The sound and bright light was the transformer on the pole, where that overhead wife she observed led to, shorted out and exploded. It had nothing to do that she was there, just a coincidence.
I had a similar electrical experience. As I drove under power lines crossing the road I suddenly heard a loud, sustained electrical buzzing and, at the same time, felt a mild electrical shock go through the length of my body. Simultaneously, the outside of my car was bathed in an undulating bright green light, quite similar to the green lights of the aurora borealis. I called my electric company to ask them what it was, but as “Lawsuit!” must have immediately flashed through the representative’s mind, she blamed it on the cable tv lines. I asked to have an engineer call me to explain what had happened, but of course I never heard from them.
The guys who worked for power companies got it. Critter shorted power lines or they touched somehow. Maybe transformer. Doubt phone charger - not enough “blast power”. Internal reflections can sometimes make lights seem to move etc. Wow, 82 comments so far. Gotta love Twilight Zone.
She didn’t say if it might have been windy or not, but if it was it’s possible that two overhead wires touched just as she was driving past. It would be bright and noisy if you were close by.
That happens sometimes…that’s the reason for a lot of power outages when it is windy.
St. Elmo’s fire or ball lightening, possibly. I personally witnessed a similar phenomenon while staying at a Motel in Lebanon Ohio some years ago. The lights were off and a luminous sizzling ball entered the room from under the outside door. It sizzled and rolled around the room and finally under the bed where it dissipated. The whole thing only took a few seconds, but I knew what was having read about it. Never thought I would see it though.
i think that the powerline had a buildup and just happened to arc into her car, the nearest ground point
I believe this actually was all in her head. It is called the exploding head syndrome. A loud noise that can be a loud buzzing occurs and can be accompanied by a bright light. I have been an avid listener for too many years. I also have listened to Dr. Dean Edell for 30 years, who is now retired. It came up on his show many times. Here is a link to Wikipedia. This is a rare time for my interest in medicine to come up as a topic on cartalk. I was a self employed mechanic for 40 years. That necessitated a strong interest in medicine.
Forgot my link
Here is what I think happened … Sally went over highway grating (when she slightly veered off the road) at exactly the same time when the sun reflected off some object giving her the sensation of a loud buzz with vibration and seeing a bright light. She was probably travelling westward some time after sunrise or eastward before sunset.
Lightning struck near the car. It either hit the power line, a nearby tree, and or the car itself.
The buzzing beforehand was the charge building. The bright flash happens at the same time as the thunder clap when you are that close. You also see almost a blue-ish color to the flash. Afterwords, you could probably smell some Ozone.
Lightning can travel horizontal for three miles, and can strike when there is not a cloud in the sky.
If a transformer blew, you would have seen the fire, which the caller did not report.
Also, a downed power line could have landed on the car, but this damage would be visible on the car as scaring of the paint. Additionally, downed power lines have a habit of destroying the cars electrical system. Since neither of these was reported, this possibility is therefore probably remote.
Getting out the the car, for any possibility is not too great an idea. Lightning can strike twice in the same place, and you are protected in the car. If a line had come down on the car, stepping out would have killed the caller outright.
hmmm … well, the electrical buzz could have been just radio interference from the power line. If the radio was on, that’s the most likely culprit for the noise. Radio crackling is not unusual when driving near powerlines, especially big powerlines. There’s a place nearby where I drive almost every week at least once that causes the radio to buzz every time I go by. I asked a repairman I noticed there one day. He said that location was some kind of internet hub for the whole town so he wasn’t surprised it caused a buzzing sound on the car radio. Anything could have caused what appeared to be a light flash. Another car’s headlight from behind, reflecting in the rear-view mirror? A light from a passing jet-liner, more likley if within 20 miniles of a major airport. Maybe even it was just the moonlight, angled just right to flood into the passenger compartment through a window right at that point, illuminating the inside of the car briefly.
When our neighborhood transformers occasionally explode, the BZZZZT is followed by a huge KABOOM, because the transformers contain oil. Sally didn’t say anything about a KABOOM, so I’m guessing it was an electrical arc, as many previous posters have suggested. Sadly, a tree trimmer was electrocuted here in DC a few months ago when an arc from a power line traveled through the air to his ladder – his ladder wasn’t even that close to the power line.
Here’s a good picture of a power line arc-ing: (scary stuff!!!)
http://thunderbolts.info/tpod/2011/arch11/110210electrodynamic2.htm
“If a transformer blew, you would have seen the fire, which the caller did not report.”
Yes, but two power lines arcing together would not make a fire, just a very bright flash, and would have made noise in the radio as well. (Agree with skivvy)
I believe she may have passed through the time-space continum. You should have asked her what the date is. She might have answered from when that old Explorer was new, 2003 I believe.
The noise Sally heard was probably a discharge of static electricity interferring with her radio; however, the bright light may well be something totally unrelated to power lines, etc. Sally should see an opthalmologist as the sudden appearance of a very bright light is often the warning of a retinal tear or a detached retina.
Many years ago I was driving at night between Aspen and Glenwood Springs, Colorado where a high tension line ran across a valley and up a mountain. I saw bright large balls of light, with accompanying “electric” sounds, traveling along the lines. Later I heard on the local news someone was shooting at the power lines. Now I am not sure what amusements or activities the town of Waccabuc offers it’s citizens, but perhaps a bored someone with a inquiring nature and a gun and possibly a bottle of…?
All she need do is drive around with a crowbar hanging out of her trunk and dragging on the ground (see sawmill/jeep puzzler). That should take care of any electrical buildup.
The important question is what to do about it.
'Twould be good for Sally to KNOW whether or not the phenomenon caused or was caused by damage to Sally’s car or damage to Sally.
Sally should find out whether something electrical happened. Asking someone would not hurt.
If the answer is yes, then her brain is probably still working, but her car could use a checkup.
If the answer is no, Sally might need a checkup.
If the answer is unavailable, the cheaper patient should get the first checkup.