Beware of iPods in the rain.

[3-LockBox]

I once came home to find a foot of water in our basement. Wondering why the pump wasn't running, I splashed my way to the back of the garage. The float was stuck. So I reached in to dislodge it. The pumped kicked in and all my muscled locked up. I fell in the water shaking and flailing around. Seems the motor was under water and the safety failed. Good thing the breaker tripped or I would have been soggy toast.
My guess is that being hit by lightning would be thousands of times worse. You don't really want to know what it feels like. trust me.

Knowhatamean Vern? Yes, water is an excellent conductor of electrical current and you were standing in a foot of it...Yes, you are very lucky the breaker tripped, and I guess to an extent...so are we.

Actually, lightning is akin to static electricity, which is more like DC (direct current), which is instantaneous. AC (alternating current) does just what you described, it grabs you really really hard; feels like a bite. I tend to think AC is a more insidious way to get zapped because since it isn't as fast as DC, and is pulsed... you get a few seconds to realize whats happening to you.

Working on aircraft in the Navy, I had the occassion (or three) to get zapped by both, but I couldn't tell you I preferred one over the other...they both suck.

[GMichael]

Knowhatamean Vern? Yes, water is an excellent conductor of electrical current and you were standing in a foot of it...Yes, you are very lucky the breaker tripped, and I guess to an extent...so are we.

Awww.... thanks.

Actually, lightning is akin to static electricity, which is more like DC (direct current), which is instantaneous. AC (alternating current) does just what you described, it grabs you really really hard; feels like a bite. I tend to think AC is a more insidious way to get zapped because since it isn't as fast as DC, and is pulsed... you get a few seconds to realize whats happening to you.

True. It's different. Like being stabbed with a thousand smaller knives instead of one huge sword.

Working on aircraft in the Navy, I had the occassion (or three) to get zapped by both, but I couldn't tell you I preferred one over the other...they both suck.

Ouch, glad you are still around to talk about it.
Yeah, they both suck. They suck the life out of ya.

[Luvin Da Blues]

Actually, lightning is akin to static electricity, which is more like DC (direct current), which is instantaneous. AC (alternating current) does just what you described, it grabs you really really hard; feels like a bite. I tend to think AC is a more insidious way to get zapped because since it isn't as fast as DC, and is pulsed... you get a few seconds to realize whats happening to you.

Uhhh??? I'm thinkin the speed of electricity is the same regardless if it's AC or DC (don't quote me but is around 80% the speed of light). The pulse you mentioned is at 60Hz (or 50Hz for you Europeans) not a "few" seconds.

Having said that, DC is a "hotter" voltage compare to AC for the same voltage due to the effective voltage (RMS of the peak voltage).