Why don't they listen??

[sundial]

Yesterday hubby and friend headed out the door to cycle early in the morning. We have had thunderstorms every day since last Friday and Monday was no exception. I was checking weather.com when I heard a rumble in the distance and saw that a thunderstorm was about to hit the area they were cycling in. They were out in the middle of nowhere and were basically lightning rods on wheels. I grabbed the keys, jumped in the car and headed to where they were. I spotted them just as the storm was moving in the area and I rolled the window down and asked if they wanted a ride. No thanks, we'll just keep riding. So I drove past them 3 miles or so and saw a bolt of lightning not far from them. I turned around, headed back to them, stopped the car and jumped out. I explained there was a strong storm but they wanted to ride the remaining 3 miles back to their cars. I followed them and then saw it--a wall of rain not even a quarter of a mile from them. It started pouring buckets and hubby finally relented and jumped in the car. The other one sped up and was absolutely drenched by the time he got to the car.

This morning I checked weather.com and there is an 80% chance of rain/thunderstorms and hubby wanted to ride his motorcycle to work. Why don't men listen??

[kat_h]

Back when my husband was 18ish and still living with his folks he was riding his motorbike on the highway, trying to get home, when a storm rolled in. He was completely out in the open with nowhere safe to stop so tried to get through it. Lightning hit the ground right by him. Bike tires don't insulate from ground strikes. He was instantly knocked unconscious at highway speed. He has no idea how long he was out of. He woke up on the road and found his bike a fair ways down the road, in the ditch on the other side. No one was around and there was no where to go for help. This was before the days of cell phones. Fortunately his bike had a kick start instead of an electronic ignition so it started back up and he made it home. He says the bike always blew a lot of fuses after that, even after he replaced all of the wiring.

Honestly if it weren't for his story I wouldn't think about lightning much. It always seems farther away. Your guys were probably thinking about the rain but not the lightning.

[Fujichants]

Men are just stubborn and think they're so tough!

At least my BF seems to think that sometimes.

[sundial]

I don't like to take thunderstorms lightly since I've experienced a lightning strike first hand. We've had several kids in our community killed by lightning because of being out in the open and not being aware of how far lightning can travel. One kid was on the track at the high school. He and his grandfather were enjoying quality time together when the boy was hit by lightning. Another boy was with his youth group from the church and was out floating on the river. A thunderstorm brewed and the kids got out of the water, but the boy was struck while huddled under a tree. The father, who was the minister, was with him when it happened.

I watched the Discovery Channel when they aired a program about people who were hit by lightning. One was a cyclist from CO that was hit by lightning and initially survived, but later died from complications. The scary thing was there were no storms predicted or clouds in his area when he was hit.

[mimitabby]

Some things you just don't mess around with.

Lucky for me, i live in a place where thunderstorms are rare.

[NoNo]

Having been hit by lightning through the phone (yes, it can travel through phone lines and water, hence no showers during a storm!), I don't mess around. Sort of. Try to get inside if possible, but I'm not against trying to snap a few pictures. And really, what are the odds I'll get struck again?

As for guys being stubborn, is that really all that surprising?

[silver]

Having been hit by lightning through the phone (yes, it can travel through phone lines and water, hence no showers during a storm!), I don't mess around. Sort of. Try to get inside if possible, but I'm not against trying to snap a few pictures. And really, what are the odds I'll get struck again?

As for guys being stubborn, is that really all that surprising?

I've heard somewhere (or maybe I made it up) that the chances of being hit by lightning go up when you have been hit before.

I've had two very near hits. I call them that since neither was a direct, knock out hit. both of my hits were to the house that I was in and the charge traveling through the house to me. people usually move away from me in storms.

[Zen]

Why don't men listen??

Ahh, the eternal question.
Tell him they don't call her Mother Nature for nuthin'...

YOU DON'T MESS WITH MOTHER NATURE!

[PscyclePath]

there is an 80% chance of rain/thunderstorms and hubby wanted to ride his motorcycle to work. Why don't men listen??

Because we're all firmly convinced that we're going to live to be 120 and finally shuffle off this mortal coil by being shot by someone's jealous husband.

Considering, this is from somebody who rode to work this morning in the same 80% prediction so he could try out the fenders on the new commuter bike...

Tom

[roadie gal]

There's something about having "outdoor plumbing" that messes with your mind...

[Kano]

YEsterday, while waiting out the storm under a church driveway canopy, we saw not one, but two kites flying during the thunderstorm. Nice long tails on them.

DH was the one who suggested shelter, though I had been watching the sides of the road for likely spots for a couple of miles already by the time he did.

Today, more rain is predicted, but he rode his bike to work anyway. I think this is a worse situation than yesterday -- he'll be riding through drive-time traffic, and does not have his screaming yellow jacket with him. His shirt today is a kind of muted green...

I have been watching the progression of the rain areas on weather.com and called him a bit ago to let him know that if he wants me to meet him, I'll be more than happy to. I don't think he enjoyed the rainy ride home (after the lightning stopped) as much as I did!

Karen in Boise

[Mr. Bloom]

It started pouring buckets and hubby finally relented and jumped in the car. The other one sped up and was absolutely drenched by the time he got to the car.

Hmmm...sounds like they listened...just took them a while to comprehend