Powerline question

Factual Questions
1

On the power pole outside my house, I count 4 lines. One of the four lines seems to be grounded at each pole, and it sits on a different colored insulator than the rest. I’m about 85% certain the three “normal” lines represent the three phases from the power plant, and the fourth oddball line is the grounded return path (a.k.a. neutral).

But I’m not certain enough to, say climb the pole and grasp the line with my bare hands to test my theory. (If it’s at ground potential, then I should be safe, right? But then why is it up there with the other dangerous wires?)

2

You’re right; those are the three phases plus ground. The ground is way up there above all the rest to help protect the rest of the wiring from lightning. Being bonded to Earth, lightning will preferentially hit that rather than the other wires–hopefully. It doesn’t always work that way but it’s better than no protection at all.