Why I drive a truck...a very BIG truck

[7urtle]

i got my moms 01 explorer on 2 wheels when i was 15 thinking i could drive it like a car

 

[88GT]

That's incomplete physics. There's also impulse=F*T, and a few other equations that all factor in to make F=M*A less relevant than many believe.

Since impulse is still dependent on force, mass is still relevant. And since time t is equal for both vehicles, mass is still very relevant.

Did you watch the second video? Which vehicle, mine or the road puck, do you think is more like a concrete wall when hit?

An interesting test would be to run my truck model into a concrete wall and see what happens. Then run the Focus (or any other passenger car) into the broadside of a stationary truck instead of the concrete wall (stationary truck, moving car) and see what happens. Then run the truck into the broadside of a stationary Focus (stationary car, moving truck) and see what happens.
What do you think will happen? Better question: which would you you rather be in when the other hit you?

(While we're at it, I'd like to see the SuperDuty model plow into a Smart car broadside. I wonder how well that rigid frame stands up to forces acting on it sideways.)

The safest vehicles on the road today are not the biggest and none of them are pickup trucks. Of the top ten, only 3-4 are SUVs.

Safest by what standard? That's kind of important to know. But at any rate, it's irrelevant, because this wasn't about what vehicle earned the NHTSB's top rating for safety. It was about the fact that physics trumps NHTSB ratings and in the event of a collision, I want physics on MY side, not the other guy's.

Do you remember that video posted in Break Room about the vehicle collisions? Did you see the one where the Suburban lost control in his lanes and went flying across the median, whereupon he was promptly blasted to smithereens by the semi? How many cars can do that to a bigger vehicle? Why are collisions with semis generally so devastating? Because the semi has a ridiculous level of mass advantage over the passenger car.

Volvo, Audi, Mercedes, Infiniti, BMW, and Subaru own the top. Not only are they safer in crash tests, they are safer in the features they have that improve stability, traction, and driver visibility because I don't know about any of you, I'm going to FIRST worry about avoiding a crash, THEN worry about surviving it.
And kinda like shooting, the nut located behind the steering wheel is STILL the biggest variable and I work on my defensive driving all of the time.

All of those things are important, but they don't help you IN the collision. And that's what this thread was about. Safety features are about mitigating the effects of physics, not making physics irrelevant. Physics still rules and I'd rather take my chances with a vehicle that wins in a raw battle of physics than rely on engineering to compensate for the difference.

 

[DRob]

Regardless

Regardless of what passenger vehicle you drive, sub-compact to big pickup, there is something out there that can smash you like a bug! Drive carefully.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Since impulse is still dependent on force, mass is still relevant. And since time t is equal for both vehicles, mass is still very relevant.

Yes, it is relevant, like the fact that just applying mass isn't the answer, that mass has to be applied with proper engineering. Having a high mass vehicle ALONE doesn't make the difference. Having a high mass vehicle where the mass is designed to protect you DOES. That's part of what makes the vehicles I listed safer.

All of those things are important, but they don't help you IN the collision. And that's what this thread was about. Safety features are about mitigating the effects of physics, not making physics irrelevant. Physics still rules and I'd rather take my chances with a vehicle that wins in a raw battle of physics than rely on engineering to compensate for the difference.

Interestingly, I never said physics was irrelevant, I was challenging the incomplete understanding of physics. Which means I think the physics is very relevant. Part of physics is that you cannot ignore relevant variables and equations because they don't fit a preconceived notion. More to the point, even though I too have peeled lots of people out of cars as an EMT and seen lots of collision damage, I'm going to defer to the people who study this far more extensively than I ever could.

 

[lrahm]

Face it, at most highway speeds someone will receive serious injuries. Doesn't matter what typr of vehicle you drive.

 

[Colt556]

How about new vs old?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPF4fBGNK0U

I've seen that vid several times and each time I get pissed that they destroyed such a cherry old Chevy! I'd love to cruise around in that 59'.

 

[Hoosierdood]

While I really like my SUV (GMC Acadia), my '04 Buick Park Ave. can really take a hit and keep on rolling. Two weeks ago we had some insanely thick fog. I was stopped at a stop light and some young girl from out of state didn't know there was a stop light on the highway there. She rear ended me going around 55 mph. My trunk ended up on top of her hood. Her Saturn was hauled away on a flatbed (totaled), and I drove away and went to work. My Buick is in the shop right now getting the bumper replaced. Yup, thats all that happened... scratches on the bumper.

