I looked at a Chevy pickup a local equipment dealer had for sale which they had put an Isuzu diesel in.  The owner told me that ten years ago he had been returning from a parts run when a thunderstorm hit.  Truck was struck by lightning.  Knocked the 2 way antenna off, blew up the radio, killed much of the electrical system, but with a mechanical pump it continued to run until he got home.  Had to replace four tires within a month. 

Also....regarding the rubber tire "insulation" bit....asphalt company was backhauling lime for us and one of the end dumps got into the REA line.   Probalby 7200 volts.  Tires did nothing to prevent it from shorting to ground.  One tire blew out when the contact was made.  Driver said that truck recieved either 17 or 19 tires before being put back in service.  

Seed dealer we know hit a line with a sprayer boom....killed a tire on the sprayer.  

Local high school football coach somehow managed to hit a line with a goal post yesterday.  electrocuted himself  and sent another to hospital via helicopter with electrical burns.  

Electricity is not something to mess around with, natural or 'controlled'.