"Corky Scott" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 27 Oct 2004 03:47:24 GMT, "Dave Stadt"
wrote:

Simply not true. Automobiles will not turn over on flat pavement unless
they hit something. It has been a law for decades.

I've seen filmed demonstrations of cars flipping simply by turning.
It was an expose on Jeeps. Seems dealerships were outfitting the
CJ5's with oversize tires and sending them out into the world. People
were flipping them doing what almost amounts to normal driving,
without hitting anything or skidding.

The team doing the expose outfitted one of these Jeeps with sidebars
to prevent the vehical from completely rolling over, then did a series
of J turns in a parking lot. At the terminex of each J turn, the Jeep
dramatically lifted up and would have tipped over were it not for the
sidebars.

Yes, the Jeeps had a high center of gravity due to the oversize tires,
and a narrow track. Otherwise it would have been much more difficult
to get it to tip over. But it DID tip many times simply by turning
sharply, and at a not so fast speed.

Most normal streetcars are built too low to the ground, and have tires
that do not develop enough traction to flip simply by turning or
spinning. They require the additional assistance of hitting a curb or
boulder or dropping a tire into a small ditch while sideways.

SUV's are more vulnerable than run of the mill street cars due to
their higher center of gravity because they are "off road vehicals"
and have extra clearance for off roading, although of course they are
almost never actually used as such.

Corky Scott

Since when did the average "Soccer Mom SUV" become an "Off Road Vehicle"?
Ralph Nesbitt
Professional FD/CFR/ARFF Type