What are the easiest ways to be struck by lightning during an electrical storm?

Question

[not that I want to, of course, but would be useful to know what not to do]

Answer 1

Flying a kite is an excellent way of doing it, and a good way of getting yourself killed. If Franklin really did his kite-flying experiment he's lucky to have survived, others attempted the same thing and didn't.

Answer 2

Stand in a bucket of water on top of a piece of sheet metal on top of a hill with no trees around and hold a lightning rod as high in the air as you can.

Of course that would be the easiest way but its unrealistic. The most realistic way is by taking apart that first part. Do not stand in a field with nothing else around you...if you are caught in one though then curl into a ball and squat down until the coast is clear. Never stand in water or on metal during a thunderstorm. Never hold anything metal outdoors during a storm. Do not talk on the phone in a storm or touch anything that is connected to the outside.

Most people who say you should turn off everything during a storm and just sit there and not touch anything is definitely over reacting.

A few things to keep in mind is lightning will jump if that is the fastest way to the ground. So lets say a tree or pole gets struck and your within 50 feet, that bolt might jump from the tree and go through you. If you are stuck in a field and are near a forest then run into the middle of the forest. I would rather be in a forest than in an empty field because that will reduce your chances.

Another word of advice, there are two types of lightning strikes that will hit the ground. One type is positive and one is negative, referring to the charges. Positives are the much stronger ones that strike from the top of the cloud out ahead of the storm. If you get hit by a positive strike then you are done for, you will most likely never see a strike again. Those are the loud ones that strike even when a storm is not near. Negative are much weaker and you can survive after one but you will come out of it with effects from it forever.

If you know a storm is within 10 miles of you and you are outside then get inside immediately because if you get hit before the storm gets to you then its a positive strike and probably will be the end of you. Once the storm has passed then you are pretty much in the clear. Wait at least 10 minutes after the last cracking lightning and you are good to go back out.

Answer 3

Holding out a lightning conducter, like a metal rod, obviously. If you're in the water during a lightning storm, or in another flat area like a golf course or a field... if you're next to the tallest object in an area, like a tree... sometimes it's even when you're on a land-line phone (one with a cord) during a storm. My brother was once jolted in that fashion.

Lightning travels from where it strikes through the ground.

Answer 4

The best thing to remember with lightning is the 30-30 rule from the National Weather Service:

The 30/30 Rule states that people should seek shelter if the "Flash-To-Bang" delay (length of time in seconds between a lightning flash and its subsequent thunder), is 30 seconds or less, and that they remain under cover until 30 minutes after the final clap of thunder.

Answer 5

Just move to Tampa and stand naked at the beach at 3PM on any given day

Answer 6

Stand under a tree or in a field.

Answer 7

stand in a large field without tall objects (trees) and hold up a metal goldclub, during a thunderstorm.

Answer 8

whaen ur hiking @ the mountains during summer on thunderstormy rainy days

Answer 9

stand at a large field..such as paddy field..