The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!
Monday, April 18, 2016
Oops!
Several readers, knowing of my interest in rallying, have sent me the link to this video recently. I recommend watching it in full-screen mode.
had a car do a barrel roll over my hood as we were traveling at 60 mph on the highway. Adrenaline inducing to say the least as a ton of steel hung suspended midair above my hood and 10 feet away. And I still haven't figured out how that car managed to perform that feat. I have never figured out how that car managed to get from a mundane forward travel at 60 mph into a rolling flying sideways course.
you were a lot closer than I was to a perplexing vehicle escapade. There was heavy traffic on the freeway going my direction. Slightly climbing turn. Rather suddenly, vehicles ahead of me began moving in a disorganized fashion, and then a full sized pickup truck levitated above the traffic. It was sideways to the lanes, and the bottom of the tires were above the roofs of the cars. It was level, and not rolling or spinning in any noticeable fashion before it dropped out of sight. This was about 100 yards ahead of me. When I reached that spot, I could see the truck sitting on the side of the road, still sideways to everyone else. No evidence of any other vehicles involved in a collision.
One possible cause for your barrel rolling car:
Concrete road dividers that have a wide tapered base that becomes vertical perhaps a foot or so above the road surface can cause cars to do what you saw, although I've only seen the results of a minor version of it. I cleared the road of a VW Jetta that was sitting on it's roof, in the middle of stop and go commuter traffic. No damage was found anywhere on the sides, just the roof. The driver dodged to the center divide to avoid stopped traffic, and hit that angled footing of the divider. The tires rolled up the side ( I think the steering wheel may have been yanked out of his hands) and it launched the car into the air as it continued it's barrel roll. He said he was only going perhaps 30mph. It hit on the roof before rolling beyond 180 degrees. I suspect if he was going faster, the effects would have been greater (higher, further roll, farther air travel).
I notice that newer dividers no longer have that same profile that launches cars.
Will the conditions were slight down hill car in left lane sudden short rain shower. I think that car got flipped by dropping off the shoulder then back on . the truly terrifying part is the total lack of any kind of danger sign. no unsafe driving going on, traffic but not really dense, just another day on the road. tons of metal moving at speed controlled by the friction of 4 relatively small patches of rubber and directed by someone whose understanding of inertia is flawed at best is a recipe for insanity. Now on the other hand I could be persuaded to take flight in a car deliberately andreline junky that i am
had a car do a barrel roll over my hood as we were traveling at 60 mph on the highway. Adrenaline inducing to say the least as a ton of steel hung suspended midair above my hood and 10 feet away. And I still haven't figured out how that car managed to perform that feat. I have never figured out how that car managed to get from a mundane forward travel at 60 mph into a rolling flying sideways course.
ReplyDeletemark:
ReplyDeleteyou were a lot closer than I was to a perplexing vehicle escapade. There was heavy traffic on the freeway going my direction. Slightly climbing turn. Rather suddenly, vehicles ahead of me began moving in a disorganized fashion, and then a full sized pickup truck levitated above the traffic. It was sideways to the lanes, and the bottom of the tires were above the roofs of the cars. It was level, and not rolling or spinning in any noticeable fashion before it dropped out of sight. This was about 100 yards ahead of me. When I reached that spot, I could see the truck sitting on the side of the road, still sideways to everyone else. No evidence of any other vehicles involved in a collision.
One possible cause for your barrel rolling car:
Concrete road dividers that have a wide tapered base that becomes vertical perhaps a foot or so above the road surface can cause cars to do what you saw, although I've only seen the results of a minor version of it.
I cleared the road of a VW Jetta that was sitting on it's roof, in the middle of stop and go commuter traffic. No damage was found anywhere on the sides, just the roof. The driver dodged to the center divide to avoid stopped traffic, and hit that angled footing of the divider. The tires rolled up the side ( I think the steering wheel may have been yanked out of his hands) and it launched the car into the air as it continued it's barrel roll. He said he was only going perhaps 30mph. It hit on the roof before rolling beyond 180 degrees. I suspect if he was going faster, the effects would have been greater (higher, further roll, farther air travel).
I notice that newer dividers no longer have that same profile that launches cars.
Will the conditions were slight down hill car in left lane sudden short rain shower. I think that car got flipped by dropping off the shoulder then back on . the truly terrifying part is the total lack of any kind of danger sign. no unsafe driving going on, traffic but not really dense, just another day on the road. tons of metal moving at speed controlled by the friction of 4 relatively small patches of rubber and directed by someone whose understanding of inertia is flawed at best is a recipe for insanity. Now on the other hand I could be persuaded to take flight in a car deliberately andreline junky that i am
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many dead spectators they had... I saw at least four get hit at speed...
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile the Ford T goes "pocketa pocketa" completes the course and wins the trophy.
ReplyDeleteIt was heartening to see the spectators running to help in so many cases.
ReplyDelete