From the list of things I thought of as a kid, I give you, “How to avoid being hit by a car.”
If I were in the middle of the road and a car was about to hit me, I would jump up in one fluid motion onto the hood. Then, as the car rushed by, I would take another leap over the windshield and land safely behind the speeding vehicle. In addition to being saved from potentially lethal injury, it would create an impressive spectacle for any onlookers.
Granted I’ve never tried it, but when I was a lad, it seemed like a good idea.
I sorta did try it once and it doesn’t work. Let’s see that would of been the first time I got hit by a car. In total, I think I can count 4 times, though that first time was the only serious one where I went to the hospital. I like to think of myself now as experienced.
The problem with that solution is that while you may get onto the hood, the hood is moving toward you at a much higher rate of speed and it is impossible to establish a moment of static friction, from which you may then spring over the windshield. Perhaps if the car were moving under 5 mph, it would work, but the car that hit me was supposedly moving around 30-35 mph. Apparently, I jumped right as it was about to hit me, and I sort of rolled/flew over the top of the car and landed two lanes over, in the turn lane of Centerville, Ut’s Main Street. I’ll tell you what though, I’d sure like to see it all on the big screen. Perhaps in the next life.
Right.
Watch a lot of action movies as a kid?
What kid doesn’t dream of doing that when a car is about to hit them, though? Or maybe it’s just the boys that do it.
C’mon Mel, I know you’re impressed. You might also be impressed at the short novel I’ve written on my blog today. I can really ramble on.
If I witnessed a guy doing this without being killed or majorly injured, I would be very impressed. I might even swoon.
Mel, you should watch Jack@ss on MTV. Their stunts will have you gasping and swooning all over the place.
I saw a stunt once where a guy jumped over a speeding (30 mph+) car, but it was a one-step process right over the car vs. a two-step process. All that was really required is that you can jump as high as the roof of a car. We should try it with Levi’s miata, that should be easy enough to jump. I like this idea, let’s go with it.
Another entry from your list of things you thought of as a kid: the unbeatable boxing strategy — to just walk straight at your opponent, swinging your fists, and pummel them and knock them out in short order. Do you remember this one, too? As I don’t think you’ve ever boxed(?), I don’t suppose you’ve ever tried it, have you?
Nope, never tried that one, but it’s similar to Daniel-san’s technique in Karate Kid II with the little click-clacking drum thingie. It seemed to work pretty well for him. I wonder if Oscar De La Hoya is aware of my groundbreaking strategy…
I saw a show where 3 doofuses were trying that very thing.
Doofus 1 was driving the car.
Doofus 2 was filming the incident.
Doofus 3 died of major head trauma.
Didn’t seem like such a great idea after that. Although, I’ve wondered if a car were speeding toward you, what if you just tried to dive over the top? I mean, most cars are like 4 or 5 feet tall, right? If you could jump and get your body horizontal, the car would just pass right under you.
Or you’d bounce your head off the windshield.
Dang. Major head trauma does make the idea seem less swift. And it seemed like such a good one too.
Well, maybe you’ll be okay of you’re not a doofus.
So how exactly does one make it to the status of doofus? And once you become a doofus, how do you shake it off?
For your sake, I suggest you not tempt a doofus fate.
I guess there’s a lesson from all this: Never walk across the street with Cameron.
Four times?
Yer just jealous Jason.
I have just given this breif thought, depending on the speed of the car, would determin the time beetewwn jumps, If a car is traverling at say 10mps (providing the bonet is about 1 m long average) then you would have about 1/10th of a second to jump twice, this is it bairly posible, and cars travel much faster then 10mps.
Just my thoughts, add me on msn if you would like to descuss this.