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Re: Impulse



I don't know if it's nuances or old-ances, but MY contribution was
that the first 'safety' padded dashboards (early '50's) were actually
WORSE than the unyielding wood or metal used previously.

The brain, suspended within the cranium, is bruised when the skull is
stopped and the brain continues forward. With the padded/bouncy
dashboard, the brain receives FURTHER bruising as the skull is
bounced backward, on the rebound, making the front of the brain
contact the skull again or perhaps for a longer length of time.



At 12:07 PM -0600 on 10/31/01, Brian Whatcott wrote

I may be missing a nuance, Chuck.
People who make cars want to provide as long a crushing time as possible
between you and the scene of the accident. This minimizes
crushing and piercing forces by spreading the time of application.
One notable design improvement is that the steering column that now
resists impaling your chest by folding, crushing and buckling itself
progressively.

That's my story, at least!

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Chuck Britton Education is what is left when
britton@ncssm.edu you have forgotten everything
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(919) 286-3366 x224 Albert Einstein, 1936