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From: an@hou2h.UUCP (A.NGUYEN)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Small cars in collisions
Message-ID: <409@hou2h.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 24-Apr-84 16:46:45 EST
Article-I.D.: hou2h.409
Posted: Tue Apr 24 16:46:45 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 26-Apr-84 01:32:29 EST
References: <395@hou2h.UUCP> opus.376 <552@uofm-cv.UUCP> <212@we53.UUCP>, <536@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 37

--
> Jim Knutson:
> I don't know about this accelerated brain mass unless it's your head
> smashing against the steering column.

Imagine this.  You're in a Volvo, going 120 mph (will a Turbo do
that?  (-:).  You're wearing seatbelts like a good non-*ssh*le.  You
hit a brick wall head on.  Your fancy schmancy crush zone crumples
like papier mache, but the passenger compartment is perfectly protected.
Your body meanwhile has decelerated,  all without hitting *anything*,
from 120 mph down to 0 mph in about 4 feet, the length of the crush zone
(never mind where the motor went for now!).  That's easily over 40 G's,
which will give you a concussion.  (Physics majors only are welcome to
question my guesstimate  (-:).  Your nose will bleed and your eyeballs
will pop out to say the least!

Let's not worship racing cars man!  A purpose-built racing car is a
thing of beauty, capable of tremendous acceleration, deceleration
and lateral acceleration.  It is also a true monocoque: a tight
little bath tub with hardly any superfluous room around the driver.
You take the steering wheel off to get out.  Road cars are but a
poor fascimile of a true monocoque what with door openings and hood
and trunk lid.  Ever seen the motorcycle commercials that show a
racing bike:  they always say, at the end and in fine print,
"Photographed under controlled conditions with a professional rider."
I.e.  "Don't try this at home, kids!"

Re: spectacular racing accidents in which the driver walks away.
Strong monocoques and racing harnesses definitely help there, but
they are not the whole story.  A.J. Foyt told of an accident at Indy
one year.  Niki Lauda (?) lost it coming into turn 3.  He maneuvered
the car so it hit the wall at a glance.  Foyt thinks that if Lauda
didn't do anything and hit the wall head on he would have died. 
Like I said, "professional drivers ..."

	Au