Lightning never strikes twice......tell this guy

MacDoc · Nov 29th, 2003, 09:48 PM

Just watched this on the Science Channel

An Electrifying Personality

Don't believe the old adage that lightning never strikes the same place twice. Former Park Ranger Roy "Dooms" Sullivan never did. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Sullivan bas the dubious distinction of being the most lightning-struck person ever recorded. Between 1942 and his death in 1983, Roy Sullivan was struck by lightning seven times. The first lightning strike shot through Sullivan's leg and knocked his big toenail off. In 1969, a second strike burned off his eyebrows and knocked him unconscious. Another strike just a year later, left his shoulder seared. In 1972 his hair was set on fire and Roy had to dump a bucket of water over his head to cool off. In 1973, another bolt ripped through his hat and hit him on the head, set his hair on fire again, threw him out of his truck and knocked his left shoe off. A sixth strike in 1976 left him with an injured ankle. The last lightning bolt to hit Roy Sullivan sent him to the hospital with chest and stomach burns in 1977. Sullivan could never offer any explanation for this strange and unwelcome electrical attraction."

Anyone here been hit??
I got knocked over once by a bolt that bounced off the officer booths at the Peace Bridge went over our heads and blew up the light standard behind us.

Didn't see it hit - just felt the strike, found myself and the other traffic directors flat on the ground. Got up and turned around to see the transformer on the light standard smoking with flames shooting upward ( about 200 feet away )
I guess the shock wave of the bolt knocked us down - to close for any "boom" it just flattened us.
Close enough for me thank you very much [img]tongue.gif[/img]

MACSPECTRUM · Nov 29th, 2003, 09:58 PM

Lee Trevino, professional golfer, has twic been hit by lightning, while on a golf course. He still plays, but watches the skies carefully.

Prompting the famous golfing joke;

With ominous storm clouds brewing, thunder not far off, the golfers "high tail it" for the safety of the clubhouse. One lone golfer remains on the course, taking his time, while defiantly holding up a 1-iron high into the air. "What the hell are you doing?", one of them asked, as they rushed past him. He replied; "Not even God can hit a 1-iron!" [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

SINC · Nov 29th, 2003, 10:54 PM

macdoc, I actually saw this fellow interviewed on TV many years ago.

If memory serves me correctly, I think it was on the Johnny Carson show.

I distinctly remember him showing both his hat and his shoe to Johnny.

Cheers

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