ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, May 7, 1996 TAG: 9605070102
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: What's on your mind?
SOURCE: RAY REED
Q: Can lightning strike cordless telephones?
D.Y., Roanoke
A: Off-the-wall questions are always fun. Here goes:
None of the usual authorities in weather and communications has heard of a cordless caller being shocked by lightning.
Spokesmen for the National Weather Service, Bell Atlantic and GTE Mobilnet said these phones don't provide a means for the current to travel.
Beyond those sources, Virginia's academic authority on weather never heard of the possibility, either.
J. Patrick Michaels at the University of Virginia said there's a downward trend in deaths from lightning, and an upward trend in use of mobile and cellular phones.
If there were a connection between lightning and wireless phones, you'd think the number of fatalities would rise, Michaels said.
These assurances are given under the presumption that the phone user isn't walking around outdoors with an antenna pointing to the sky, and not sitting indoors with one hand on the phone's base unit.
Few people are likely to do that anyway; reception goes haywire on mobile units during electrical storms.
Weekend road work
Q: I've heard there is a federal prohibition against doing road repairs on interstate highways on weekends, and also against having the equipment out there. This question is prompted by the fatal crash on Interstate 81 in Botetourt County on Saturday.
N.N.
A: There's no such ban on weekend work, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Road repairs can be done whenever needed, and paving projects usually are timed to take advantage of clear weather and ideal temperatures.
The accident you mention occurred Saturday in a southbound lane where the other lane was closed for resurfacing.
Traffic volume is considered in the work schedule, though. The transportation department kept both northbound lanes of Interstate 81 open Saturday because of traffic leaving Radford University's graduation weekend.
It'll do the same this weekend for Virginia Tech's graduation.
Nevertheless, weekends are among the better times for closing a lane if it's necessary, the transportation department said. Truck traffic on I-81 probably is at its lightest on Saturdays.
Sundays are another story, though. Northbound truck traffic goes nonstop on this day and both lanes nearly always stay open.
Some road projects are done at night to avoid heavy traffic. The I-81 bridges near Salem are an example, as was the widening of Webber Highway in Roanoke in the past two years.
Also, work-zone safety is a primary concern for the transportation department. That's why police usually step up their speed enforcement in these areas.
Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Or, e-mail Roatimes@Infi.Net. Maybe we can find the answer.
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