Synthetic tracks and lightning strikes

Total crap. You are right.

If there is a storm nearing, get the hell out of there.

Your fellow runner isn't a physicist that's for sure. Sounds like this is one for the best epitaphs thread.

"Don't worry, I'm grounded"

RIP July 7, 2007

Thanks, Malmo.

I laughed out loud.

I wouldn't worry too much about storms anyways the risk of getting struck is very low, your more likely to die crossing the street.

i agree, why do people get so worried and anxious when there's a storm

Just wait till the kids hair starts standing on end. Really.

Reminds me of a conversation I had with a co-worker about motorcycle riding. He claims that while on a motorcycle you are completely safe from lightning because of the rubber tires. I told him that it doesn't matter what is beneath you, if that lightning touches you, you are going to fry.

Eyegore wrote:

While doing a workout in the rain today, a fellow runner mentioned that "at least we don't have to worry about lightning out here". I asked him what he meant, as we were in the middle of a thunderstorm with some lightning. He said that the rubber track kept us grounded; thus, we were in no danger. I called BS, he stuck to his story. I'm no scientist, but this sounds like total crap to me. Thought I'd see what the brilliant minds of letsrun could add to the conversation.

That's funny, he got two things wrong in one sentence -- a rubber track is the opposite of grounded, and being grounded is dangerous. If the full current of the lightning bolt flows through your body and into the ground, you're screwed.

Actually, you are totally wrong. If you are not grounded, electricity will not hurt you. That is why a bird can sit on a high voltage wire without being hurt.

To the original issue:

While a rubber track will provide some insulation from connectivity, I would seriously doubt that it is thick enough to stop the amperage of a lightening strike. That said, many times people in cars have been struck and the thickness of their tires was enough to prevent grounding.

The moral of the story: Always wear a rubber--the thicker the better!

he is wrong and here is why.

Although a track is a insulator, so is the air the lightning already traveled through, meaning it is not good enough to stop the lightning. This is the same thing as when people think the reason they are safe in a car is because the tires ground them. that is wrong it is the fact that the electricity stays on the outside of a conductor (the car) and leaves through the tires to the ground.

Basically a track would be a bad place to be during a lightning storm sense you would probably be the tallest object around you increase your chances of being struck.

Eyegore wrote:

He said that the rubber track kept us grounded; thus, we were in no danger.

Is it really rubber, or does he just assume that since its soft, it's rubber? I'm no chemist,but some of the synthetic tracks I've seen seem to have some carbon in them, which I believe is a conductor.

Eyegore wrote:

He said that the rubber track kept us grounded; thus, we were in no danger.

Wow, there is so much wrong with this. Being grounded is BAD. It means that the current can pass through you and into the ground (where it wants to go). Lightnig rods run into the ground. They are good conductors and take the current around the building and into the ground...because they are grounded. You do NOT want to be grouded, you want to be INSULATED. And uh...rubber is an insulator. Therefore, he should have said "we're NOT grounded" or "we're insulated from the ground".

Anyway, there's still a huge prolem with your friend's statement. You still weren't OK. Even though the track MIGHT be rubber, it is still huge and has a lot of surface area which can hold a static charge. Also, since it is relatively thin, it serves as a good capacitor and could EASLIY cause a charge to build up even greater in a static-laden environment such as under a thundercloud. And on another note, lightning has unbelievable strength. Wood is generally a very poor conductor of current, yet there is a large enough driving force (voltage) to allow a current arc (lightning) to pass through it on a regular basis. People are hurt by lightning in FL all the time by current traveling through TREE ROOTS. My point is, you were out in the open, and probably one of the tallest things around. You were sitting ducks. Your friend is an idiot.

I throw lightening bolts where ever and at whomever I wish.

You quasi-physicists have no say in the matter.

So behave.

deeboh wrote:

I wouldn't worry too much about storms anyways the risk of getting struck is very low, your more likely to die crossing the street.

Yea well this is because when there is a storm people aren't usually out playing with 10 foot steel bars. Everyone always claims all these "low" death numbers by lightning, well ok sure if you believe that then have everyone stand outside during a storm. And whenever there is a storm go out and run and then see how "low" these numbers are.

Numbers are low becuase people protect themselves by staying inside.

My point is, you were out in the open, and probably one of the tallest things around. You were sitting ducks. Your friend is an idiot.[/quote]

We are not the tallest things around. Those big metal light poles which surround the track. My friend uses them to strecth his achilles. They are much, much taller.

Nevertheless, you were sitting ducks.