Having grown up my entire life hearing “Don’t talk on the phone or take a bath during a lightening storm or you will be electrocuted.” Apparently, I will be electrocuted via the phone lines if they are struck and I am gabbing. The bathtub one has always mystified me. I am curious. How much of this is true and how much of it is a Parent-ism or UL?
Also, right after I announced that my mom’s neighbor’s house was hit by lightening, thru the kitchen window, and caused $80,000 worth of damage, a friend told me to never be in the kitchen or near the kitchen window during a storm because lightening is attracted to (of all places) kitchens. Now this sounds like a UL.
I can’t find any stats or info on this to back up my skepticism, so I rely on the imperial wisdom of my pals at SDMB.
People change not because they see the light but because they feel the heat.
A LIGHTNING STRIKE CAN RAISE THE VOLTAGE AT 'GROUND’TO VALUES IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS.
THIS SURGE VOLTAGE SEEKS MANY PATHS AND SINCE MANY HOME SYSTEMS ARE “GROUNDED” TO THE WATER PIPES THE HOUSE PIPING CAN BE HAZARDOUS, IF ONLY FOR A FRACTIONAL PART OF A SECOND.[THIS INCLUDES TELEPHONE LINES AND cABLE SERVICE AS WELL]
THE POSSIBILITY IS VERY REMOTE,BUT AS THE FELLER SEZ—ONCE IS ENOUGH—OR TOO MUCH!
I researched this for a post months ago, and I’m much too busy (read: lazy) to find the link. The Readers Digest version of what I found is that the hospitals and lightening research centers that addressed this issue unanimously recommend staying off the phone, away from electric appliances, and out of the tub. That said, I was only able to find anecdotal evidence of serious injury or death from any of these activities.
Perhaps the “kitchen theory” began because the kitchen is generally the only room in a house which contains a phone, a water source, and many electric appliances.
The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik
Cool , Doc, any chance for me to stay out of the kitchen, I shall.
Ezstrete, were you struck by lightening once, is that why you are shouting?
There was a thread not too long back (week or so ago?) about lightning striking the same place twice. I mentioned it then and I’ll mention it again. My mother was cleaning things up in the milkhouse at the end of milking with her hands in the running water when lightning hit a tree nearby. Shocked the bejeesus out of her but didn’t knock her down. Stay away from plumbing.
http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/001952.html
That’s for Lightning Strikes same place twice back on 8/18 and in between then and now there was about 4 other lightning related topics
Does the prohibition against using the phone include talking on a cordless phone?
Nope. Cordless handsets and cell phones are not connected to the house wiring, so there is no danger of shock - unless you are unlucky enough to be holding the handset in contact with the base at the moment lightning strikes your phone line. Or you’re using the phone outside, on the highest point in the area. They are as safe in a storm as a battery operated radio.
The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik
for S. Ujest
Old EZ never learned to type without looking at keys.
When EZ was in school boys didn’t take typing.
EZ hit 'cap lock ’ by accident.
Ez not mean to ‘holler’.
Just too lazy to type over after seeing loud letters.
Ez wanna be 'scused!