Please read-just happened-Northern Virginia

Hi all. Sorry if I was quick to anger earlier. I've written several posts on this site, none of them really about anything fantastic (more mundane, politics etc.) and the fact I was really shaken by the incident coupled with the more aggressive posts sort of made me lash out.

I did drive back to the area where I initially experienced the flash, although much later. Nothing noteworthy was garnered from the trip, but so much time had elapsed that I wasn't shocked by this. Two things of note have since unfolded; I have been getting waves of nausea consistently throughout the day. I haven't been able to eat since breakfast. I am going to check myself in to Fairfax County hospital in the morning to at least assuage my fears that something biological happened to me. I am not an optometrist, so I don't know how to scientifically explain this, but my eyes are not adjusting in the darkness. Like my pupils will not dilate or something.

I am sorry I cannot prove anything to you all. All I can say is that myself and six other people experienced something today whether it was a shared neurological incident, geographical, meteorological, etc.. I am sorry I did not do a better job of investigating things.

Hey, I find this thread very interesting and i've flagged it. Your physical symptions are worrying, they may be evidence that it was more than just a flash of light, my strength goes out to you and best wishes that the doctors don't find anything worrying.

Have you had a migraine or a headache at all?

[edit on 20-3-2010 by joecool280]

Thanks for coming back, OP. I hope you are okay! I was sad to see this thread get so derailed... I have actually read a number of accounts about strange lightning-like flashes, and loud booms -- particularly in the northeast US -- recently.

There was a long thread running on GLP about that very topic recently, but my IP address is currently banned from that site, so can't link you to anything there. (Apparently I am part of a mass-banning, nothing personal.) Might be worth reading the thread, though, if you can access it.

Please keep us updated as to how you are faring, and if you get any more information about what may have happened.

Originally posted by JohnySeagull
First off you should probably get a doctor to give you a once over. Just tell them you blacked out.

I am guessing this is the result of lightening.

The other possibility is your a nut and obsessed with the tv show flash forward.

Johnny seagull I just marked you as a foe. No respect intended.

Your opinion adds nothing to the discussion.

A blinding flash that knocks innocent people to the ground and invokes a thought of death is more than frightening. It is just the kind of phenomenon I joined ATS to learn about.

Johnny seagull I believe you have no interest in legitimate debate. Johnny seagull you are one of many newcomers full of negativity. God bless you johnny seagull.



peace

Any chance of flashbangs being thrown at you guys?

Well, it's pure speculation but it's the best I got...

There's apparently a natural gas pocket in or around Virginia (source). Could it possibly have been a small leak from that pocket that ignited momentarily? Or perhaps some similar geological phenomenon?

If it's not, I'm at a loss for an explanation. Weird stuff, thanks for sharing.


TA

Edit to fix the link.


[edit on 20-3-2010 by TheAssociate]

Too bad the OP took offense and did not stay to read some great responses to his situation. But maybe he was feeling anxious about the experience, which may have upset him far more than he stated. A couple of interesting responses mentioned farms with electricity causing people similar or even worse effects...this was rising from the ground (which is what happens when lightning strikes anyway).

Perhaps it was lightning of a sort, from the ground. Again, farm was indicated. Someone here astutely mentioned the iron content of the farm machines, which is a conductor of electricity. The strange thing is that only a few people were effected; and this was witnessed by a number of others.

The OP also stated he collected old farm equipment so maybe he lives more in the country. A very strange story but he told us he was totally traumatized by the experience, thinking he may have had an aneurism or stroke or something. He may have been disoriented and terrified (he said he was suffused with terror, as if this were also a side effect of the light manifestation).

It reminds me of Montauk and Al Bielek...

I am in nova myself, however I was aesleep when that event happened to OP. I did call a few friends who were at gmu at the time and nothing.

Edit just to add a prank we played at a friend last year: We had a laser pointer and pointed it at his glasses from behind (yeah yeah, that's kind of dangerous but it wasn't my idea or doing), we were in an electronics lab and he immediately freaked out. His first thought was an oscilloscope had emitted 2 huge sparks and didn't wanna go near it again.

So I'm just adding the laser pointer possibility, perhaps someone thought it was fun to point it at your eyes. (note laser pointers do come in different colors)


[edit on 20-3-2010 by daniel_g]

My dad experienced something similar about a year ago in Spring, Texas. He and some other random people were looking up at a cloud that seemed to be pulsing or beating like a heart. The pulse rate was increasing and as it did he said that it was like the air was being sucked out of him. Not in a violent knock the wind out of sort of way, but a soft suck with each pulse. Then a small concentrated flash of the brightest light he claims to ever have seen occurred in the cloud. Followed by a visible shock wave that radiated from the flash. Then a loud thump that knocked him back and made his knees buckle. He said the thump noise he heard sounded as though it originated inside his head, but the others heard it to.

