Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was growing up there was a strict rule in my house against bathing or talking on the phone during a storm. I mentioned it to my husband, who had never heard of it. I know the risk or harm is incredibly low, and I also had no issues just washing a sink full of dishes. But as much as I’d like to, I can’t bring myself to take a bath while it’s thundering. Anyone else avoid bathing during a storm?

I’m from Florida and absolutely we had these rules. I think everyone we knew had at some point lost a VCR or TV to lightning strike so it felt very close. Running around every afternoon in summer to unplug TV and expensive electronics.

I agree there have not been many people sticky by lightning shower recently, I think modern house grounding helps. But also remember people who live in frequent thunderstorm areas generally KNOWS not to shower. So it’s hard to separate.

We have frequent thunderstorms in this area. People post about this all the time. So, it's not common knowledge.

If you think showering during a thunderstorm is risky, you should stop driving.

How will not driving keep me safe from a lightning strike?

Sorry, but I hate people trotting out the "driving is dangerous yet common!" trope in response to every thread on risk. Multiple things can have risks and you can reduce your risk in multiple ways.

Also, driving is a necessity for many things but I would hard pressed to think of a situation where you have to shower during a thunderstorm.

This is a thing. My husband also didn’t believe me and made a big show of googling it only to have to admit he was wrong.

Not if there is a lot of lightening.

If it's just rain, sure.

Anonymous wrote:The risk isn't zero, but it's pretty close - maybe 1 in 10 billion.

https://www.adt.com/resources/shower-during-thunderstorm

"In an older New York Times article from 2006, a former meteorologist named Ron Holle who tracks lightning injuries made the estimate that every year between 10 and 20 people are shocked in the US while bathing, handling appliances, or using faucets. ...It's unclear whether or not anyone has ever died from showering during a thunderstorm."

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/is-it-safe-to-take-a-shower-during-a-thunderstorm-9966031.html
"So, assuming there is one thunderstorm per thunderstorm day, the death rate is 0.013 deaths per 100 million people per thunderstorm. This is if you act normally."

Jeez, if I get struck by lightning in the shower and live, no matter how hard my tongue hurts, I'll go out and buy a lottery ticket.

Anonymous wrote:I live in a very thunderstorm area and I did not know about this until the last time DCUM had this thread, I'm not sure how many years ago. Everything here is cyclical.

It pops up every spring with the first thunderstorm.

I live in a very thunderstorm area and I did not know about this until the last time DCUM had this thread, I'm not sure how many years ago. Everything here is cyclical.

The risk isn't zero, but it's pretty close - maybe 1 in 10 billion.

https://www.adt.com/resources/shower-during-thunderstorm

"In an older New York Times article from 2006, a former meteorologist named Ron Holle who tracks lightning injuries made the estimate that every year between 10 and 20 people are shocked in the US while bathing, handling appliances, or using faucets. ...It's unclear whether or not anyone has ever died from showering during a thunderstorm."

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/is-it-safe-to-take-a-shower-during-a-thunderstorm-9966031.html
"So, assuming there is one thunderstorm per thunderstorm day, the death rate is 0.013 deaths per 100 million people per thunderstorm. This is if you act normally."

My next door neighbor told me that was how her mom died in the 1960s. The mother was shocked, brain damaged, and died a week later. Neighbor won’t even run water during thunderstorms.

I grew up in the PNW and if we didn’t shower during storms, we’d never shower.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was growing up there was a strict rule in my house against bathing or talking on the phone during a storm. I mentioned it to my husband, who had never heard of it. I know the risk or harm is incredibly low, and I also had no issues just washing a sink full of dishes. But as much as I’d like to, I can’t bring myself to take a bath while it’s thundering. Anyone else avoid bathing during a storm?

I’m from Florida and absolutely we had these rules. I think everyone we knew had at some point lost a VCR or TV to lightning strike so it felt very close. Running around every afternoon in summer to unplug TV and expensive electronics.

