I was out Woodies today between squalls and while I was standing on the beach I heard a crackling noise and then got an electric shock when I put my hand back on the bar.

I thought it was funny until the crackling started again and got louder and everytime I touched the bar the shock got bigger. I didnt wait too long before I pulled my safety and packed it in.

Has anyone else had this happen? I figured it must have something to do with static build up?

A mate of mine has received a couple of zaps while out riding. There were storms on the horizon.

I've also heard of the guys that work on the big TV transmission towers getting badly hurt when storms are still miles off.

Coreyb...I can't believe you tried to fly today....it was just nuts, look at those graphs....AND y'all getting electricity....f........

I am frightened to death of lightning I have already been fried once too often, water and electricity do NOT mix

Hoo Roo

Hey Corey, I have had a similar experience ages ago, somehow the electricity builds up and you become the earth to the ground....not sure if it is static or what but I was arc-ing out of my heels everytime I was lifted of the ground and it bloody hurt.

I could see a friken blue flash tooo, I can tell you I bailed pretty quick ,the clouds were nice and low......

I think there are two reasons for this. One circumstance which Kitehard pointed out a few weeks ago is when the movement of your kite in the right sort of atmostphere will build up static electicity. The other senario is when the air above you is building up a static charge, normally found in a cloud. I've seen it captured on film. When there is a build of a static charge in the cloud above lots of electrical streamers reach up from the ground. They actually affect and slightly distort the atmosphere around them so they can be seen for a couple of seconds as very faint ghost list streamers of smoke. The static charge in the cloud might find a path through the atmosphere to one of these and BANG! All over. I forget the name of these little streamers which reach up from the ground ... tendrils or something? Possibly you were part of a tendril. With a kite reaching up 30m I would say there is a very good chance you would become the preferred tendril to connect with the clouds static charge. What a good idea to drop the kite and get back in the car.

Graeme

i've never been struck by lightening but i got dive bombed and smashed in the side of my face by a magpie when i was on my bike once does that count.
i think it thought i was a threat and was going to eat its young or something?

I saw that show as well GLS - I think they were called 'leaders' coz they lead the high voltage charge to the ground.

On the special they said that if you are about to be hit by lightning that most people have reported that their hair stood on end (on their heads not their pubes or anything ) They also said if ya feel this you shud git down low - F8K knows how ya gunna do this with a 30m aerial shackled to ya guts - oh well good luck