Blimey!

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:58 pm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... rtComments

(scroll up)

neil · Post by **neil** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:15 pm

HOW???

Edin430 · Post by **Edin430** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:22 pm

Mental eh...? Was in the paper the other day...

Some scientist dude estimated min of 70mph to do it.....

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:36 pm

I was not far off I thought about 60 for an initial impact speed, but if you look he has hit the roundabout the car has bounced up over the sign causing the car to cartwheel, bad roundabout design and someone not paying attention

CSK_423 · Post by **CSK_423** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 1:02 am

What's the limit on the approach road does it say anywhere ?

Seems a bit strange to hit the roundabout at that kind of speed, surely he was braking meaning he was going even quicker prior to hitting the roundabout.

Has mechanical failure been mentioned anywhere, brake failure, sticky throttle.............

mac · Post by **mac** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:26 am

Perhaps his directions said - Straight through the roundabout!

Seriously though - that's a standard roundabout design for an urban area, they are designed to be driven around rather than up and over.

Don't know how the boffin worked it out but I would have thought it would require a speed much higher than that given the distance and obstructions hit

Mac

robin · Post by **robin** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:42 am

Kinetic energy is 1/2 * mass * velocity^2, so the in energy terms, the difference between 60 and 70 mph is enormous (35% more energy at 70 than 60).

As the range of a projectile at low speed is entirely down to the energy imparted to projectile at launch, it's pretty easy to work out how much energy you would need to launch a 1,500kg volvo for the required distance.

I suspect the second flight is a bit of bad luck - generally speaking cars don't bounce (not very high anyway) as they absorb energy on impact by crumpling, but the tyres & springs and perhaps an unluckily placed embankment could launch the car for a second time.

Robin

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:27 pm

mac wrote:Don't know how the boffin worked it out but I would have thought it would require a speed much higher than that given the distance and obstructions hit

Mac

Andy G · Post by **Andy G** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:29 pm

rossybee wrote:
mac wrote:Don't know how the boffin worked it out but I would have thought it would require a speed much higher than that given the distance and obstructions hit

Mac

Boffin - they called Robin surely - what else would you do!

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:41 pm

An Elise would have had it in the corners...

An Atom would have cleared the building...

mattg · Post by **mattg** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:13 pm

perfect example of paper thin walls in new builds these days.
the just dont make em like they used to.

bertieduff · Post by **bertieduff** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:09 pm

...which is probably just as well or the kid would likely have been a gonner too