It started right after I hit a pot hole in one of the countless road construction projects around Orlando. A couple days later my wife asked me if Minisql was making a funny growling noise or was it normal. So on this 97 degree Saturday afternoon he was up on jackstands and I was laying under him looking around. It was just a quick check so I wasn't using my creeper and I could feel the cool cement of the garage floor through my T-shirt. Thank God it was cloudy, cause if the sun had been shining the heat would truly have been unbearable. I wiggled the exhaust pipe, I pushed on the skid plate, I turned the wheels and found nothing. I picked up my wrench to make sure the bolts were tight and, strangely, I felt the hair on my neck start to rise. I blinked sweat out of my eyes and saw the hair on my forearm standing straight out. Then a spark about 3 inches long arced from the end of my wrench to the exhaust pipe and I was blinded by the flash which was followed by the loudest godawful boom. I was moving and fast, like an inverted crab from under Minisql. My back was about 2 inches off the ground as I did this limbo dance out from under him. It was pure instinct and adrenalin cause I dont remember thinking "I should get up and go inside" but when I stopped I was standing in the far corner of my garage panting and thinking "What the hell was that?!". I still had the wrench in my hand and when I put it on the work bench I could see its pink outline on my palm. My wife ran into the garage and said 'What was that?" I said I didn't know but it might have been lightning. Just then raindrops started to fall like big grapes onto the driveway. We peeked out of the garage door and saw a small wisp of smoke from the oak tree by the corner. I told her about the spark but she didn't believe me until I showed her the still glowing outline of the wrench on my palm. I looked at Minisql, but he just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. He is, most definitely, Electric Blue!

 

WOW

 

So what about the pot hole hit

 

can you see the future and the past by touching your wife?

you are one lucky person! you should go and buy the lottory, have you realized what have you just been through??

 

Zap

That is a scary story but not much you can do except post a guard to watch the skys over you as you do your work.

It's safer to be in your car than to be under it apparently. The rubber tires insulate but that wrench and you as ground is not going to be pretty.
Your hairs were standing from the build up of static electricity.

Something that loud has got to be close. too close.

Glad you are safe. Don't try it again. :eek3:

 

that's an AWESOME story. glad you're ok though! you still have the wrench outline?

 

Shocking!

How very strange you got shocked, versus the car transferring the electricity through the jackstands! Definintely a "stroke" (I know, bad pun) of luck.

Glad you're ok!

 

WooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad you are okay. Minisql probably wants to do it again!!!!!

 

What an enlightening adventure!

 

Scary!!!

I'd put Minisql on the dyno to see if you've made any "power" gains…

 

And I bet it cranks good when you start-up

 

Oh my!!! Electric Blue, indeed, tee hee!!!! Remember to always wear your rubber coveralls when underneath your MINI! HA HA HA HA HA!!!

So glad you lived to share the story, MINISQL!!!!!! Sheesh!

Clo/Wanda

 

I think its important enough to clarify this point here--the car's tires have nothing to do with insulating its occupants from lightning strikes or other electrical shocks, such as from downed powerlines.

Im no engineer or scientist, but the car's tires do nothing at all to insulate the balance of charge from the sky to the ground. In fact, the car can make a pretty could path for the lightning to follow.

The reason that you are safe from a charge inside of a vehicle has to do with the shape of the car. The metal cage surrounding you effectively insulates you from the shock. Again, dont ask me why this is because I dont know, but it has everything to do with the metal cage surrounding you, and nothing to do with the tires. So really thick rubber soles on your shoes wont protect you against lighting. THink about it, the bolt has jumped from the high skies all the way down the the ground. a few inches of rubber wont stop its attempt to reach the ground. It will just go around...

Glad to hear that you are ok, thats a pretty scary thing that happened to you.

 

These two brothers didn't recognize the danger they were in. Their hair is standing on end from a thunderstorm-induced electrical charge. The two brothers, and their sister, were killed moments later when lightning struck.



Some Myths and Facts

1. The Myth: If it isn't raining, then there is no danger from lightning.
   The Fact: Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles from any rainfall!
2. The Myth: The rubber soles of shoes or rubber tires on a car will protect you from being struck by lightning.
   The Fact: Rubber soles and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning. The steel frame of a hard-topped car provides increased protection if you aren't touching metal. Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside a car than outside.
3. The Myth: Heat lightning" occurs after a very hot summer day and poses no threat.
   The Fact: What is called "heat lightning" is actually lightning from a thunderstorm too far away for thunder to be heard; however, the storm may be heading in your direction!
4. The Myth: People struck by lightning carry an electrical charge and shouldn't be touched.
   The Fact: Lightning strike victims carry no electrical charge and should be attended to immediately! Call 911 or the local emergency number for advanced medical care immediately. CPR should be started if necessary.

Glad to hear you and the MINI are OK but I hope someone takes care of that pothole!
Charles

 

Let me answer a few questions:
I'm OK, the wrench marking went away after a couple hours.
Minisql is OK. The noise apparently is coming from the tires. I'm getting close to the wear bars so at 17000 miles it might be time to put on my THIRD set on the front .
I didn't get hit directly, if I had I'd probably be dead or drooling in the corner of some hospital ward. The tree outside our garage took the brunt of the strike.
No I can't see the future, but I can listen in on cellphone conversations!(not really).
The Dynojet says I got 348 HP at the left rear wheel and 262 hp at the right front

 

Holy Cow!!! Did you make any special apologies or deals with God after that? Something like: "Ok, ok, I'm sorry for idolizing my MINI, please just don't send me to Hell."

A similar thing happened to me and some friends when we were camping in New Mexico. A lightning strike hit a tree nearby and we all felt sort of 'charged' but we weren't in any contact with any metal. We were in our sleeping bags and there were no more close strikes after the big one hit. The sound and percussion were truly frightening though. I can't remember what I promised God that night, but I'm sure I've broken it since then. Oh well. Maybe the good will I spread by driving a MINI will save me.

Stay safe.

Cheers,

 

And a page from when lightning hit a tree and came in the house through the cable-internet.
Ligntning strike

 

HOLY CRAP!

 

The Pope's poop?

 

That is crazy. so, future referance, when your hair stands up like that drop the wrench!

What likely hapened is the very nearby tree was hit and thus the charge spread through the ground to the metal jack stands to minisql to the wrench in your hand. Electrons flow from high to low concentration through the most resitance free rought possible, unfotuneatly you and minisql were the "path of least resistance" that is where this term comes from. Now that has gotta hurt. Really glad you're OK.

I can't spell but I know tons about the movement of electrons.

 

Glad you're okay! (sort of ok?) :smile:


We have a large field behind our house and the park district put in a
thunder warning pole/siren thing so whenever I hear the 2nd stage
warning going off, I go inside quickly.

 

WOW


You are one lucky guy. I say they call you Lucky from now on!!

 

I got a snide remark in another (trippy's lightning thread) when I said I was belted with lightning. Glad to see you made it through too!

 

I figured you two would pull together ,like I said before ,I hate getting
shocks You two play together over there,Ok

 

This thread? https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=27015

I didn't see any snide remarks about you, and I apologise if I made any.