Posted by Linnette on May 11, 2000 at 01:06:28:
Making it through the Thunderstorm
Can you get hit by lightning while riding in a thunderstorm?
One of the dumber things I’ve done is ride home in a thunderstorm on my motorcycle. But, as I am now sitting at the computer telling you about it, you will know I did it safely.
I didn’t read the weather this morning, don’t know why, but the air conditioner problem probably contributed to that. Once I was at work, I saw the thunderstorm forecast, but outside looked okay. It turns out the storm was farther to the west, and I couldn’t see it clearly from my window.
I left work, seeing the storm coming, but not realizing it was quite as close as it was, thinking I’d make it home before it hit. I did not allow for non-moving traffic. After I turned onto Wisconsin from EW ( I didn’t want to do EW eastbound with the hills), traffic barely moved, I hardly moved into second gear. Since I got home at about 5:50, it took me about 40-45 minutes (I only live 2.7 miles from work), and all but 5 was on Wisconsin avenue. I creeped along, and then the rain started at about West Virginia Avenue. The rain got harder and harder, lightning was cracking, wind was blowing. I was barely moving.
A stupid BMW cager in front of me kept leaving tons of space for others to creep in front. I finally got around it when a car in front of it did a half creep into the middle lane, the BMW of course would not go forward, so I just went around it. Hah! Finally at Cedar Lane, I was able to get turned and moved along in third gear at about 25 miles an hour. Not much traffic on Cedar, so got to Saul, and then the thunder and lightning really got louder and closer. I putted along Saul, (it has wonderful 20 mph speed bumps) got across Conn with a short wait at the light, made the turns to E. Bexhill, and turned into the driveway with relief.
My jeans and jean jacket are soaked, my boots were totally squishy.
I'm alive. and glad.