Time for a lightning round with lightning questions

From July 22, 2002:

A number of you have been worrying lately about lightning. This is not unreasonable. Lightning is a very nasty thing. Over your lifetime, your odds of getting hit by lightning are only about 1 in 3,000, but even so, the prospect of being struck by a bolt of electricity with a temperature of 50,000 degrees traveling at 60,000 feet per second certainly could prey on the mind.

Is it safe to use a cellphone during a lightning storm?

Yes, provided you are not using it while standing in the middle of a golf course holding a 9-iron over your head.

You can find plenty of sites on the Internet that will tell you it’s dangerous to use a cellphone during a lightning storm, but that’s hooey. Lightning won’t follow radio waves to your phone.

On the other hand, it is definitely a good idea to stay away from a conventional corded phone during a storm. A cordless phone is safer, but don’t use it in the immediate vicinity of the base.

Why aren’t houses around here equipped with lightning rods like they are in the Midwest?

It’s because most people don’t want to pay for something they don’t think they’ll use much.

The lightning season here, while lively, isn’t nearly as long as the lightning season in the Midwest or other parts of the country. Outfitting a typical-size house would cost around $3,500.

A lot of big buildings, especially places with sensitive electronic equipment, are equipped with lightning rods.

If you touch a person who has just been hit by lightning will you get electrocuted?

No, that’s silly. You should start touching them right away. If the person isn’t already dead, his or her breathing or heart may have stopped. Give CPR.

Is it or isn’t it safe to be in a car during a lightning storm?

Well, it’s safer than standing on your roof. Rubber tires don’t really protect you from lightning, but if your car were hit, the charges would, in theory, travel around the metal frame to the ground.