[BobbyG]

Wanted to get out for a spin after work this evening, but the forecast is for thunderstorms between 7-9pm.

Is it safe to cycle with lightening about?

Topic

[CycleDivvy]

wellsprop wrote:

If you REALLY want to go for a cycle you would be best cycling with someone taller than you, wearing a big metal spike on their helmet.

 

 

I doubt they’re very common!

[hawkinspeter]

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

Your point being?

I’ve already stated I’m not bothered about lightening whilst cycling because it’s such a minor issue, cycling with rubber on your wheels is pretty essential to modern day cycling but is no help in terms of dissapating lightning away from you whilst cycling and I was agreeing with a poster above regarding such.

So what bit of what i said don’t you agree with or are you trying to be a clever dick without actually saying anything useful?

I thought this thread needed some lightening up. (I don’t want to rain on your parade or steal your thunder.)

[Welsh boy]

fenix wrote:

I’d not bother in a thunderstorm.  I remember camping one year in a flat area – awoke at 7am to a huge thunderstorm.  Got the family out of the tent and into the car and we went for an early breakfast.  (surprisingly hard to find at 7am on a sunday in wales).

Came back later after it had subsided.  Read the paper the next day and a herd of cows had been killed as they sheltered under a tree in an adjacent field. 16 of them – the poor buggers.

 

I’d not mess around with lightning.

 

Shame you went out for breakfast, i hear there was BBQ beef on offer at your camp site.

[davel]

Who doesn’t have an anti
Who doesn’t have an anti-leopard rock?

Lighten the fuck up, people.

[Anonymous]

hawkinspeter wrote:

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

About three people a year are killed by being struck by lightening in the UK, frankly I’ve far more dangerous things to worry about and I live in the East of England which is stated as being the area with most lightening strikes in the UK.

And as above, the tyres on your bike won’t do anything, the atmosphere itself is a bigger resistor to lightening than the rubber in your tyres car or bike.

The facts are undeniable:

• I always cycle with a a healthy bit of rubber between the road and me/me bike
• I’ve never been struck by lightning whilst cycling

In fact, my tyres are almost as effective as my anti-leopard rock that I keep in my garden.

Your point being?

I’ve already stated I’m not bothered about lightening whilst cycling because it’s such a minor issue, cycling with rubber on your wheels is pretty essential to modern day cycling but is no help in terms of dissapating lightning away from you whilst cycling and I was agreeing with a poster above regarding such.

So what bit of what i said don’t you agree with or are you trying to be a clever dick without actually saying anything useful?

[. .]

hawkinspeter wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

Admittedly, I haven’t tested it, but I would have thought that the insulation would ensure that the easiest route to earth wouldn’t be through you.

Ask yourself what the easier route would be: an inch of rubber or six feet of air.

Indoors or in an enclosed vehicle is the safest place to be in a thunderstorm.  If that isn’t possible, get below a taller object – but not too close to a tree as they are prone to exploding when hit by lightning.

[Gizzard]

wellsprop wrote:

If you REALLY want to go for a cycle you would be best cycling with someone taller than you, wearing a big metal spike on their helmet.

 

I have an earthing strip on my pickelhaube.

[panyagua]

When I was at school many

When I was at school many years ago, a lad was struck by lightning on a school cycling trip to the Netherlands.  He eventually made a full recovery, but spent six weeks in hospital.  It’s made me rather wary of being out in  thunderstorms ever since.

[fenix]

I’d not bother in a

I’d not bother in a thunderstorm.  I remember camping one year in a flat area – awoke at 7am to a huge thunderstorm.  Got the family out of the tent and into the car and we went for an early breakfast.  (surprisingly hard to find at 7am on a sunday in wales).

Came back later after it had subsided.  Read the paper the next day and a herd of cows had been killed as they sheltered under a tree in an adjacent field. 16 of them – the poor buggers.

 

I’d not mess around with lightning.

[hawkinspeter]

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

About three people a year are killed by being struck by lightening in the UK, frankly I’ve far more dangerous things to worry about and I live in the East of England which is stated as being the area with most lightening strikes in the UK.

And as above, the tyres on your bike won’t do anything, the atmosphere itself is a bigger resistor to lightening than the rubber in your tyres car or bike.

The facts are undeniable:

• I always cycle with a a healthy bit of rubber between the road and me/me bike
• I’ve never been struck by lightning whilst cycling

In fact, my tyres are almost as effective as my anti-leopard rock that I keep in my garden.

[Anonymous]

About three people a year are

About three people a year are killed by being struck by lightening in the UK, frankly I’ve far more dangerous things to worry about and I live in the East of England which is stated as being the area with most lightening strikes in the UK.

And as above, the tyres on your bike won’t do anything, the atmosphere itself is a bigger resistor to lightening than the rubber in your tyres car or bike.

[hawkinspeter]

wellsprop wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

I think you’d be safer on a bike than walking. You’ve got a nice layer of rubber insulating you from the road surface, so almost anything else would be struck by lightning before you would be.

A typical lightning strike in the UK carries about 20000 Amps and has no problem travelling through several hundred feet of air – a few mm of rubber is no way near enough resistance to prevent a lightning strike.

When you’re walking/standing in a thunderstorm, the rubber soles of your shoes wouldn’t prevent a lightning strike, tryes won’t either.

Admittedly, I haven’t tested it, but I would have thought that the insulation would ensure that the easiest route to earth wouldn’t be through you. I’ve never been struck by lightning whilst wearing rubber soled shoes either.

[Arno du Galibier]

I mountain biked into a

I mountain biked into a thunderstorm a while back in the Portes du Soleil (one of those lift-assisted loops). I had to wait for the lift to re-open to get back into France from Switzerland half way back down to Chatel, it all kicked off. It was quite exhilerating.

Couple of AG2R moments in places though (Thanks Gaz for that joke…) 

[Canyon48]

hawkinspeter wrote:

I think you’d be safer on a bike than walking. You’ve got a nice layer of rubber insulating you from the road surface, so almost anything else would be struck by lightning before you would be.

A typical lightning strike in the UK carries about 20000 Amps and has no problem travelling through several hundred feet of air – a few mm of rubber is no way near enough resistance to prevent a lightning strike.

When you’re walking/standing in a thunderstorm, the rubber soles of your shoes wouldn’t prevent a lightning strike, tryes won’t either.

[hawkinspeter]

I think you’d be safer on a

I think you’d be safer on a bike than walking. You’ve got a nice layer of rubber insulating you from the road surface, so almost anything else would be struck by lightning before you would be.

[Author]

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