>
> Thats because big trucks typically use the "crumple zone" of something
> else (i.e. whatever they hit), and have a lot more "stuff" in front to
> absorb energy than a car (just check the overall length of a truck some
> time). This is back to my prev. point about the thing with the most mass
> typically wins in a crash. I've seen more than a few truck crashes where
> the driver didn't "walk away" when he hit a fixed object (like a bridge
> embankment). If you'd like to prove this to yourself, put an egg in a
> steel box, and drop it onto a cement floor. The egg breaks. Now take a
> egg, and pack it in a cardboard box surounded by foam and repeat.
> Doesn't break. So, what protects better, hard "steel", or something with
> crumble zones (cardboard box and foam)?
>
> Craig
>
Yeah but unlike the little experiment you mentioned, a trucker has a
seatbelt to keep him from slamming into the steel wall, if you strap the
egg in well on one end of the steel box then let it fall with the other
end first the egg won't be damaged either.... Okay no one hardly ever
survives hitting a concrete wall at 70 miles per hour, whether their in a
"steel box" or in a crumple zone car so that one doesn't count, I've never
seen a wreck where someone hit a concrete wall that anyone walked away
from, those are the wrecks where they have covered bodies on the side of
the road as you go past... I will take my chances with steel around me as
opposed to plastic/composites anyday......
Bruce
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 12:08:20 EDT