The Traffic Accident Reconstruction
Origin -ARnews-
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Re: Snowmobile speed
Charles J. Berg (cberg@cp.duluth.mn.us)
Thu, 3 Apr 1997 22:59:52 -0500 (EST)
I must admit we did not consider the combined movement of the center of mass for both the snowmobile and the rider. I disagree that the rider is why the suspension falls however. A vehicle with a very loose suspension system will fall the same distance as one with a stiff suspension system since neither affects the distance of fall, which is what we base our speed estimates on. Regardless of the weight of the rider the suspension is designed to fall and it falls the same distance regardless of the weight of the rider ( the suspension, not the snowmobile). I do agree that the position of the rider and the combined C of M does make a difference and you may have hit the nail on the head as to the answer.
Irregardless of that, it was something that we had not considered until we did the testing which, I guess, says that we cannot test too much and that some of our preconceived ideas of how vehicles act are not necessarily true.
There is indeed nothing new here except the speed calculations. Without addiing the length of the track the speed is not even close, although it is well on the conservative side rather than the other way around.
Charles J. Berg
cberg@cp.duluth.mn.us
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