Hello everyone!

I live in Ireland and drive a 2002 AP1 as my every day driver. We recently had a pretty bad storm, which had a few bolts of lightning. While in the car I began to wonder if there could potentially be a safety issue with lightning strikes when compared to other cars? I know non-convertible cars have the benefit of a Faraday Cage should they be struck by lightning, but the S2000 just has a few metal frame bars to hold the hood together...

Should I have been worried? Any insight?

Cheers,

Ben

 

Of all the stuff to worry about, this is pretty minor compared the far more likely hazards of everyday life or driving late at night on a two lane road with a drunk coming at you.

You are better off in the car but don't touch anything in the car. If the car is hit, which is unlikely, the car most likely will be toast so you will end up walking. If you are hit, it does not matter as you will be playing ace deuce with Jesus.

 

Actually, the electricity from a lightning strike usually travels around the outer surface. Not penetrate the interior. This is why it is perfectly safe in an airplane, during lightning storms. Planes get hit with lightning many times a year.

 

I always thought the tires were your best protection against strikes, not the vehicle structure.

 

A bolt will jump from the suspension/chassis, or rim to the ground. The concept of electricity (or bolt) going around something (a metal "cage") is the Faraday effect. It usually works that way but nature is fickle and there are lots of instances of variation. Our S is somewhat different as a convertible hence the recommendation on not touching anything in the car. There have been cases of energized power lines making vehicle contact with occupants inside. For the most part the people are safe from the electricity venting to ground; the issue is the car igniting and or folks just being plain frightened. Many injuries or deaths occur when they make a jump for it and expose themselves to the path of electricity making contact with the ground.

Metal airplanes do the same but there are lots of instances of a bolt making a nice hole on entry and exit. The newer composite aircraft pose new challenges dealing with strikes. Often electricity can form inside the center of the fuselage, a type of ball lightning, and it can move around fore and aft. Its about the size of a basketball and discharges with a loud bang. The passengers can be somewhat concerned (understatement) and tend to think we (the pilots) are lying when we say it is harmless (it is) and it is a really cool natural phenomenon they just experienced.

There is a very, very strong type of bolt known as a Sprite emanating from supercells that exceeds the aircraft design strength by AT LEAST 7 times. Translation: the aircraft is toast. Most of those discharges occur above clouds. Very interesting field of study, way beyond this thread.

 

This^^^. Had to do a research paper on this a few years ago.

 

Did it involve the Columbia?

 

Just hang a grounding strap off the back bumper and call it a day

Srs, when I was living in Okinawa back in the 80's most cars had these.

 

Now I have a totally irrational fear... June 10th I'll be put in a Pringles can and put into the air at 30,000ft...

 

this was also a fad a few years ago.