I agree there have not been many people sticky by lightning shower recently, I think modern house grounding helps. But also remember people who live in frequent thunderstorm areas generally KNOWS not to shower. So it’s hard to separate.

We have frequent thunderstorms in this area. People post about this all the time. So, it's not common knowledge.

If you think showering during a thunderstorm is risky, you should stop driving.

How will not driving keep me safe from a lightning strike?

Sorry, but I hate people trotting out the "driving is dangerous yet common!" trope in response to every thread on risk. Multiple things can have risks and you can reduce your risk in multiple ways.

The risks from driving are fantastically higher. I am not saying you should jump in the shower when you a thunderstorm, but the risks from a thunderstorm are extremely small. If this was really a concern, you would need to check weather radar before showering, since any thunderstorm within 5 miles can potentially strike your home.

Usually, it’s such an easy thing to avoid showers during lightning, akin to wearing your seat belt while driving. Most people aren’t worrying about a home invasion since it’s so rare, but we still lock our doors at night.

That's not a good example.

More than half (range: 51%-61%) of teens 13-19 years and adults aged 20-54 years who died in crashes in 2021 were not buckled up at the time of the crash.

Seat belts don't appear to be common knowledge.

What? I thought this was common knowledge like look both ways before you cross the street.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was growing up there was a strict rule in my house against bathing or talking on the phone during a storm. I mentioned it to my husband, who had never heard of it. I know the risk or harm is incredibly low, and I also had no issues just washing a sink full of dishes. But as much as I’d like to, I can’t bring myself to take a bath while it’s thundering. Anyone else avoid bathing during a storm?

I’m from Florida and absolutely we had these rules. I think everyone we knew had at some point lost a VCR or TV to lightning strike so it felt very close. Running around every afternoon in summer to unplug TV and expensive electronics.

I agree there have not been many people sticky by lightning shower recently, I think modern house grounding helps. But also remember people who live in frequent thunderstorm areas generally KNOWS not to shower. So it’s hard to separate.

We have frequent thunderstorms in this area. People post about this all the time. So, it's not common knowledge.

If you think showering during a thunderstorm is risky, you should stop driving.

How will not driving keep me safe from a lightning strike?

Sorry, but I hate people trotting out the "driving is dangerous yet common!" trope in response to every thread on risk. Multiple things can have risks and you can reduce your risk in multiple ways.

The risks from driving are fantastically higher. I am not saying you should jump in the shower when you a thunderstorm, but the risks from a thunderstorm are extremely small. If this was really a concern, you would need to check weather radar before showering, since any thunderstorm within 5 miles can potentially strike your home.

Usually, it’s such an easy thing to avoid showers during lightning, akin to wearing your seat belt while driving. Most people aren’t worrying about a home invasion since it’s so rare, but we still lock our doors at night.

I grew up hearing this rule and dropped it as an adult. My kid took a long shower during the storms last weekend, so I guess I never passed on the rule to him.

I'm going to die someday but it won't be from taking a shower during a storm.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a woman who got shocked from a lightning strike while showering. It’s a real thing. She didn’t die but she did bite her tongue really badly when she was shocked, to the point where she needed stitches in her tongue. It was extremely bloody apparently too.

Source: "Trust me, bro"

I don't know of any documented cases. While the theoretical danger exists, it seems to be exceedingly rare despite at least of the population showering in a wildly dangerous fashion.

Anonymous wrote:I know a woman who got shocked from a lightning strike while showering. It’s a real thing. She didn’t die but she did bite her tongue really badly when she was shocked, to the point where she needed stitches in her tongue. It was extremely bloody apparently too.

Source: "Trust me, bro"

Anonymous wrote:Never heard of this. If it's time for me to get in the shower, even if it's storming, I'm getting in the shower

Me too.
I need to shower 🚿 daily or I feel just gross.
Unless I am just staying inside my house.