BubbaJon is right about rubber tires doing little to nothing to protect against lightning strikes. I'm no expert, but my understanding is that cars often protect against lightning not because of their rubber tires but because they form a kind of
Faraday cage (no pun intended) around the driver. Electricity tends to flow around the outside of a hollow, conductive object, so as long as you don't stick any part of your body outside the car during a storm you'll usually be okay. The National Lightning Safety Institute has
more information about this.
On a motorcycle or scooter, however, you have no such protective cage, and as BubbaJohn points out since your body sticks up above the rest of the bike (and other nearby objects) it could act as a sort of antenna, which is bad news. I can't think of a good way you could protect yourself in a storm (and again, I'm no expert), other than getting off your bike and seeking shelter or lower ground.
Edit: I found some more information on the NLSI site. From
this page (emphasis mine):
Quote:
Knowing the above described behavior of lightning upon, say, an automobile, it is apparent that a fully enclosed metal vehicle is a safe shelter. Other all-metal mobile equipment - such as airplanes, buses, vans, and construction equipment with enclosed mostly-metal cabs - also are safe. A cautionary note, however, will emphasize that the "outer metal shield" should not be compromised. This means:
1) Windows need to be rolled up.
2) Person must not make any interior contact with external objects, such as radio dials, metal door handles, two-way radio microphones, etc.
3) Person should avoid all other objects that penetrate from inside to outside.
Unsafe vehicles include those made of fiberglass and other plastics, plus small riding machinery or vehicles without enclosed canopies, such as motorcycles, farm tractors, golf cars, and ATVs.
And from
this page:
Quote:
A 56-year-old man was killed by lightning just south of Eagle Grove in Wright County. He and his 54-year-old wife were riding a motorcycle and had stopped to put on their rain gear. Lightning struck the man in the head, striking his helmet. The secondary strike hit his wife. They were taken to the hospital. He was in critical condition and subsequently died. She was in fair condition.
The National Weather Service also has some
motorcycle safety tips. Now I'll stop Googling.
