The Cordoba Triangle, a puzzle for the w/end

[hillybilly]

Between Puente Genil and Lucena is an area known as the Cordoba Triangle. In this zone, the laws of physics that apply everywhere else in the world DON'T apply! I never knew this until yesterday. I shall explain how it was demonstrated to me.

3 cars are driving one behind the other in a straight line from A to B. They are all travelling at the same speed, 80km/hr. There is approx. 20m between each car. After a few km, they enter a 60km/hr stretch of road. None of them slows down (naughty, naughty) and so the distance between each car remains unchanged. Stay with me, this is the science bit. It is apparently entirely possible for the rearmost of the 3 vehicles (me!) to be travelling at the aforementioned, common speed of 80km/hr whilst the 2 vehicles in front have apparently miraculously dropped their speed to 60km/hr. The distance between the vehicles hasn't decreased i.e the rearmost driver hasn't driven up the @rse of the middle car despite apparently travelling a whole 20km/hr FASTER!

When this was explained to me by a learned Guardia Civil officer with a radar gun I did express my surprise. I said that he should take himself, his colleagues and their equipment to the Spanish Society of Physics because this is obviously a phenomenon that should be investigated further. Actually, I didn't suggest that at all because if they can do that to the laws of velocity god only knows what they may be able to do with "time".

[clarkie]

Well that made me laugh on this very hot Friday afternoon.
Did you just get a telling off or some of those nasty points????

[hillybilly]

The learned officers charged me 70€ for the physics lesson.

[country boy]

I've always advocated that the most important thing a child should be taught at it's parent's knee is that "Life is not Fair"; *beep* luck Hilly, perhaps they'll die a slow and painful death

[avellana]

I think you should post this on other forums or even to the press!
It's brilliant - maybe another budding writer in our midst???

[Don]

Have you considered it is simply a case of orange being a highly reflective colour and therefore when the radar beam bounces off, just like light it appears stronger and gives a faster reading compared to the dull colours of the other two.

[Beachcomber]

On a serious note, this is exactly why as I said in another thread, both of my vehicles are now fitted with an in-car CCTV system that not only automatically records every centimetre of every journey I make but also shows the date, time and speed at which the vehicle is travelling at any given moment.

They weren't cheap but I would rather spend my money on something like this than give it to a lying, crooked policeman or civil guard. I don't suppose it would be much help if you are actually speeding and are picked out of a line of speeding vehicle except to prove that they were all travelling at the same speed and you were the only one that was stopped.

If I find myself in a position in which it needs to prove its effectiveness I shall report back (unless they lock me up and throw away the key).

[julian]

unfortunatly I doubt whether your private recordings would be accepted as proof of anything in legal terms.

[safeashouses]

Hillybilly it was once explained to me by a chap who needed to follow me, not to go too fast because he needed to go faster than me to keep up with me.

No I couldn't see the logic either but I didn't argue with a man on a driving matter.

[country boy]

It is actually true. When I was in the Army it was common knowledge that the 'Tail End Charlie' had to drive like a maniac to keep up with a long convoy. I've done it, it's great fun ( Don't ask me the Physics though, something about the "Concettina Effect" we were told)

[Beachcomber]

unfortunatly I doubt whether your private recordings would be accepted as proof of anything in legal terms.

Maybe not but it would help me to make a lot of waves especially in the event of lack of video evidence on their part.

[Campo Kenny]

Beachy, is your in car speed recorder utilising GPS?

Kenny

[Beachcomber]

Yes. Details here:

http://www.pakatak.co.uk/shop/product.a ... 1&P_ID=328

[El Cercardo]

Beachy, is your in car speed recorder utilising GPS?

Kenny

If thats the case then doesn't GPS calculate the speed on an "average" basis, which can give some very false results???

[JAWG]

It is actually true. When I was in the Army it was common knowledge that the 'Tail End Charlie' had to drive like a maniac to keep up with a long convoy. I've done it, it's great fun

Very true, Country Boy. I was about to post the same point. As a Service Corps officer, we always had to impress upon the lead driver the importance of maintaining the planned speed (in our case usually 60m/2h.) As you say "Tail End Charlie" had to drive like a maniac if convoy speed varied.

[hillybilly]

Have you considered it is simply a case of orange being a highly reflective colour and therefore when the radar beam bounces off, just like light it appears stronger and gives a faster reading compared to the dull colours of the other two.

Ah but I wasn't driving the clockwork orange...that doesn't go over 70!

[Beachcomber]

If thats the case then doesn't GPS calculate the speed on an "average" basis, which can give some very false results???

The speed it shows is always within 1 or 2 kph of both my Tom Tom and the car's speedometer

[Don]

Ah but I wasn't driving the clockwork orange...that doesn't go over 70!

OK Hillybilly, thats another theory blown out of the water