A question thats never been asked
Discussion
I was wondering at what speed would it become almost a certainty that you would not walk away from an accident? I dont mean absoulute death but a certain serious injury.
Consider that there are differences in vehicles and terrain and eliminating any unusual acts what would be a threshhold where no one would walk away upon an accident.
Consider that there are differences in vehicles and terrain and eliminating any unusual acts what would be a threshhold where no one would walk away upon an accident.
bi9_jk said:
I was wondering at what speed would it become almost a certainty that you would not walk away from an accident? I dont mean absoulute death but a certain serious injury.
Consider that there are differences in vehicles and terrain and eliminating any unusual acts what would be a threshhold where no one would walk away upon an accident.
Consider that there are differences in vehicles and terrain and eliminating any unusual acts what would be a threshhold where no one would walk away upon an accident.
That cannot be answered by anyone IMO. You could have a collision at 20 tomorrow and be killed if the circumstances are right (or should I say wrong!).
If you have a vehicle capable of 500mph and crash that, there's still a chance of survival if you get lucky.
If you're talking average motorway driving, then crashing at 70 will obviously give you higher chances of survival than crashing at 140, but it's still down to luck. Higher speed will always carry higher risk IMO, but that doesn't make it more likely to lead to a collision. I believe the opposite is true, as higher speed produces higher levels of adrenalin, concentration and alertness that are sometimes lacking at lower mundane speeds. The answer is avoid the collision at all costs, and that has nothing to do with your speed.
Which still leaves us with the chance of mechanical failure, which if you look after your vehicle is next to neglible. Far more chance of being killed at home, work or a hospital, than by a high speed blow out.
All this is of course the opposite of what propaganda will have us believe, but it's my experience anyway!
Well, from what I learnt at uni, you can be seriously injured in a crash at 5mph (falling off your bike for instance) but conversley, you can survive a crash at 600mph (airliner meeting ground). For most injuries it is down to how the body decellerates. If you go from 40mph to 0 in the space of a few inches you will most probably die as your body cannot withstand the negative G's placed upon it. As in the case of a large airliner coming down, if there is enough stuff between you and the ground to spread the energy of the impact about and therefore reduce the severity of that said impact, you may well survive.
Its all conjecture really.
Jesus, I think I almost sounded like I knew what I was talking about then. (I don't by the way)
Its all conjecture really.
Jesus, I think I almost sounded like I knew what I was talking about then. (I don't by the way)
Edited by bob1179 on Saturday 6th January 08:41
jasandjules said:
Flat in Fifth said:
How long is a piece of string?
This piece on my desk is 8".
Next.
On a serious note you'll be getting a knock on the door in the next half hour. Apparently this thread has been reported to the metric police who will be round shortly to have a stiff word.
Word to the wise, quickly check the fruit bowl and make sure the bananas are the right shape.
FiF
Flat in Fifth said:
jasandjules said:
Flat in Fifth said:
How long is a piece of string?
This piece on my desk is 8".
Next.
On a serious note you'll be getting a knock on the door in the next half hour. Apparently this thread has been reported to the metric police who will be round shortly to have a stiff word.
Word to the wise, quickly check the fruit bowl and make sure the bananas are the right shape.
FiF
I suspect J&J was boasting ...
Can you say "stiff" these days?
My bananas are OK. It seems they are Fair Trade which apparently means they can be any size, shape or quality so long as you've paid a few extra pence for them.
I remember seeing on advert on telly in the Czech Republic, it was re their back roads with trees lining the roads, A'la France. It showed the consequences at varying speeds from 20-30-40-50-60 mph of a Mk1 Passat estate hitting a tree head on. At 50mph the consequences were sever enough to put the tree where the driver was 
at above these speeds the car literally ended wrapped around the tree & all occupants would have been dead or nearly.
Though crash protection moves on it gives an idea to the consequences, word is don't hit trees in any direction, they rarely move much.
at above these speeds the car literally ended wrapped around the tree & all occupants would have been dead or nearly. Though crash protection moves on it gives an idea to the consequences, word is don't hit trees in any direction, they rarely move much.
LongQ said:
Flat in Fifth said:
jasandjules said:
Flat in Fifth said:
How long is a piece of string?
This piece on my desk is 8".
Next.
On a serious note you'll be getting a knock on the door in the next half hour. Apparently this thread has been reported to the metric police who will be round shortly to have a stiff word.
Word to the wise, quickly check the fruit bowl and make sure the bananas are the right shape.
FiF
I suspect J&J was boasting ...
Can you say "stiff" these days?
My bananas are OK. It seems they are Fair Trade which apparently means they can be any size, shape or quality so long as you've paid a few extra pence for them.
I suspect saying stiff to a WPC could get one into all sorts of trouble. Now as for nurses....
I went to a double fatal accident a few years ago where the combined speed of both involved was less than 30mph. Both cyclists, neither wearing head protection at the time hit each other, fell off and died from resulting head injuries they received when the heads bashed together then hit the deck!
mg6b said:
I went to a double fatal accident a few years ago where the combined speed of both involved was less than 30mph. Both cyclists, neither wearing head protection at the time hit each other, fell off and died from resulting head injuries they received when the heads bashed together then hit the deck!
Was it wrong to laugh then??!!
gargamel said:
I know that a racing driver suffered a 120 mph impact in which de decelarated from 120mph t 0 in only two metres of travel... He survived completed uninjured. But largely to do with advanced crumpled zones, full hans, harnes etc etc
Dont try that in an austin allegro.
I'm afraid this takes some beliveing, the G force going from 120 to 0 in 2 meters would kill you. I'm going to guess the story is from America.
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