To drive in a thunderstorm?

[Orchidgal]

I have a dance class booked 15mins drive away. I have paid for it in advance and really want to go. There is pretty continuous rumbling thunder outside and occasional lightning. Would it be foolish to go out in the car? I live quite rurally, but not on the top of a hill or open plane.

YABU - it is genuinely dangerous and no sensible person would do it - stay at home.

YANBU - there is a small risk, but a reasonable one to take- go to the class.

I think you'll probably be fine as long as there isn't a weather warning. Go enjoy your class 🙂

Unless you're going to drip feed that you have to drive through a ford you're probably safer in a mobile faraday cage on rubber wheels than you are in the house or dance lesson.

Well like many people I was driving home in it. Not even sure it's dangerous tbh, much better than walking!

I thought a car produced a Faraday cage effect if hit by lightning? Wouldn't cross my mind not to go tbh.

Good lord OP, you will be fine!

An open plane would be quite risky...😆

Okay, thanks! I will go. I just have never driven in a storm before so I wasn’t sure!

😂

The only things I would worry about a thunderstorm are if it rains so hard the wipers can't keep up and I can't see out of the windscreen, and large hail. When I couldn't see I pulled over to the side of the road until the rain cleared, I don't know what I would do about large hail, I don't think it's common in the UK though.

There are risks other than being struck by lightening - flash flooding, water on the roads causing skidding/aquaplaning, poor visibility, trees, other people’s shit driving (even if you are sensible), etc.

I think most people carry on regardless though.

You'll be fine!

Are we not supposed to drive in thunderstorms?? I've been driving for 25 years and have never come across that before!

Having left a giant puddle of clothing by the washing machine where I peeled it off about an hour ago and with red marks across my nose where the hailstones were hitting it really hard, yeah, I'd say driving was preferable to waiting for the bus in it.

Fortunately, the single drain in the road wasn't blocked, so the 3-4 inches of river running down the hill didn't cause any of the drivers to aquaplane - I don't think they would have been able to stop if somebody had braked, though; the continual movement was what enabled them to stick to the road.

Faraday cage effect. Perfectly safe.

Lightning! I knew that looked wrong 😂.

As car is fine, walking through an open field with a javelin to go to practice, less so

Wouldn't think twice

A sailing boat with a tall mast would equally be somewhat unadvisable.⛵️

OK, pretty unanimous! Class is at 7, so I’m off to change. Thanks all!

Just as long as you aren’t standing on a hilltop wearing copper armour and shouting “all gods are bastards” I’m sure you’ll be fine

copper armour

Dying! 🤣🤣🤣

I just did that in West London...apart from one of the main roads having pretty bad flooding all was good.

The driving or the copper armour...