 

[cosermann]

Reminds me of Mythbusters destroying a car with a rocket sled at 650 MPH. My mouth just hung open the first time I saw it. Slo mo starts at 3:19.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAKS3VkPfD4

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

How about new vs old?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPF4fBGNK0U

Ruined a perfectly beautiful 59 Bel Air for that. What did they expect?

 

[bobzilla]

While I like trucks, and we own a nice one, I'll take my compact-ish cars. I can get away from the mouthbreathers that can't drive a little better. That, and I actually ENJOY driving something that handles, brakes and does everything I need it to do ROGHT NOW.

 

[7urtle]

Face it, at most highway speeds someone will receive serious injuries. Doesn't matter what typr of vehicle you drive.

hurt>dead

 

[foxmustang]

I've personally seen 2 Ford Super Dutys that have rolled and all parties that were in the vehicles walked away. One was my brothers F-250 that semi cut off on U.S 24. Rolled 3 times and didn't cave in the drivers compartment. he walked away. As for me, my daily driver is a F-250. I'd rather have 1500lbs. between be and someone veering into my lane. That's just my opinion tho.

 

[Brandon]

I like my F250, it will be the smallest truck I ever own.
I also like my BMW's.
I was hit by a truck once and pushed out of the intersection, sure my car was totaled, his truck didn't do well either though. I had tiny fragments of glass in my skin and a side mirror landed on my lap, but otherwise fine. Honestly given the choice of his truck or my car... I would still pick my old BMW over his older truck.

 

[CTC B4Z]

my 250 rides so high that little car woulda sent me right over it... most likely landing perfectly on all 4's....

remember, while airborn and about to nose drive, romp throttle

 

[snowrs]

F=MA where A is acceleration or deceleration, in an accident the deceleration is the driving factor (DV/DT) so the longer it takes to come to a stop the less force. A well engineered vehicle makes sure that there are crumple zones and other measures to make that decel as long as possible. As well they engineer in materials such as carbon fiber drive shafts, structural elelments to absorb some of the energy as release it in even slower. I would much rather have a well engineered vehicle than a big heavy vehicle which is why aVolvo is a safer vehicle than alot of SUV's

 

[sepe]

How about new vs old?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPF4fBGNK0U

That '59 should buff right out, right? If not, I'll be over in the corner crying.

 

[Oliver]

I would never choose to drive something that weighs less and rides lower than another car that is being involved in an accident. EVER. I seriously could care less about ANY results or experiments that anyone could provide. I completely realize that is less than open minded, and I accept that. I would also encourage anyone who has never driven a vehicle that rides over 4-5 inches taller than 90% of cars on the road to make their opinion after riding in said vehicle.

 

[jrogers]

There's no point in discussing safety, since I prefer my motorcycle. Interestingly, the two classes of vehicles that have most often tried to kill me are full-sized trucks and full-sized SUVs. Their drivers seem in many cases to be completely unaware of their surroundings.

 

[Bapak2ja]

sylvain, this is about vehicle collisions. while rollovers are possible during a collision, you didnt grasp the idea entirely. if you dont drive like an idiot, you most likely will never roll a SUV / truck.

"If you don't drive like and idiot" and pay attention to the road, "you most likely will never" have a head on collision, either. Not impossible, sure; it can happen. The the likelihood of a head head on by a wise and attentive drive is about as likely as a roll over.

Now I am sure you can do the math and run statistics about one being more likely, but I am speaking in general terms, as the OP was with the original video.

 

[Aggar]

I'll keep my 2500hds and I just bought a suburban since the wife will be getting the mini van in the divorce. On Halloween I witnessed a bad wreck involving a grand am and a mid 90's dodge 1500 pickup. Truck t boned the car in the driver door. Car ran stop sign. Truck hit so hard it rolled. Driver did not have to be cut out of the truck. The car was another story. Everybody had to be cut out. Driver lifelined out. Not sure if she made it. Her eye was hanging out of her head. I was first on the scene. No matter how safe your car is rated at, you'll never replicate the exact same scenario as the test in real life. I'll stick to my big diesel trucks and gas suckin suv. That wreck was the worder thing I've seen.