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I was very nearly struck by lightning today! :)

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posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:10 PM
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Hey all, I thought this was worthy of a thread just as it was a pretty hair raising event!

I help an elderly gentleman with his cleaning once a week, it's a couple of miles from my home so I ride my push bike, it's just an old banged up job with sticky up brushed metal bull bars on the ends of the handles.

After the cleaning, I left for home and a loud clap of thunder sounded above in the sky, this came without warning.

Anyway it did worry me that the bike would attract the lightning, especially as the second flash of lighting and clap of thunder happened at nearly exactly the same time - so it was right above me.

So I am riding along nervously, and all of a sudden a blinding flash, and I saw a huge static spark jump from my right hand , and I felt a massive static charge fill the air around me!

Needless to say, I jumped pretty high! That thunder was the loudest I have ever heard!

I wanted to chuck my bike on the ground and leg it! But I knew I would regret it, so I pushed it by the covered saddle for a while.

Anyway one more clap and flash and it stopped, and then some hail and then sunshine.

Crazy.

The face in the title was a frown, but I realised it was a positive outcome really!

Thanks for reading.




posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:19 PM
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reply to post by Soapusmaximus
 


You are one lucky person...glad you are OK.


Did you smell ozone in the air. Did you see the white tunnel?

Des



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:22 PM
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reply to post by Soapusmaximus
 


Well if you were struck and you lived to tell about it without any impairment. You could have been left with a Lichtenberg Fractal Scar. Link


edit on 28-3-2014 by BlastedCaddy because: Cuz fractal sounds cooler.



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:38 PM
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reply to post by Soapusmaximus
 


Ever see "Final Destination"? Just kidding…

Like you I was caught out in the open in a lightning storm. High up on the flanks of Mount Lassen. Its above the tree line and the storm blew up suddenly. Everyone ran down the hill but I was sick from drinking from a pool of water at the top.

I could't run and just sat there on a patch of bare rock, rain pelting me as lightning bolts rained down. I was to young to be really afraid of the lightning, I was more cold and wet from the rain.

My teeth rattled every time a bolt struck. I saw sparks a couple times. Finally my dad came and led me down the hill. By then the clouds began to break and I felt better. I always wondered about that. Why did my parents run off and leave me?

The other experience I had was atop the Empire State Building. This was 1975ish. If you've ever been up there they monitored carefully for storms. At the first sight of a thunderhead, they quickly load the elevators and clear the observation deck of tourists. We were stuck there for a while as the elevators can only carry so many and there were people still waiting.

We were supposed to be waiting under an eave with everyone else but me and my brother snuck around the other side of the deck and watched as the storm rolled in. It was still sunny where we were but I remember very clearly watching the thunderhead pass right over the top of the World Trade Center. As it did it discharged several bolts in rapid fashion which struck the top of the towers. When the thunder pealed over us we got scared but continued watching.

The guide or whtchamacall him was pissed when he found us, yelling get over here and get in the elevator, he was angry and probably still remembers the bolt that split right down the side of the building to ground somewhere.

I bet he pissed his pants, cursing the kids that almost got him killed that day. When we got down it was raining and traffic was jammed and the radio in the car said that a lady had just been killed by lightning next to the Empire State Building. I think that was the bolt that we saw go by.



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:39 PM
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Are you sure what you saw wasn't just a reflection of the lightning on your handlebars? I ask because I cant imagine how you could be unharmed if the lightning had actualy leapt from your hand!



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:41 PM
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reply to post by Destinyone
 


I did smell a strange smell, I was so shocked I didn't think about that much.

And the flash was so quick, I saw some kind of shape but can't remember the image in my head properly - apart from the spark coming off my hand while it was clutching the handle - I am lucky the part of the handle I was holding is rubber coated, and the pedals are thick plastic mostly.

I didn't get hit by it , but it was pretty bloody close. But those Fractals are pretty cool



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:44 PM
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reply to post by VoidHawk
 


It wasn't the lightning , it was a static spark.

I have seen them before when charged from the carpet or TV etc, just not that big.

It's my understanding that the area immediately surrounding a lightning bolt is highly charged with static?



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:49 PM
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reply to post by VoidHawk
 


Just to clarify, I felt the pressure from the bolt at the same time the thunder sounded, at the same time the lightning flashed, and I saw the spark.

I felt it, it was so loud and the air was so charged with energy - I got a small jolt from the static spark, so it was pretty intense - not as bad as an electric fence but more powerful than a typical static shock.



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:56 PM
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reply to post by VoidHawk
 


I just checked and lightning is just a big discharge of static electricity, so technically I did get hit by that bolt!

