Something I pondered today...

[seany87]

We had a decent lightning storm early this morning and it got me wondering - Cars are supposed to be very safe to be in during a storm as it makes a faraday cage, oui?

I was wondering how this would apply to my car, the pistonheads favorite - the MX5, if it took a hit directly on the top.

Would the lightning zap through the fabric roof and fry me and the missus, or would it simply act in the same way as a closed roof car and travel through the soft tops metal supporting frame, around the car body etc?

If the latter, would the metal hood melt or distort and if not, why not?

[jesta1865]

i may be wrong but if it was attracted to the car in the first place, it would hit the metal of the bodywork before your hood, IIRC its looking for the quickest way to earth?

[Robb F]

You have a very high resistance so the current will chose to travel down any metal work before you.

You probably have a resistance not too dissimilar to the leather seats.

[seany87]

Lets just say for the sake of this question and my curiosity the lightning had to hit the car dead centre, i.e the metal roof frame and not the car body - wouldn't the fabric roof be burnt away to some extent? Would we not receive any injures subsequently i.e flash burns or a shock?

Cant imagine having a million volts zap a few thin metal tubes a couple of inches above your head be too healthy whether or not our resistance to a strike is high.

Thanks for the responses so far, quite interesting

[Eric Mc]

What about being hit by lightning in a G-Whiz?

[Shaolin]

It would act like a supercharger.

[Simpo Two]

It would blow the fuse.

[BigS]

Eric Mc said:

What about being hit by lightning in a G-Whiz?

1.21 gigawatts! Great Scott!

[papple]

Lightning is an act of God. So it all depends on whether God likes you or not.

Question is ; why do they put lightning conductors on church steeples..........?

[R300will]

papple said:

Lightning is an act of God. So it all depends on whether God likes you or not.

Question is ; why do they put lightning conductors on church steeples..........?

Because there is a loving God, a vengeful God and the lesser known architecturally picky God

[Simpo Two]

papple said:

Question is ; why do they put lightning conductors on church steeples..........?

I don't know but at least fitting them is a down to earth job.

[crofty1984]

Eric Mc said:

What about being hit by lightning in a G-Whiz?

It means that God hates you for driving a G-Wiz.

It's what you deserve.

[R300will]

crofty1984 said:

Eric Mc said:

What about being hit by lightning in a G-Whiz?

It means that God hates you for driving a G-Wiz.

It's what you deserve.

Or its Gods turbo