Electricians will tell you it’s not the voltage that kills you, but rather the amperage.  Even amperage as low as 30 can kill, since it disrupts the heart, which simply stops beating.  Obviously, if a lightning bolt with 20,000 amps hits us, it’s pretty certain that we’ll be toes up and probably pretty crispy.  Ah, but we’re on our bike, so doesn’t the rubber in the tires insulate us?  No.  Rubber is an adequate insulator for normal current, but not very effective against the electrical power in a lightning bolt.  But haven’t we always heard that we’re safe in a car if a lightening bolt hits it.  Yes, but not because of the rubber tires, but rather the metal container of the car body, which spreads the electricity around the occupants, rather than through them, and into the ground.

So what do we do when we’re on our bikes in the middle of nowhere in the open when lightning flashes begin?  First of all, gauge how far away the lightning is by counting the seconds between when you see the flash and when you hear the thunder.  If it’s more than five seconds, you can try to ride out from under the storm and/or seek shelter, preferably in a hard covered surface connected to the ground with metal.  Once there, get under it and wait out the storm.  However, if it’s less than three seconds from flash to thunder, it’s time to stop the bike, dismount and hunker down.

• Immediately find low ground, but not under a single or small group of trees.

• Squat on the ground with your legs together, head lower than back, but NOT touching the ground. Do NOT lay on the ground.

• LET YOUR CLOTHES GET WET!!! (In this way, if you are hit the majority of the electricity will follow the moisture of your wet clothes around your body.)

• Do not get up until thunder following a lightning flash is AT LEAST five seconds after the flash.

And keep in mind, contrary to the old adage, that lightning often does hit the same place twice.  So let’s get on out there and ride.  Avoid thunderstorms when possible.  But if you're caught out in one, keep these tips in mind.  They just might help keep you from getting the shock of your life.  

(Much of the information in this article was obtained with permission from the article "Electrical Storms—Riding out from under them could be a big mistake" by James R. Davis, copyright 1992-2001 by the Master Strategy Group, all rights reserved.)