Which outdoor activity ranks #1 for lightning fatalities?

[dennyjones]

Lightning

 

I was surprised that golf didn't make the top 5.   Not surprising...Men   Have this serve as a reminder that lightning is a serious issue and heed these warnings. 

[nevets88]

[Slowcelica]

I'm not at all surprised people are dumb and ignore common sense. Last year I was playing at muni course, and the siren blew to clear the course because there was a thunderstorm in the area. On my way back to the clubhouse, I passed a good 7 groups still out playing. Either they didn't know what it meant, or they were to dumb. I guess that is natural selection at work.

[Lihu]

On 4/1/2017 at 5:53 AM, dennyjones said:

Lightning

 

I was surprised that golf didn't make the top 5.   Not surprising...Men   Have this serve as a reminder that lightning is a serious issue and heed these warnings. 

Most of the deaths were related to boating somehow.

Honestly, sitting in an aluminum boat in the water with lighting around isn't exactly the type of thing I look for in a leisure activity.

[boogielicious]

12 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Most of the deaths were related to boating somehow.

Honestly, sitting in an aluminum boat in the water with lighting around isn't exactly the type of thing I look for in a leisure activity.

Some people are working when they are in boats too!

[Lihu]

45 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Some people are working when they are in boats too!

Ah, I guessed that this was sport fishing or something like that. Not being from the Northeast, I totally didn't get that it's also a vocation.

 

Quote

Honestly, sitting in an aluminum boat in the water with lighting around isn't exactly the type of thing I look for in a vocation or leisure activity.

We should probably look into commercial fishing with underwater robotic submarines or something like that?

[Club Rat]

Years ago many golfers used to carry 1-irons in their bags to protect them from lighting strikes. 

[Lihu]

20 minutes ago, Club Rat said:

Years ago many golfers used to carry 1-irons in their bags to protect them from lighting strikes. 

I also like Lee Trevino. Some of his quotes are "priceless" for the lack of a better word.

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/l/lee_trevino.html

[14ledo81]

Fishing/boating does not surprise me.  Only thing sticking up in otherwise flat terrain.

I fish a lot, and do not mess around when lightning approaches.

[JonMA1]

I love a good lightning storm when I'm in the house or even in the car, but when I'm out in it and unprotected, it scares the hell out of me.

When I was in 8th or 9th grade, two girls and I were on the beach when a front blew it. We thought it was so cool that our hair was standing straight up (I had long hair at the time). Had no idea at the time how dangerous that was.

[NJpatbee]

As a fly fisherman I have been caught a number of times in a stream when an unexpected thunderstorm strikes while I am waving an 8 foot piece of graphite in the air.  First thing I do is break down the rod and then get our of the water.

I have been guilty of playing golf with lightning strikes when I am on the 17th and have a great round going, But I know it is stupid and normally head to the clubhouse in any sign of thunder.

[Architex]

I have been closer to lightning fishing than I have ever been on the golf course. I had lightning strike a tree around 100 yards from where I was when I was a kid. I could feel the heat from it and it exploded the tree. It was crazy. I have played with people also that didn't seem to realize how dangerous lightning is and would not get off the course. I told them I was going in and good luck.

 

[Patch]

I know 3 different guys who were standing close enough to lightening strikes to feel some of the effect. All three were in the middle of the desert, stand next to their off road buggies, while setting up a race course. I suppose that would relate to the beach ranking number. None sufferered any long lasting ill effects that I know of, which is a good thing. 

I have had lightening strike close enough to our RV to make the lights flicker several times. 

I once saw ball lightening while traveling through west Texas. That was a pretty weird site. 

Just Ma Nature doing her thing.