# Discussion thread for the "Polls only" thread (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 16, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636 "2024-02-16T02:56:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 49
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/962 "2024-04-12T20:37:23Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > I was in a picnic shelter that was struck by lightning and was knocked unconscious by the concussive blast. I’m not sure how to score that. Why not “I was in a building when it was struck by lightning”? > [@Cardigan](#): > > I was stopped at a stoplight, and lightning struck the hood of the car stopped next to me. So maybe… 15’ away from me. Not sure how to score that. Why not “I was within a stone’s throw of something when it was struck by lightning”? FWIW, I was also (barely) within a stone’s throw of something when it was struck by lightning. I was sitting in my ground-floor office when the tree outside my window was hit (and briefly caught fire before the rain extinguished it). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/963 "2024-04-12T20:46:52Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > I was also in a plane struck by lightning. I was going to ask what that’s like, but @kenobi_65 has already answered. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > About 20 years ago, I was on an airliner that was hit by lightning while in flight. There was a very bright flash, the plane shuddered, and my skin felt tingly for a few moments. How common is this? And how dangerous? ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/964 "2024-04-12T20:46:55Z")
I was in my house when lightning struck it or very near by. I had an outdoor fluorescent light fixture that normally didn’t work, but the lightning induced enough of a current to turn it on for a few minutes. Scary stuff. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/965 "2024-04-12T20:48:05Z")
We were watching and enjoying a summer rain that broke the heat on the back deck, when a tree like 20 feet away was hit. It was scary and so we retreated back inside. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/966 "2024-04-12T20:53:40Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > How common is this? And how dangerous? The author of this _Scientific American_ article says that it’s believed that the typical American airliner is struck by lightning at least once a year. It’s apparently not particularly dangerous for larger planes, as the last U.S. airliner crash which was directly attributed to a lightning strike occurred in 1967. My understanding is that a plane’s fuselage acts as a Faraday cage. However, lightning can possibly damage, or at least temporarily disable, plane equipment and systems. > **[What happens when lightning strikes an airplane?](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-when-lightni/)** ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/967 "2024-04-12T21:02:14Z")
Electrical storms are not common in my area, so once when one was happening I was watching out my living room window. Lightning suddenly struck a power pole about 70 feet from my house and destroyed a transformer. Power was out for about a day until the utility company replaced the transformer. I voted “within a stone’s throw” because I think someone could throw a stone that far, although I probably couldn’t. BTW I saw one of the most intense electrical storms I’ve ever seen just a few days ago when I was in Austin TX for the eclipse. There were multiple strokes per second for over an hour. It was just a constant flashing in the sky. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/968 "2024-04-12T21:17:53Z")
I saw totality and it was cloudy. This does not appear to be one of the options. A genie has already stopped my menstrual periods. The genie’s name was Menopause. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/969 "2024-04-12T21:20:15Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > > > I was also in a plane struck by lightning. > > I was going to ask what that’s like, but @kenobi_65 has already answered. > > > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > > About 20 years ago, I was on an airliner that was hit by lightning while in flight. There was a very bright flash, the plane shuddered, and my skin felt tingly for a few moments. > > How common is this? And how dangerous? There was a bright flash and a muted “Pop!” The captain came on a few seconds later and in that pilot/New Mexican accent said, “Looks like we’ve been struck by lightning. We’ll be coming into Sydney in about an hour.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/970 "2024-04-12T23:54:52Z")
My closest lightning brush was the backyard of one of my sister’s friends (we were all early 20’s). Her friend’s long and very fine hair stood up on end, but no bolt struck the area, so didn’t vote. Yes we should have quickly skedaddled inside… ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2024, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/971 "2024-04-13T02:12:37Z")
About a decade ago we at home when we heard the loudest crash of thunder we’d ever heard. Neighbor’s building got the brunt - trashed a lot of their electronics. Guess our cable got hit, because the HDMI connector to from the receiver never worked afterwards. Ended up buying a new receiver later. Two years ago we were visiting family and a pole transformer got hit. That really lit up the area. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2024, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/972 "2024-04-13T03:40:44Z")
I was on a training flight at Fort Hood when a sudden storm came up as can happen in Texas in the summer. We were close to one of the auxiliary airfields so we were going to set down and ride out the storm. As we were on final approach a bolt of lightning struck between us and the runway. We immediately landed in a field directly below and waited for it to pass. It was pretty scary at the time. Another Army incident, three soldiers in my unit were struck by lightning. I didn’t witness it because I was in a different bivouac area nearby. I did see the medics working on them immediately after. All survived. ---
**Author:** ![Jegpeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jegpeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jegpeg)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2024, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/973 "2024-04-13T17:35:19Z")
I have travelled abroad to see a total eclipse (from UK to France) but will probably not do so again, I answered “probably not” as the question was in the future tense but wasn’t sure if I should have answered yes. As a scuba diver I would absoultely take no snotting, as it is dangerous to dive while suffering from congestion I am worried I wil spend thousands on a diving holiday only to find I am stuck in the resort / boat due to having a cold. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2024, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/974 "2024-04-13T21:03:46Z")
I want reassurance that normal mucus production will continue, and only excess be prevented. And, by the way, you really don’t want to stop sweating. You’d become very susceptible to heat stroke. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2024, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/975 "2024-04-13T21:10:41Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > And, by the way, you really don’t want to stop sweating. You’d become very susceptible to heat stroke. The poll said “It’ll be completely safe.” Does that mean you get the benefits of sweating without being sweaty? ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2024, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/976 "2024-04-13T22:06:16Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Does that mean you get the benefits of sweating without being sweaty? That’s how I interpretted it. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/977 "2024-04-13T22:59:29Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I want reassurance that normal mucus production will continue You have it. Same terms as Elendil’s Heir’s poll - completely safe. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2024, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/978 "2024-04-13T23:14:33Z")
No more urinating? Yes please. I could get a full nights sleep. I could drive more than an hour at a time. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2024, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/979 "2024-04-14T00:25:09Z")
For the lane switch question, there are faaaaar too many unknowns, for example, if they switched to my lane and then immediately turned right at the light, then they were almost certainly playing jerk games to get around “slow” right hand traffic. Or they could be lost. Or any other number of things. I’d probably judge based on how they left when the light turned green. Did they just floor it? Probably jerks or so late for something they’re indistinguishable from jerks. Same with how they changed lanes: too close to me? too fast? no signal? So yeah, it depends. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2024, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/980 "2024-04-14T00:42:42Z")
If I understand the question correctly, the car that changed lanes was at least 60 feet plus a couple of car lengths ahead of me when they did so. They’re entitled to change lanes for whatever reason. Maybe they want to get out of the way of the car behind them (if that car isn’t close to them, then they’re even further ahead of me.) Maybe they want to make a right turn at that intersection, or at another one coming up soon. Maybe they just want to get into the default lane instead of continuing in the passing lane. Why shouldn’t they change lanes for any of those reasons? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2024, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/981 "2024-04-14T01:35:01Z")
If they want to be first in line in their new lane instead of second in the left lane there is nothing wrong with that. At least there’s nothing wrong with that if I’m sufficiently far enough back that their move doesn’t cause me to break fast. If I’m not cut off why would I care? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=48) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=50)