avoiding lightning

[micky]

This is interesting:

if you are unable to reach shelter and you experience any of these signs, or if you otherwise feel that you are in immediate danger, assume the following position quickly:

Move your feet close together, crouch down, and grab your ankles. Tuck your head down as far as you can. Don't lie flat on the ground.

Even so, this traditionally-recommended 'crouch' position may not prevent injury from a strike (there is no evidence to support it having any effect). Again, your focus should be avoiding getting into such a situation - it's never good to have to consider using such dubious 'last resorts' to begin with.

So they recommend the crouch even though it says there is no evidence it helps. And why isn't lying on the ground good? That was my plan. Why should I change to crouching when it says there is no evidence it works?

[trader_4]

Why should I change to crouching when it says there is no

It's so you'll be in the proper position to kiss your ass goodbye.

[oldyork90]

You minimize the lateral distance to prevent the voltage drop from foot to foot. I imagine you crouch to prevent falling over. If a strike occurs, i t's best to be short on the ground. If it's really direct, you're dead. A ll the instructions seem to be shortening any path the lightning may take.

[Mayayana]

| So they recommend the crouch even though it says there is no evidence it | helps. And why isn't lying on the ground good? That was my | plan. Why should I change to crouching when it says there is no | evidence it works?

I think the crouching probably just makes you less of a target. Lying on the ground is bad because it's important to prevent it going through your heart. Four-legged animals are thus at greater risk than us.

[micky]

Dang. My mother told me to get a haircut and I don't want to.

[Stormin Mormon]

Winter storms, lay over a three foot diameter log.

Makes it easier for the park rangers to remove your body from the forest, over the back of pack mules.

[gfretwell]

We have a winner. If you are crouched on the ground with your ass in the air the fault path is through your legs into the ground. That might save your core and your head. Emphasize might.

Most of the people who survived a strike were standing up in most cases so it is not an exact science I guess the ones who died were too.

[Dean Hoffman]

The wiring for livestock buildings has special provisions just because of livestock sensibility to stray voltages. We won't even notice voltage that might discourage critters from drinking from a tank.

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per micky:

Sounds a little like the "Atomic bomb survival position" we were taught in grade school - except yours ended with "... and kiss your ass goodbye"...

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per (PeteCresswell):

Oops... Trader_4 beat me to it...