Guest @ CP struck by lightning

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_fullstory.asp?id=36136

I just pray that God has liability insurance. There is certain a lawsuit to come...

*On a side note...This person has my luck..Three or four of the larger steel structures in the world and the path of least resistance is through a body in a parking lot...go figure...

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/4586529/detail.html

this is all news net 5 has...

If that person had a cue-bot or fast lane pass, only his virtual self would have been struck by the bolt.

Either that, or he would have been in his car already and the bolt would have struck another guest.

Seriously, we hope he's ok. *** Edited 6/9/2005 2:36:17 AM UTC by Richie Reflux***

Worst... luck... ever.

Wait... it would be worse if the guy had just arrived for Twilight admission and hadn't even ridden anything yet.

Is our collective karma at rock bottom yet?

Oh geese, that stinks. I recall that Drop Zone at Kings Island got struck a few years back. I believe it was closed for a few weeks, but I may be mistaken.

It says that they were 'NEARLY' struck by lightning according to the article...so it sounds like they weren't actually hit.

How can you sue sombody if you get struck by lightning? Thats like me sueing cp if a segul pooped on my head.

I remember a few years ago I went to the park on a band trip, and it started SERIOUSLY thunderstorming on our way out for the night. I remember I was walking by raptor, heading for the gates, when a lightning bolt shot through the sky overhead and hit the space spiral.

A bunch of park security could be seen running in that direction and an ambulance came through the parking lot just as I was passing through the exit gate. Apparently it hit the tower, got re-directed down and hit someone. My thoughts go out to the person and their family. =(

The person is ok. SOme girl from a first aid class actually helped him which is so odd but right place right time for her. Its good to see others helping out others. They also said that he was treated and released no less on the newschannel 5 broadcast tonight. They also said a ride was struck by lightning. Was there a report on that. It seemed like by the way they looked over on the news that it was MaXair. But they never said, plus Cedar Point took a pounding today, meaning two storms in a few hours. They are lucky that they didnt have the waterspouts off the lake, now that stuff can do some damage. *** Edited 6/9/2005 4:48:32 AM UTC by MagnunBarrel***

When they say "nearly" struck, what they probably mean is he was standing close enough to the object that really was struck, like say a light standard, to feel a jolt himself. Still pretty dangerous. Hope he's alright.

Or maybe it struck those cranes that were being talked about in that other thread... you know, the ones for the "new ride."

Those cranes were made of rubber for this very reason.

*** Edited 6/9/2005 5:37:24 AM UTC by Word***

You have to remember, even if he was "near" the strike point.

A 8 kA arc will jump a distance of 12 inches between two conductors. When you consider that some lightning strikes have been measured to bridge a potential difference of several million volts. The arc distance can be quite large.

Simpler terms, when you look up at those large transmission lines coming out of Davis Bessie as you drive down Route 2 to Cedar Point. The conductors are set so far apart for a very good reason, while even though transmission lines can reach 500,000 volts as opposed to a lightning bolt, they are spaced so far apart to prevent arcing between the conductors.

So even being "near" a lightning strike can cause severe damage to a person. *** Edited 6/9/2005 5:53:54 AM UTC by Red Garter Rob***

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MagnunBarrel said:
Cedar Point took a pounding today, meaning two storms in a few hours. They are lucky that they didnt have the waterspouts off the lake, now that stuff can do some damage.

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Waterspouts are actually very weak and have little potential to do any damage. There were a couple of waterspouts just off shore of CP last August. Pretty sight, but not a real hazard. *** Edited 6/9/2005 1:32:09 PM UTC by Pete***

and I believe that waterspouts, at least the ones that would appear near CP, break up as they approach land.

Good article on waterspouts here.

Thanks Red...

I had forgotten all about proper arc distance...

:-)

That blows. Get it? Lightning strike....water spouts..... Oh, never mind.