Is it dangerous to take a shower during a storm?

[Anonymous]

I got slightly zapped once on a computer mouse. I wonder if I need to worry now that I gave a cordless one. Probably not? Just sorry about the power surge for the machine itself?

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the Midwest and we, too, learned not to shower when it was lightning or to use a landline. This is because pipes didn't used to be grounded and it was not uncommon for buildings to be struck by lightning. Even if the pipes were grounded, you didn't want to take a chance. One of the things that struck me when I moved out here is that so few buildings have lightning rods. Our house wasn't struck every time we had lightning but it happened often enough that I can still remember feeling the concussion, how the lights would surge and the smoke detectors would go off. It wasn't hard to convince us of the wisdom of not showering/talking on a landline when it was lightning. Still don't even though I've never seen lightning strike here..

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plumbing-system-electrical-grounding-94939.html

[Anonymous]

My dad, who was a freaking genius, never let us bathe during a thunderstorm.

[Anonymous]

So funny, my mom used to say the same thing. Here comes a storm, get off the phone, turn off the tv, get out of the shower. No idea why.

[Anonymous]

Grew up with these warnings too. A relative was once shocked while on the phone during a storm, fwiw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nerd storm and weather watcher here and I do not shower, bathe or hand wash dishes during a storm. Remember learning not to talk on a landline phone BITD either.

No showers during an electrical storm!

Some of the most inconsiderate, strangest people I've ever met happen to be the most highly educated.

Me too!

[Anonymous]

Yes and also I was taught to stay off land line telephones. My house was struck by lightning when I was little and it put the fear in my mom. When we had bad lightning storms she would turn off the lights, unplug the TV and other big electronics, and we'd sit in the dark until the storm was over. We'd go on the basement if it got really bad as a tree nearly crushed my brother's room once, too!

I miss my mom.

[Anonymous]

You brought a smile to my face, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes and also I was taught to stay off land line telephones. My house was struck by lightning when I was little and it put the fear in my mom. When we had bad lightning storms she would turn off the lights, unplug the TV and other big electronics, and we'd sit in the dark until the storm was over. We'd go on the basement if it got really bad as a tree nearly crushed my brother's room once, too!

I miss my mom.

Yes, there are a number of rare instances of electrical surges for one reason or another surging through water. Same reason why you aren't supposed to leave any electrical devices (like hair dryers) plugged in near a bathtub or shower.

As for the telephone, if you have fiber optic phone service now (most of Verizon is fiber now) you can use the landline during a thunderstorm. If that's the case, your phone is no longer getting power from the copper landline, but you have to plug your phone into external power. Fiber does not pass power like copper did.

[Anonymous]

I have never heard this before! I also had never heard you shouldn't use a landline during a thunderstorm until I was an adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, how do you not know this?

I would question your education, not your neighbors.

Op here--I consider myself an intelligent person, but somehow I have never heard anyone talk about this until today! Maybe I have been living under a weather-proof rock.

I apologize OP. That snark was actually meant for the poster after you

Not to worry, dcum snark never gets to me

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the South (tons of storms) and I always heard the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol, I love dumb people until I get scared of them.

Exactly who is dumb here?

I love how all the arrogant know-it-alls immediately began calling the person "stupid."

How do you all live with yourselves knowing what smug, arrogant, self-righteous, a-holes you are?

[Anonymous]

A friend in N.Arlington's house was recently hit by lightning.

I was surprised at the list of electronics which got fried by it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend in N.Arlington's house was recently hit by lightning.

I was surprised at the list of electronics which got fried by it.

I grew up in tornado alley. We always unplug the tv and computer during major storms. We had our house hit and electronics fried in the early 90s. My husband won't let the kids take showers during storms, but he's from the Caribbean.
We each have our quirks and wives tales that we follow.

The other day my teens were riding their bikes in the rain, and my MIL was beside herself. The biggest part of the storm had past and the lightening had moved on. Still we had them get off their bikes and just let them run around a bit. I'm sure there was still a small risk, but we let them take it.