Is Bigger Better?

"Harry K" wrote in message
om...
"Cory Dunkle" wrote in message
...
quote:
Geo wants their Metro to be able to withstand a 50 MPH
head on collision (100MPH combined impact speed)
unquote.

The force of impact on each vehicle of equal mass, both moving 50 mph,
is 50mph, not 100mph. With two vehicles of disimilar mass the one
with less mass will experience something more than 50mph, the other
something less but nowhere near 100mph until the mass discrepancy
approaches infinity, e.g., a Metro against a loaded semi.

Would not a Geo Metro heading East at 50 MPH and a Geo Metro heading West at
50 MPH which collide head-on have the same effective impact speed and force
as a Geo Metro headed north which hits a concrete barrier at 100 MPH?

Oh, nevermind... I just figured it out. I feel stupid. The decelleration
from the 100 MPH Geo would be much greater than that either 50 MPH Geos
experienced. Esseentially it's as if in the first scenario both Geos hit a
concrete barrier.

In any case, when I wrote that I was thinking of a Geo Metro colliding head
on with a Suburban/H2 or Excursion at 50 MPH. Either way you're right
though.

"Ian St. John" wrote in message
...

"Cory Dunkle" wrote in message
news

"Ian St. John" wrote in message
news

"Cory Dunkle" wrote in message
...

"Paul" wrote in message
...

"Don Quijote" wrote in message
om...


Larger vehicles, the argument goes, may guzzle more gas but they
offer
more protection, whether one hits a tree or another car. The
argument
has been a central one when efforts emerge in Congress to raise
fuel
economy standards.

The two ton mom mobiles are safer, eh. Tell that to the dead girl.
See the following.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-onlin...12884481.shtml

Oh, just a little FYI. The "two ton mom mobiles" of the 60s, 70s and
80s
were station wagons, which weighed at least two tons, except maybe
the
compact station wagons like the falcon which probably weight a few
hundred
pounds less. Hell, _cars_ (i.e. not station wagons) used to weight
in
the
neighborhood of two tons. So stop bitching about the weight of SUVs,
because
cars used to be just as heavy, and there are quite a few these days
that
still are two tons or more.

We'll keep bitching till the two ton mom mobiles ( of whatever
design )
are
dead and the roads are safe. Remember that SUVs kill more in two car
collisions and yet are not safer for their drivers or passengers
because
of
roll instability and vision blockage. This has nothing to do with
history
or
what went before. It has to do with creating an unnecessary threat to
life,
as well as a wasteful gas guzzler. It is just ANOTHER bad design.

In that case _every_ vehicle on the road is "an unnecessary threat to
life,
as well as a wasteful gas guzzler". In times of old people used to live
close to work, and for those that lived fartehr from work they rode a
horse.
Cars are _not_ needed at all to survive. Any time a human moves faster
than
he was designed to (i.e. faster than he can run) he risks his life, as
the
human body wasn't made to take the impact of such high speeds. Anything
that
uses more gas than a horse is wasteful.

It is indeed all relative. Check the safety rating of cars before 'Unsafe
at
any speed". The citizens of 1905 were horrified at the breakneck speed and
dangerous recklessness of these new 'horseless buggies'. We have improved
the safety and regulation to a point where it is acceptable. But like the
Chevy Corsair and it's dangerous handling, there are issues where we say
'not good enough' which is what is being applied to SUVs.

There is nothing inherantly dangerous about the way a SUV handles. Just as
there is nothing inherantly dangerous about teh way a Chevy Corsair handles.
The driver must simply know how his vehicle handles and waht it is capable
with and drive accordingly.

The only reason people die in car accidents is because the accidents
occurred in the first place. Attack the problem at it's root, unsafe
drivers
and unsafe laws. The type of vehicle someone drives is irrelevant.

Unless you are going to 'perfect' humans you are talking through your
anus.
Is this some sort of bioengineering proposal? Otherwise we just have to
minimise the danger by improving the instrument. **** happens and you will
not get a better breed of human to cut down on the danger. That is really
far out and weird logic even for you.

I'm not talking about a better breed of human, or even a smarter human. I'm
simply talking about engineering our roads, traffic signal, traffic control
devices, and traffic laws entirely for safety and expedious travel. Do that
and you drop traffic accidents by a huge amount simply from making the roads
safe. Now make stiffer requirements for written and road tests and throw in
good, logical enforcement and you've greatly reduced the amount of bad
drivers getting on the roads as well as the number of accidents due to
unsafe roads.

"Cory Dunkle" wrote in message ...
"Harry K" wrote in message
om...
"Cory Dunkle" wrote in message
...
quote:
Geo wants their Metro to be able to withstand a 50 MPH
head on collision (100MPH combined impact speed)
unquote.

The force of impact on each vehicle of equal mass, both moving 50 mph,
is 50mph, not 100mph. With two vehicles of disimilar mass the one
with less mass will experience something more than 50mph, the other
something less but nowhere near 100mph until the mass discrepancy
approaches infinity, e.g., a Metro against a loaded semi.

Would not a Geo Metro heading East at 50 MPH and a Geo Metro heading West at
50 MPH which collide head-on have the same effective impact speed and force
as a Geo Metro headed north which hits a concrete barrier at 100 MPH?

Oh, nevermind... I just figured it out. I feel stupid. The decelleration
from the 100 MPH Geo would be much greater than that either 50 MPH Geos
experienced. Esseentially it's as if in the first scenario both Geos hit a
concrete barrier.

In any case, when I wrote that I was thinking of a Geo Metro colliding head
on with a Suburban/H2 or Excursion at 50 MPH. Either way you're right
though.

Yeah, the 100mph misconception is common. Just picturing what is
happening clears it up tho. Question, from what speed does each
decelerate? Ansewer 50mph. When phrased that way, even the hardcore
holdouts seem to get it.

Harry K