Author Topic: So, what makes this still a car? (Read 4689 times)

rumborak · « **on:** February 07, 2011, 12:50:22 PM »

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12383551

They're trying to break the land-based speed record, shooting for 1,000mph.

My question is: What is their definition of "car"? I mean, I would think there is no steering involved in this thing. Is it just constant contact of some type of wheels with the ground? Aren't they just flying close to the ground?

rumborak

bout to crash · « **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:36:36 PM »

Kosmo · « **Reply #2 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:38:13 PM »

It's a groundboat!

JayOctavarium · « **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:38:46 PM »

Quote from: Kosmo on February 07, 2011, 01:38:13 PM

It's a groundboat!

jsem · « **Reply #4 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:39:17 PM »

Fits the definition of a car imo.

Orbert · « **Reply #5 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:39:36 PM »

Basically yeah, but they're flying on the ground. So it's a car.

robwebster · « **Reply #6 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:41:39 PM »

"Land-based speed record..." I think their criteria essentially boils down to "being really fast on the land."

rumborak · « **Reply #7 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:42:12 PM »

I dunno. In my humble opinion, if I had to write down a clear definition of "car", it would involve the car's locomotion being accomplished through wheel friction to the ground. That is, the wheels push the car forward. If you mount a rocket onto a wheeled chassis, it's not a car. IMHO.

rumborak

Orbert · « **Reply #8 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:45:50 PM »

Good point. There should be some kind of stipulation that the wheels provide the locomotion. This is basically a rocket with wheels.

jsem · « **Reply #9 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:47:45 PM »

Yeah. I think I must retract my statement.

rumborak · « **Reply #10 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:48:57 PM »

Yeah, so I'm not even sure where exactly the achievement lies in going at 1,000mph. Rockets go routinely much faster. Is it that the "car" doesn't lose contact with the ground? Or is it because somebody is inside it?

rumborak

rumborak · « **Reply #11 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:55:23 PM »

I just searched a bit, there's "categories" for these kinds of records. There's a category called "wheel-driven" that requires the cars to drive the locomotion solely through wheels:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel-driven_land_speed_record

and there the record is 415mph.

rumborak

SPNKr · « **Reply #12 on:** February 07, 2011, 07:07:36 PM »

That's not a car. We can't drive it to the shop, take the kids to school, or go to work and endure peak hour traffic with it.
Or endure road trips while being fuel efficient.

MetalJunkie · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2011, 02:51:47 AM »

Quote from: SPNKr on February 07, 2011, 07:07:36 PM

That's not a car. We can't drive it to the shop, take the kids to school, or go to work and endure peak hour traffic with it.
Or endure road trips while being fuel efficient.

I don't know, peak hour traffic could be kinda fun.

ZKX-2099 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2011, 03:36:04 AM »

It's a mechanized land vehicle. Car. You need scissors to split these hairs?

Dublagent66 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2011, 08:32:18 AM »

The aerodynamics of a car are designed to keep the vehicle on the ground while in a forward motion. The aerodynamics of a plane are designed to keep the vehicle off the ground in a forward motion. Therefore, if it's on the ground and doesn't have wings, it's a car. No matter how fast it goes.

ehra · « **Reply #16 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:17:17 AM »

Quote from: ZKX-2099 on February 08, 2011, 03:36:04 AM

It's a mechanized land vehicle. Car. You need scissors to split these hairs?

So segways and motorcycles are cars now?

Sigz · « **Reply #17 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:20:24 AM »

Quote from: ZKX-2099 on February 08, 2011, 03:36:04 AM

It's a mechanized land vehicle. Car. You need scissors to split these hairs?

Hardly, by your definition a plane taxing on the runway is a car.

zerogravityfat · « **Reply #18 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:26:15 AM »

a second land friction is introduced which you avoid in the air so i guess that's the best definition you can impose.

rumborak · « **Reply #19 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:28:49 AM »

Quote from: Dublagent66 on February 08, 2011, 08:32:18 AM

The aerodynamics of a car are designed to keep the vehicle on the ground while in a forward motion. The aerodynamics of a plane are designed to keep the vehicle off the ground in a forward motion. Therefore, if it's on the ground and doesn't have wings, it's a car. No matter how fast it goes.

Way too many things classify as a car then under your definition. Anything that gets pushed to the ground when moving forward is a car?
IMHO, in these things one should take the linguistic approach and take as the definition of a car what the majority of people sees it at. And the majority of people will tell you that a car pushes itself forward by turning wheels under it.
Or, to say it differently, to me "car" means "automobile". Rocket-powered chassis with wheels != automobile.

rumborak

Chino · « **Reply #20 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:31:40 AM »

Is a ride mower a car?

rumborak · « **Reply #21 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:34:13 AM »

I would say so, yeah. You sit in it, you steer it, it drives itself through the wheels.

rumborak

XJDenton · « **Reply #22 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:44:08 AM »

A car is defined by its function, not its propulsion method. By your definition drag racers are not cars even though most people would automatically name them as such, and historically a horse drawn carriage was known as a car which would not work under your definition, and railway carriages are still referred to as cars. The word car comes from the latin carrus which simply means wheeled vehicle.

robwebster · « **Reply #23 on:** February 08, 2011, 09:48:27 AM »

Quote from: ehra on February 08, 2011, 09:17:17 AM

Quote from: ZKX-2099 on February 08, 2011, 03:36:04 AM
It's a mechanized land vehicle. Car. You need scissors to split these hairs?

So segways and motorcycles are cars now?

Nope... but they absolutely qualify for a "land speed record."

Or they would if they were ridiculously fast, anyway.

Samsara · « **Reply #24 on:** February 08, 2011, 11:07:07 AM »

Quote from: rumborak on February 07, 2011, 01:42:12 PM

I dunno. In my humble opinion, if I had to write down a clear definition of "car", it would involve the car's locomotion being accomplished through wheel friction to the ground. That is, the wheels push the car forward. If you mount a rocket onto a wheeled chassis, it's not a car. IMHO.

rumborak

Agreed, rumbo.

rumborak · « **Reply #25 on:** February 08, 2011, 11:36:37 AM »

Quote from: XJDenton on February 08, 2011, 09:44:08 AM

A car is defined by its function, not its propulsion method. By your definition drag racers are not cars even though most people would automatically name them as such, and historically a horse drawn carriage was known as a car which would not work under your definition, and railway carriages are still referred to as cars. The word car comes from the latin carrus which simply means wheeled vehicle.

Yes, I for one would not classify drag racers as cars. They're mounted rockets, not cars. And etymological origin can hardly be used here, otherwise a wheelbarrow is a car too.

rumborak

Chino · « **Reply #26 on:** February 08, 2011, 12:00:43 PM »

Quote from: rumborak on February 08, 2011, 11:36:37 AM

Yes, I for one would not classify drag racers as cars. They're mounted rockets, not cars. And etymological origin can hardly be used here, otherwise a wheelbarrow is a car too.

rumborak

A drag racer has 4 wheels, a standard car engine (heavily modified), front steering, a transmission, a fuel cell, a roll cage, a 6 point racing seat, and a parachute. A wheelbarrow does not have these things. Therefore it is not a car.