years sailing and never was the boat struck. Mazama's wrote Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills
with IIRC a chapter on lightning safety - much less hysterical than single issue 'public service'
organizations. The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense. And your 'politics' suck.

"Andrew Price" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:zirRb.30343$Wa.8663@news-
server.bigpond.net.au...
| Went for the long ride on Sunday - storms were "about" but it didn't look that bad when I
| started out.
|
| 3/4 of the way through the ride hit a heavy rain shower - no big deal,
both
| the bike and I needed a clean anyway.
|
| Except that this storm had the added thrills of hail and for my first time while riding, a serious
| lightning storm and I'm a long way from shelter.
|
| I guess I was lucky because in similar storms here this week there was one death and 2 injuries -
| press reports at -
|
| http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/26/1075087964361.html
|
| In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than
Condoleezza
| Rice does and the thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.
|
| Found the first substantial building I could (a cafe 3km up the road) and drank a number of very
| strong coffees reflecting on what I should have
done,
| apart from choosing a better day/time to ride.
|
| From a web site devoted to protecting people from lightning strikes at -
|
| http://www.lightning.org/safety.htm
|
| - I see the recommendation if you get a tingling sensation if unavoidably outside is to get off
| the bike, away from metal objects and to crouch (not lie) down cover your ears and presumably
| kiss your bottom goodbye.
|
| Just wondering if anyone in the group has any better wisdom about being smarter if unwittingly you
| get caught riding in a storm with lightning.
|
| best, Andrew
|
|

 

[Loki]

....very very frightening.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

--
'Just because you're wearing a tie Doesn't mean you're bloody important'

- chumbawumba

 

[R15757]

Andrew Price wrote n part:

<< - I see the recommendation if you get a tingling sensation if unavoidably outside is to get off
the bike, away from metal objects and to crouch (not lie) down cover your ears and presumably kiss
your bottom goodbye.

Just wondering if anyone in the group has any better wisdom about being smarter if unwittingly you
get caught riding in a storm with lightning.

best, Andrew >>

I love the part about "cover your ears." If you're going to get hit by lighting you might as well
not be disturbed by the very loud noise eh?

I think I may have been touched by lighting once, or something. I was riding along in a brutal
thunderstorm, urban setting, just trying to get home, lightning strikes very close. A shaft of
electrons connected with a pole or tree somewhere very damn close. Sound only travels 1000 feet per
second but when it only has 20 feet or so to travel the blast is almost instantaneous. The
thunderclap is the sound of air being superheated and expanding violently. There was the flash of
light and the incredible explosion of sound and just then a massive spark arced between my right
thumb and the left brake lever on my bike. I think one of the lightning bolt's tendrils reached out
and got me perhaps. Scared the **** out of me but curiously, I didn't feel a thing. I have a friend
who reports being blasted off his bike in a similar event.

Here's a fun fact--only 20 percent or so of lightning strike victims die from the incident. Nobody
is too sure what happens to the rest of em.

Robert

 

[Austinmn]

> Here's a fun fact--only 20 percent or so of lightning strike victims die
from
> the incident. Nobody is too sure what happens to the rest of em.

They get religion.

Austin

 

[Chris Zacho "Th]

>I see the recommendation if you get a tingling sensation if unavoidably outside is to get off the
>bike, away from metal objects and to crouch (not lie) down cover your ears and presumably kiss your
>bottom goodbye."

I would rateher hold my nose. I hate the smell of burning flesh...

"May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

 

[Heathcliff Bamb]

[email protected] (R15757) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> I love the part about "cover your ears." If you're going to get hit by lighting you might as well
> not be disturbed by the very loud noise eh?
>
> Robert

Actually the point is that the spark, if it strikes you, tends to pass over the surface, but may
enter at openings such as the ears, causing internal damage. My advice: keep your mouth shut too,
you don't want THAT entry and exit path!

-- Ken