Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'

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Vertical thrust braking
Increase tyre friction to slow down quicker
  (+16, -2)(+16, -2)
(+16, -2)
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This is for emergency braking, with ABS system in action.

A set of chemical rocket engines fire from the roof, pressing the car onto the road. Just a few seconds should do it, to get better results from the normal brakes and steering.
Even if the car is stopped, a few seconds more burn won't do any harm.

I assume that the system is disposable, and must be replaced each time.


Ling, Apr 10 2006

JATO-braked C-130 http://www.users.qw...ove1/fatalbert.html
See video link below [Ling, Apr 10 2006]

Darwin awards, for improvement of the gene pool. http://www.darwinaw.../darwin1995-04.html
Don't try this at home. Or anywhere. [Ling, Apr 10 2006]

The video of the JATO-braked C-130 http://www.theaviat..._credible_sport.mpg
Big direct video link. [Ling, Apr 10 2006]

Or the opposite ... http://www.ashcom.h...d.com/Elford2J.html
Jim Hall's Chaparral 2J [Letsbuildafort, Apr 11 2006]


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       (+) but with all those rockets involved ... why not horizontal in the opposite direction?

ixnaum, Apr 10 2006
  

       How strong are these rocket engines? I don't want to bring the ceiling of the tunnel down with them.   

       At high speeds, this could be done (much more safely) using shaping of the car as a reverse aerofoil, which would press it into the ground.   

       + anyway.

dbmag9, Apr 10 2006
  

       //Even if the car is stopped, a few seconds more burn won't do any harm.// Ever see the video of the JATO-braked C-130 modified to rescue the Iranian hostages?

coprocephalous, Apr 10 2006
  

       (+)make the rockets movable like the Sea Harrier..maybe you just wanna go fast .. ;)

Zen, Apr 10 2006
  

       Why not put the rockets pointing down and jump over whatever you were about to crash into? Turbo Boost - weeeeee! Might need a parachute to land safely though...

Texbinder, Apr 10 2006
  

       Thanks for the tip, [coprocephalous].

Ling, Apr 10 2006
  

       Maybe simply directing the rocket exhaust at the tyres would increase their stickiness, like F1 cars.

coprocephalous, Apr 11 2006
  

       The famed Chaparral 2J produced by Jim Hall would actually create a low-pressure area under the car by means of a snowmobile motor and two large fans. "The vaccum cleaner" they called it.   

       Thats not really pertinent to this idea, but I say its worth a mention. Bun for using rockets. [+]

Letsbuildafort, Apr 11 2006
  

       Traffic signals, overhead lighting, power lines, bridges, pedestrians on bridges, birds, trees, blah blah blah.

egbert, Apr 11 2006
  

       A device to squirt rubbery goo under the tires might be more effective, though it would be a bit messy.   

       A serious problem with any type of braking improvement, however, is that at highway speeds many people judge following distance based upon the perceived stopping ability of the vehicle in front (this is part of why stopping distances are longer behind motorcycles than behind cars). If some vehicles on the highway can stop too much more quickly than others, this creates a potential hazard (car in front with super brakes stops 20 feet before hazard; car behind with ordinary brakes stops 5 feet ahead of where the front car's rear bumper used to be).

supercat, Apr 11 2006
  

       Sticker on back of car:
"If you can read this - I've already stopped"

Ling, Apr 11 2006
  

       This would only increase stopping force by the force of the rockets reduced by the coefficient of friction (tires/road). Facing the rockets forward would not be reduced by friction coefficient. So, cool, but very half-baked.

sophocles, Apr 12 2006
  

       This would be a more effective in propelling the earth in the direction opposite heavily populated areas. Since rush hour is always in the morning and early evening, the net effect would be to distance earth from the sun, thus cooling the earth and solving global warming! Bonus.

Infinity88, Apr 12 2006
  

       [infinity88] that's quite an appropriate anno of half-understood physics to this half-understood physics idea. Unless, of course, your rockets are so powerful that they actually push mass outside the outer atmosphere.

sophocles, Apr 13 2006
  

       How about just jamming four replaceable steel rods into the road?

kinemojo, Jun 02 2006
  

       "The famed Chaparral 2J produced by Jim Hall would actually create a low-pressure area under the car by means of a snowmobile motor and two large fans. "The vaccum cleaner" they called it."   

       I was thinking the same thing. Look up the "Fan Car" from Formula 1 history. Active ground effects are easier and safer to achieve than such rocket power.

kevinthenerd, Jun 02 2006
  

       Would be fun to have little dragster parachutes pop out every time you touch the brakes, and retract ripcord style once released.

epicproblem, Jun 02 2006
  


 
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