We were at the top of Admiral Way in West Seattle (a roadside lookout) watching that amazing lightning storm hit downtown Seattle about 20+ years ago when everyone’s hair started standing on end. Shortly after that a bolt hit the ground about a hundred feet from us. It looked like it was 15 feet wide. The guys sitting on the railing apparently got a “side shock” because they all jumped off the bar, uncontrollably, when it struck.
The hair on end is created when the channel/path for the return strike is created.
LOL. Reminds me of a buddy of mine when we had a pretty good sized earthquake. He drove down to the beach to see if there was going to be a tsunami.