[ChrisH]

I just came back from a business trip in Florida, and drove through some very intense thunder storms. It brought to mind that you are supposed to avoid touching metal in your car when lightning is near. Given the amount of exposed metal in the interior of the Elise, and the lack of metal overhead (other than a nice roll bar to attract the lightning), I guess we are all just willing to risk death from lightning for our beloved Elise.

Well, at least we aren't at as much risk as golfers.

(In case anyone thinks that the rubber tires protect the car from lightning strikes - they don't. The metal of the car is still the lower impedance path as compared to air, and the lightning will jump from the bottom of the car to the ground. And, the Elise does not form a Faraday cage to protect the occupants.)

Ah, but I live in San Diego. Lightning is infrequent here. However, I do miss thunderstorms.

 

[rtking]

Considering that electricity follows the path of least resistance (as many things do in nature), it will want to strike the highest metallic object within range. That being said, make sure you follow a large SUV with a lift kit during a thunder storm!

Bob

 

[xxxotic]

During the summer it comes down it buckets for about an hour every day around 4PM, and there is lots of lightning. Then it clears up and is beautiful. Florida has the most lightning stikes of any state. The weather guys on TV put charts up showing where all of the lighting strikes occcurred and sometimes there are several thousand in one day. I have never seen so much rain come down in such little time as I have here. It causes a lot of acccidents since it is impossible to see in front of you, and some people slow down and get hit from behind, or others pull off to the shouder and then other people start doing it and they all crash. Rain-X helps but not enough. Its like driving thru a car wash.

I have never heard of a car being struck by lightning, but each year a bunch of people are killed by lightning. Last year one guy was walking to to his mailbox at the end of his driveway and got killed. Other times people are just standing outside and get hit when its not even raining. I think that more people drown here than get stuck by lightning, but that is mainly due to stupidity. Most of the lightning hits trees and then fires start. This happens all of the time and is the main area of concern.

I think you are more in danger if you are in a boat in the ocean than you are sitting in your car.

 

[hogfan]

well now thats something i hadnt thought to worry about. good thing i have lightning fast reflexes and will be driving a lotus with great handling. i will dodge them