why dont rubber tires help you from a lightning storm?

I assume your talking about a car. When lightning hits a car then the rubber will act as an insulator but the car itself is a conductor and will retain the electricity since it can't pass through the rubber into the ground. If you touch the car then you will get electrocuted. The only way you would safely be able to touch the car is if the electricity had a path to reach the ground. Someone would have to toss a metal pole onto the car so that it touches the car and the ground. That would dissipate the electricity on the car and allow you to safely leave.
 
Lightning is very powerful - powerful enough to rip right through a couple of inches of tire rubber.

However, you are still pretty safe in a car. The reason is that the metal shell of the car forms a Faraday cage, which keeps the lightning outside of the car, and you safe. As long as you are mostly surrounded by metal, the conductive metal will prevent the lightning from striking you. However, this effect probably would not occur for a soft top convertible.

Faraday cages are explained at wikipedia.
 
Lightning is very powerful - powerful enough to rip right through a couple of inches of tire rubber.

However, you are still pretty safe in a car. The reason is that the metal shell of the car forms a Faraday cage, which keeps the lightning outside of the car, and you safe. As long as you are mostly surrounded by metal, the conductive metal will prevent the lightning from striking you. However, this effect probably would not occur for a soft top convertible.

Faraday cages are explained at wikipedia.
 
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