If a person is unlucky enough to get caught outside in a thunderstorm and there are no buildings close by, where is the safest place to seek shelter?

ainenei

"Any car or truck (except a convertible or a non-metal Corvette) is a great place to stay safe! The reasons that this is true are two: The rubber tires of the vehicle somewhat insulate the vehicle from the ground, so the amount of induced current is necessarily far less; and the metal of the vehicle represents a good Faraday cage! A Faraday cage is the Physics term for a metal conductor, where all of the current passes along its surface AND NONE PENETRATES INSIDE OF IT!" http://mb-soft.com/public/lightnin.html Jun 12 07, 9:45 PM

star_gazer

Thanks, but what if its a real mountain man and there are no cars around either? Jun 12 07, 9:47 PM

ainenei

Well, I suppose a "real mountain man" may have the luxury of finding a nearby cave, but the rapidity of lightning strikes would most likely not allow one the time to reach it. The same article suggests assuming a horizontal position would be safest if caught outdoors, or even squatting "to represent a physically shorter electrical conductor". Jun 12 07, 10:39 PM

tx_knight

Being an engineer & a country boy . . . . Corvettes & convertibles offer no less protection than a metal vehicle -- they are on rubber tires and therefore not grounded! People in open-top jeeps have survived because they were in the jeeps! Basically, anywhere that you are not the tallest conductor is a safe place. Being on low ground away from trees is a safe practice. Jun 13 07, 9:01 PM