[edit on

this may be a rediculous question buuuut since i dont know what exactly they do you except what a video game tells me, would you think maby some pranksters got ahold of a live flashbang? like i said im not sure of their true effect but that sounds like what happens to you in certain video games. sorry if this has been asked before

reply to post by hungrydirt


Hi there,

I experienced something similar, i too am unphased by most dangerous situations, I too went blind, and I felt unusually terrified

For me, I assumed low blood pressure, I was at a non-extreme but increased altitude - i went blind for 30 seconds after standing up - never happened before or since., it scared the daylights out of me ... until it stopped, then i carried on without saying a word ... dumb man stuff.

Of course this wouldn't affect anyone else, but from your recollection to us, it doesn't sound like you got any confirmation, maybe she just tripped at the same time? were you examining a lot on your hocks, then stood up before you went blind?

glad u r ok

reply to post by hungrydirt


Hope all is well hungrydirt...good idea to get checked out if you are experiencing those symptoms.

I know you were very scared and nervous about this event...hopefully it all has a natural explaination and your symptoms could very well be due to your anxiety over this situation...anxiety/stress sucks and can give you very real symptoms when nothing is wrong. But glad you are getting it checked out.

Hope all is well...hope you check back in here to let us know.

reply to post by hungrydirt


Hi hd, with all the equipment (metals) around you OnceReturned's idea of lightening sounds like the probable cause. The most likely culprit...a bolt from the blue.

www.weather.gov...

The peole that have posted the "flashbang grenade" theories seem to have it right.

Do a little research on the effects of a flashbang grenade; I think you will find it matches what you described.

reply to post by daniel_g

So I'm just adding the laser pointer possibility, perhaps someone thought it was fun to point it at your eyes. (note laser pointers do come in different colors)

They do cause extremely bright flashes & temporary blinding and can cause permanent damage. I hope nothing like that happens to anyone, but it's becoming more common with lasers pointed at overpassing planes, and they'll choose other targets now their actions are more publicised. Unfortunately this would probably be passing drivers and pedestrians as their next likely victims. It could have been someone from a house firing it indiscriminantly at people walking by, and leaving most people too confused to report it.

They do come in many different colours and the laser can travel over long distances.

Unfortunately the type of people who fire these laser pens at others are either too ignorant of the damage they can cause, or simply don't care. Those types of incidents should be treated by police as the same as any physical assault with potential long-term damage.

[edit on 20-3-2010 by john124]

reply to post by hungrydirt


This could be underground transit voltage from underground power lines. If I were you I would contact the person in charge of this estate and let them know what happened.

Underground transit voltage is a lot more common than you think. Your experience sounds like many whom have lived to tell about it. The underground power lines don’t even have to be near you they could be 20 feet or more away. Some instances have been reported to be up to a half mile away.

Call the local power company to check it out. They have special equipment to do this. Don’t wait someone could get killed.
You got lucky today. glad you’re still whith us.


Please do not go back their and investigate it. Call the local Power Company First.

Symptons of electrocution.
Dazed and confused condition, Problems with sight.
Here is the link for a complete list: www.tpub.com...

Please do not go back their and investigate it. Call the local Power Company. and get your self checked out ASAP






[edit on 20-3-2010 by SJE98]

Haven't had time to look through the posts, but could this be related to the very same thing that happened to the 75-300 or so Starlings that fell out of the sky? You may have experienced a headache, but being as small as a bird, could have suffered the same fate as the Starling? How did the baby cope? Did you go for any scans at your local hospital? Would be interesting to see if anything has changed neurologically or with DNA structuring.

Very interesting indeed.

[edit on 20-3-2010 by Sounds_of_Silence]

good idea to contact the power company, come back and let us know what the dr says. Have you considered contacting the local newspaper? it is an interesting story and the others might come forward

reply to post by hungrydirt


Are you sure you didn't get a near lightning bolt strike? Outdoors, large flash, knowcked down, sounds to me like a lightning strike.

I have seen exactly 2 UFO's now by getting up early for estate sales.

The first was a fluorescent green disc in the sky about the size of a full moon but on a flat angle moving silently across the sky. Very weird no sound and moving fast enough to discount a hot air balloon.

The second happened just a few weeks back and multiple witnesses of a large white delta wing shape craft that happened 8:00 am and also some white orbs in vicinity same color as the wing flying under it.

About 3 other witnesses to the event and all thought very strange and NOT of this world. One old retired military guy was lamenting the lack of binoculars.