I was out briefly in a bloody great lightning storm last night. I wonder how the S would cope if hit.. I remember them zapping a golf on top gear or somert and it was fine but there's neh tin over my head

needless to say i booted it and ducked under the windscreen surround the whole time

 

The lightning would find the shortest track to Earth - so unless you got a tin head it would probably strike the bodywork. Wouldn't be pleasant though!

 

Are you better to drive with the hood up in these situations, so it hits the metal frame then travels through the car body to ground rather than through your head if the roof was down?

 

the windscreen surround should be higher than your head, and even if you were really tall the windscreen surround should be a much better conductor than your head so the lightning 'should' strike that.

 

If you're that worried, don't bother driving about whilst it's lightning.

 

I must say it aint my head I'd be worrying about getting zapped, it would be the shiny metal gear knob with a very conductive platinum connection to my wedding finger.

 

I thought about this last night as well as I was out in it The roof is made of plastic which would insulate you, there's no way you would get zapped with the top up. It would probably go down the windscreen frame or miss the car completely. Top down I think the same would happen.

 

Was thinking about this too! Think I could dodge it

MB

 

lightning would use the faraday cage effect.i.e the path of least resistance to earth.

 

Aren't cars earthed anyway?