I some of it was attracted to my bike but because of the rubber handles and tyres, felt saddle and plastic peddles I may have not actually been touching any metal ( I was trying not to!) and I was well grounded!

Anyway, it was one of those crazy experiences I felt worthy of sharing, at least I am still here - it's not uncommon for deaths to occur from lighting.


Edit. According to the BBC around 3 people die a year in the UK lightning, and around 60 get struck and survive, a third left with serious health afflictions after the event.

I am very lucky!

edit on 28-3-2014 by Soapusmaximus because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 07:57 PM
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Soapusmaximus
reply to post by VoidHawk
 


Just to clarify, I felt the pressure from the bolt at the same time the thunder sounded, at the same time the lightning flashed, and I saw the spark.

I felt it, it was so loud and the air was so charged with energy - I got a small jolt from the static spark, so it was pretty intense - not as bad as an electric fence but more powerful than a typical static shock.


My bad, I thought you meant the lightning went through you

I know what you mean about static, I've felt it too, though not had sparks leaping from me. It was years ago when out night fishing, several bolts came down really close, the air felt electrified...I suppose it was



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 08:03 PM
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reply to post by VoidHawk
 


I have seen it hit a tree close by in the past, but this was on top of me - it was something else.

I was pretty nervous to be honest!

For all I know it did go through me! But I doubt it as I am sure I would have felt it and or be smoking a little!

It either hit my bike, or the ground/car no more than a couple of foot away - how far would the sparks jump?
edit on 28-3-2014 by Soapusmaximus because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 08:14 PM
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Soapusmaximus
reply to post by VoidHawk
 


I have seen it hit a tree close by in the past, but this was on top of me - it was something else.

I was pretty nervous to be honest!

For all I know it did go through me! But I doubt it as I am sure I would have felt it and or be smoking a little!

It either hit my bike, or the ground/car no more than a couple of foot away - how far would the sparks jump?
edit on 28-3-2014 by Soapusmaximus because: (no reason given)


I suspect if it was close to you it must have been behind you, else you would have been subject to a very bright burst of light to the eyes. Trees often explode when hit because the power boils the moisture in the tree. I think you were very lucky and just caught a bit of static



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 10:33 PM
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reply to post by Soapusmaximus
 


You should go buy a lottery ticket now.



posted on Mar, 28 2014 @ 10:36 PM
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What's 5 Time Hotter Than The Sun?

Yep, the answer is a bolt of lightning, which can reach temperatures of roughly 30,000 kelvins (53,540 degrees Fahrenheit).
Be careful out there, brother!!



posted on Mar, 29 2014 @ 04:04 AM
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reply to post by intrptr
 


I have final destination! Not my favorite film!

That's quite a story from you, I didn't see you post last night I apologise I didn't respond sooner.

Your description ontop of that mount sound like one of those mental moments, i read that to my partner - now we have been arguing if your parents noticed you wasn't following?

Also the empire state building story is cool, and it painted a picture for me - never been to NYC only Florida, but NY and the trade centre has a special place in my life and heart - along with UFO secrecy, that event exposed the true nature of power to me.

Thanks for commenting mate m



posted on Mar, 29 2014 @ 04:07 AM
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reply to post by BELIEVERpriest
 


I will grab one today


I should have grabbed one yesterday, was the euro draw (but I hate the EU!)



posted on Mar, 29 2014 @ 04:25 AM
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back in 2005 I saw a lightening bolt pass 18 inches in front of me, horizontally. One of the most frightening moments of my life, given the thunder clap that came with it, as it passed in front of an old fashion fire bell that was set off!

One moment still stands out of me, the moment that I felt as if I was in the presence of intelligence. That magical blue bolt actually felt to me like a creature, I am struggling to find the words.

I didn't stop shaking for around 4 hours after wards though



posted on Mar, 29 2014 @ 04:32 AM
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reply to post by Soapusmaximus
 


DUDE! RIDE THE LIGHTNING!

That is so epic, I think my aorta just exploded.



posted on Mar, 29 2014 @ 08:58 AM
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Horseshoes and hand-grenades!

And lightning!



posted on Mar, 29 2014 @ 12:30 PM
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reply to post by Soapusmaximus
 


Mate,you were lucky there-I have had the same happen once,and felt the static and smelled the Ozone just before a bolt hit some trees nearby-Its damned scary isn't it?It took me the rest of the evening to stop shaking!

I was wondering though,if you got hit while riding,you may be OK due to the rubber tyres?I wouldn't like to test out the theory though.
I know you are safe if in a car-they tested it out on top gear with Richard Hammond sat in a VW while they hit it with a 10 million volt tesla coil,he was fine but it fried the cars electrics,as you would expect.




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