Contrary to what most people think, lightning will strike cars, too. On a friend s way to Florida about 10 years ago, a bolt of lightning struck his car on Interstate 95 and completely blew out all the electrical parts of the engine. The driver and his traveling companions were not hurt, but were scared to death and stranded on the highway without a car. People do dumb things during and after lightning storms. Besides golfers who refuse to interrupt their game, softball players with aluminum bats and metal spikes also often stay on the field too long and tempt fate.
Most people assume that as soon as the rain stops, it is safe to go outside after a storm.
That last bolt of lightning has killed many an impatient person. The general rule of thumb is that you don t go out until 30 minutes after the last close clap of thunder. It s better to be safe than sorry. Last summer, a young friend, then a rising high-school senior, was driving home when he came upon a downed power line in the street after a thunderstorm. Luckily, there was no current in the wire and the younger brother lived to tell about the incident.