# Always thought that a vehicle's tires provide protection from lightning



## Damaged Goods (Jul 24, 2020)

Kinda embarrassing to learn things like this at such an old age.  I wonder what other disillusionments are in store.

http://www.weatherimagery.com/blog/rubber-tires-protect-lightning/


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## win231 (Jul 24, 2020)

I remember reading years ago that you're safe in a closed car during lightning (just as the article mentions).  The metal keeps the electricity away from you.


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## Camper6 (Jul 24, 2020)

Well I'm a real skeptic when it comes to stuff like this.

I wonder what would happen if you were sitting in a scrap vehicle without tires and sitting on the ground. 

Now lightning follows the path of least resistance and follows conductive material.  So instead of going around the car it goes right through the roof and finds a human who is more highly conductive sitting on metal springs in the seat  and because of being water based and good by charlie?

You see when you are doing scientific experiments you have to  have to have a valid comparison.

The lightning used to hit the chimney at our golf course frequently.  A couple chose to sit in their car instead of inside the building.  The lightning hit the chimney.  It didn't hit the car and the reason is that the chimney is higher than the car and the first conductive material in sight for the lightning.  Golf courses are dangerous in a lightning storm.  People seek shelter under a tree which is the highest objects on the course.  Now your safest place in in a low place like a ditch.  But who is going to lay in a ditch during a thunder storm?

My friend was under a tree when lightning struck.  He said it was a weird experience because his hair went straight up. People have been killed on golf courses by lightning.


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## Giantsfan1954 (Jul 25, 2020)

Damaged Goods said:


> Kinda embarrassing to learn things like this at such an old age.  I wonder what other disillusionments are in store.
> 
> http://www.weatherimagery.com/blog/rubber-tires-protect-lightning/


I always thought so too,yikes!


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## Manatee (Jul 27, 2020)

I saw a photo of a sedan in a laboratory being struck by synthetic lightning.  It hit the roof and traveled through the steel body and you could see it jumping from the steel wheels, around the tires, to ground.  No danger to anyone inside.

It might be different in my convertible.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 27, 2020)

Damaged Goods said:


> Kinda embarrassing to learn things like this at such an old age.  I wonder what other disillusionments are in store.
> 
> http://www.weatherimagery.com/blog/rubber-tires-protect-lightning/


As a kid I remember mom and dad telling us kids we were protected.

What a hair-raising experience to actually live through it.


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## Damaged Goods (Jul 28, 2020)

Manatee said:


> I saw a photo of a sedan in a laboratory being struck by synthetic lightning.  It hit the roof and traveled through the steel body and you could see it jumping from the steel wheels, around the tires, to ground.  No danger to anyone inside.
> 
> It might be different in my convertible.



Or on your Harley Hog.


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## Ken N Tx (Jul 28, 2020)

These must be some money makers for someone..
.


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## Judycat (Jul 28, 2020)

My husband witnessed another truckdriver back his truck, with the bed up, into a low hanging electric line. All the tires blew out but the driver was safe. I never bought into the tires protecting you from lightning after that.


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## Knight (Jul 30, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> Well I'm a real skeptic when it comes to stuff like this.
> 
> I wonder what would happen if you were sitting in a scrap vehicle without tires and sitting on the ground.


Probably die.  Come back & post the outcome if you read about this circumstance.


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## oldman (Jul 30, 2020)

While flying for United, my plane was struck by lightning several times over the years. How do you explain that everyone inside the plane wasn’t electrocuted?


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## Autumn (Jul 30, 2020)

When I was a kid, my dad would take me for rides in the car during thunderstorms.  I loved to watch the lightning, and he always told me how safe we were because of the rubber tires.  *Sigh* another childhood myth shattered...


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## Camper6 (Jul 30, 2020)

Just remember with lightning or electricity, the charge follows the path of least resistance to ground through a conductor material like metal.  Through  the tires, around the tires, whatever. Tires are an insulator.  Ever see the insulators on a telephone pole?  
If you are the path? Need I say more. ?  A television antenna if installed properly is connected to ground.  If lighting hits it follows the antenna and then follows the wire connected to ground and is discharged.  No ground wire and who knows where it would go.


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## Camper6 (Jul 30, 2020)

oldman said:


> While flying for United, my plane was struck by lightning several times over the years. How do you explain that everyone inside the plane wasn’t electrocuted?


It went around the body on the outside of the plane because the plane is a conductor trying to find the ground.


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## Lakeland living (Jul 30, 2020)

Lightning hits your car your mostly likely done to a crisp. BUT if you have a  power line stilll livefall on your car you are ok if you don't touch the metal. Don't know what it does on the plastic they make the cars of now. I know how ground lines work, lightning struck near by, popped the breakers then went into my well. That is where I was told the run the ground from the house. The pump was 125 feet down, it melted a stainless steel pump down to almost nothing.   I respect that power and make sure of that connection at least once a year.


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## Don M. (Jul 30, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> A television antenna if installed properly is connected to ground.  If lighting hits it follows the antenna and then follows the wire connected to ground and is discharged.  No ground wire and who knows where it would go.



We had a rooftop TV antenna on the fireplace chimney back in the mid 1970's....With a good ground wire.  One night, a strong storm came through and hit that antenna.  It shattered the chimney, blew a 3ft. diameter hole in the family room ceiling, and melted the wiring in half of the house.  2 months, and major roof, flooring, house wiring, and furniture replacement later, we returned to normal.  After that experience, I do Not like to be near lightning.


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## Knight (Jul 31, 2020)

oldman said:


> While flying for United, my plane was struck by lightning several times over the years. How do you explain that everyone inside the plane wasn’t electrocuted?


Probably no path to ground.


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## oldman (Aug 1, 2020)

Knight said:


> Probably no path to ground.


Close enough. You win.


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## Knight (Aug 1, 2020)

oldman said:


> Close enough. You win.


What did I win? I hope not a flight thru a lightening storm to test my answer.


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