You Tube Linky
It's a bit scary!!!!!!!
Iainl
Did anyone else see this test crash of a Focus @120mph on Fifth Gear the other night?
You Tube Linky
It's a bit scary!!!!!!!
Iainl
i saw it. it jumped up at the rear and nose dived into the ground. completely destroyed
This must be why Armco on tracks isn't made from solid concrete and steel..
Yeah, they do some extreme ones on there don't they?
Hooooleee crap
Why do they continue to perpetuate the myth that two cars colliding each doing 60mph, is the same as each car hitting a concrete wall at 120??
Its equivalent to each car hitting a concrete wall at 60 ... Think about it.
quote:
Originally posted by plentywahalla
Why do they continue to perpetuate the myth that two cars colliding each doing 60mph, is the same as each car hitting a concrete wall at 120??
Its equivalent to each car hitting a concrete wall at 60 ... Think about it.
Ive never seen a concrete wall do 60mph ?
so two cars driving at each other, both doing 60 mph, has an impact of 120mph
and thats it, the end
Take it up with Newton
3rd law of motion : When a first body exerts a force F1 on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force F2 = -F1 on the first body.
This means that F1 and F2 are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
or the kiddies version, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Tilly
[Edited on 9/11/12 by tilly819]
[Edited on 9/11/12 by tilly819]
[Edited on 9/11/12 by tilly819]
PS:
its not to do with velocity, its all about energy
tilly
quote:
Originally posted by steve m
Ive never seen a concrete wall do 60mph ?
so two cars driving at each other, both doing 60 mph, has an impact of 120mph
and thats it, the end
quote:
Originally posted by plentywahalla
Why do they continue to perpetuate the myth that two cars colliding each doing 60mph, is the same as each car hitting a concrete wall at 120??
Its equivalent to each car hitting a concrete wall at 60 ... Think about it.
I think that's the point, that these are normal cars that average Joe can own and get into a mess like that. My car has 130 on it's clock even though it's a smallish runabout so I guess it could be quite easy for a "oh F we're really late" to turn into a 3 inch deep grave
I think the whole thing with the impact is to do with the fact that the concrete wall is non-deformable.
If two cars hit each other (each doing 120mph so closing speed of 240mph), the energy dissipated by one vehicle will be the same as one car hitting a
stationary concrete block at 120mph.
In the car vs. car scenario, the energy is double, but is dissipated by both vehicles. In the wall scenario, the entire energy is absorbed by the car
since the concrete structure does not deform in any way.
So their statement makes sense to me? However, I have been drinking sloe gin...
quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine
I think the whole thing with the impact is to do with the fact that the concrete wall is non-deformable.
If two cars hit each other (each doing 120mph so closing speed of 240mph), the energy dissipated by one vehicle will be the same as one car hitting a stationary concrete block at 120mph.
In the car vs. car scenario, the energy is double, but is dissipated by both vehicles. In the wall scenario, the entire energy is absorbed by the car since the concrete structure does not deform in any way.
So their statement makes sense to me? However, I have been drinking sloe gin...
quote:
Originally posted by bi22le
The 5th gear test proves nothing except to save lives we need air bags that come out the front of our cars!!
errrrrr what did they expect to happen when you drive a car at 120 mph into a concrete wall!!!
it is going to be f@@ked and the occupants also
btw that guy from fifth gear is a complete tit
quote:
Originally posted by skydivepaul
errrrrr what did they expect to happen when you drive a car at 120 mph into a concrete wall!!!
it is going to be f@@ked and the occupants also
I think it's safest to say either don't do 120MPH or don't crash. Speed does NOT kill, however 400g deceleration is going to every
time!
Another completely pointless 5th Gear test; only the truly stupid would be surprised at the outcome from this.
It's quite funny how many arguments this has sparked on on various forums with people trying to argue it's the same as two cars hitting each
other at 60mph. Clearly an awful lot of people didn't pay much attention at school 
Yeah as already said by a couple of people, hitting an immovable object (concrete block in this case) at 120MPH is, all other things being equal,
similar to hitting another identical car head on at 120MPH per car (i.e.. 240MPH closing speed). As also said, this is all about energy and the
conversion of kinetic energy into mainly heat and sound energy. Kinetic energy is measured in Joules and is equal to 1/2 * mass * velocity squared (in
metres per second) so 1/2 * 1200Kg * 2916 = 2041200 Joules. Assuming car to be around 1400Kgs. The total energy lost by hitting a stationary concrete
block will be half the total energy lost in the head on collision between cars but that energy loss is spread across two vehicles so the deformation
of each vehicle will be similar as hitting the stationary concrete block.
Having said all that, I'm not quite sure I understand the point which Fifth Gear were trying to make. I can't imagine (thankfully) many
scenarios where two cars would hit each other head on while both were travelling at 120MPH. Much more chance of hitting a stationary object (eg. tree,
wall, car in hard shoulder) at high speed than anything moving. I'd like to see what would happen if they did the same test but hit a large tree
(or simulated tree) instead. I bet it would be even more devastating than hitting a flat concrete block as the forces would try to rip the car in
half.
Has anyone seen the experiment where they flew a jet aircraft into a block of concrete at 500MPH?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZjhxuhTmGk
"Another completely pointless 5th Gear test; only the truly stupid would be surprised at the outcome from this."
I'd beg to differ on that, I think an awful lot of people think modern cars make them invulnerable, 5 star NCAP, airbags here there &
everywhere, pre-tensioning seat belts etc etc, I think a lot of people would be truly shocked at just how much energy is stored/disipated in an
accident like this, & how little protection the car would afford.
Ok, the accident isn't particularly likely to happen, but I have a strong suspicion that a car doing 70 mph hitting a 40 tonne truck doing, say
40 mph would probably have a fairly similar result, no doubt someone with more recent physics learming than I have could confirm or deny re the amount
of energy involved in each case?
I can imagine some pillock driving too fast and hitting a bridge pier at 120 - at least it would save the scrapyard having to crush the car. It's
similar to a fast car hitting a tree (another scary test 5th gear did) - the car is destroyed, the tree barely moves.
One VERY scary test 5th gear did was when they set up 15 - 20 stationary cars in 3 columns, then drive a big old Volvo into the back of the queue at
70mph (as if someone wasn't paying attention on a motorway). In the middle of the queue was a Fiat saloon - which ended up as a 5ft tall column
with a base of around 3ft square...
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
I can imagine some pillock driving too fast and hitting a bridge pier at 120 - at least it would save the scrapyard having to crush the car. It's similar to a fast car hitting a tree (another scary test 5th gear did) - the car is destroyed, the tree barely moves.
One VERY scary test 5th gear did was when they set up 15 - 20 stationary cars in 3 columns, then drive a big old Volvo into the back of the queue at 70mph (as if someone wasn't paying attention on a motorway). In the middle of the queue was a Fiat saloon - which ended up as a 5ft tall column with a base of around 3ft square...
It does show that you'd be much better off driving the concrete block...!
Ahhh... So THAT's what happens when you drive a car at 120mph into a Pinto
I was shocked by the test. I regularly crash into concrete blocks at 120mph and im fine. I dont even have a car.
quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine
Ahhh... So THAT's what happens when you drive a car at 120mph into a Pinto
quote:
Originally posted by russbost
"Another completely pointless 5th Gear test; only the truly stupid would be surprised at the outcome from this."
I'd beg to differ on that, I think an awful lot of people think modern cars make them invulnerable, 5 star NCAP