Super Tight Stuff » Motoring

Stopping Vehicles with a Barrier at 50 mph

snarfer — Tue, 03 May 2011 16:12:30 +0000

This video shows a variety of crash tests of a recently developed road barrier for stopping vehicles from entering secure areas. The barrier deploys in less than two seconds, can stop a 15,000 lb vehicle going 50 mph, and can span up to 85 ft or 6 lanes. The net gives upon impact absorbing the energy and is immediately ready to be used again.

Source: Barrier1

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Space Shuttle Launches Past Fighter Jets

xcar27 — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:21:50 +0000

This incredible photo was taken in May 2010 of Space Shuttle Atlantis as it launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Two F15 Strike Eagles were patrolling the skies when the shuttle was launched, and a lucky pilot got this stunning shot. Its amazingly beautiful — look for the shadow the launch plume on the Atlantic Ocean.

As the Space Shuttle goes out of service an era of NASA space exploration comes to a close. Looking towards the future there will be a mix of government-sponsored and private space companies who are pushing the boundaries. But the Space Shuttle will live on in both fond childhood memories, and in remembrance of the two great American space tragedies — Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia

If you like this post make sure to check out the Space Shuttle riding piggyback on the largest airplane in the world — the Antonov 225

This photo shows an F15 flying over Space Shuttle Endeavour as it sits on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center.

And another shot of an F15 over a Shuttle Launch — but this time in the evening. Shuttle Launches are amazingly bright, and will momentarily turn night into day.

Exotic Cars Belong On The Street

xcar27 — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 04:11:23 +0000

Exotic cars are rare, valuable, and very beautiful. But they don’t belong on display in a showroom or locked up in a garage. They’re meant to be driven, on the street or track, where the world can appreciate them. This post is dedicated to these stunning vehicles in their natural habitat — the highways and boulevards of the world. All photos in this post were taken by Gideon Gillard, an amateur photographer from California. And none of them are photo shoots — all of these cars were spotted on the street. Enjoy!

These cars are much different than a common 2011 Hyundai Elantra, but still belong on the road.

Ariel Atom

Spyker C8 Aileron

Mercedes Mclaren SLR Stirling Moss

Ferrari 599 GTO

Rolls Royce Phantom

Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series

Lexus LFA

Bugatti Veyron Sang Bleu

Lamborghini Diablo VT

Ford GT Heritage Edition

Ferrari F430 Scuderia

Bugatti Veyron owned by Bijan

Ferrari 250 California Spyder, Ferrari Enzo, and Ferrari 250 Lusso

Ferrari 599 GTO

Mercedes 300SL

Mclaren Mercedes 722S

Ferrari F40 and Ferrari Enzo

Lamborghini LP640 Roadster and Lamborghini Diablo 6.0

Ferrari 250 California Spyder

Ferrari F40

Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead, Ferrari Scuderia 16M, and Bugatti Veyron

Bugatti Veyron owend by Bijan

Source: GHG Photography

Nardo Ring From Space

xcar27 — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 23:47:21 +0000

The Nardo Ring is a perfectly circular high-speed testing facility in the southern region of Italy. The track is 7.8 miles long, and has 4 lanes. The banking is such that each lane has a ‘neutral speed’ at which the steering wheel doesn’t have to be turned for the car to continue travelling straight. The Neutral Speeds are:

Lane 1 – 100 km/h (62 mph)
Lane 2 – 140 km/h (87 mph)
Lane 3 – 190 km/h (118 mph)
Lane 4 – 240 km/h (149 mph)

For example, a Koenigsegg CCR set the speed record at Nardo of 388 km/h (241.09 mph) on the outermost lane with a steering angle of 30 degrees. On a straight course it would have been able to go even faster.

As you can see, Nardo is also clearly visible from space. Coming soon is a list of other human creations that are visible!

Source: NASA

Space Shuttle Piggyback

xcar27 — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:20:37 +0000

This beautiful image shows the Space Shuttle riding atop an Antonov AN225, the largest airplane in the world. A product of Soviet engineering, this AN225 is the only example that exists today, though attempts were made to complete a second.

Concorde and the Red Arrows

xcar27 — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:35:04 +0000

The Concorde was a symbol of technological advancement — a beautiful, expensive, inefficient, and yet glorious tribute to flight. Today it is an icon, its sonic booms synonymous with human achievement. And its 2 hour, 52 minute and 59 second trip from London to New York is still a record. 35 years ago today it took its first flight. Here we look back on some of its more beautiful moments, flying in formation with the Red Arrows, the demonstration squadron of the RAF. If you have the opportunity you should look at the Concorde up close — the 12 remaining aircraft are on display around the world.

Result of Driving Over a Matress

snarfer — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 04:16:44 +0000

The images above are the result of a Jeep that ran over a wire mattress. 60 lbs of wire became tangled around the driveshaft and rear axle but the car still ran. It drove for thirty miles in this condition until it was brought to a halt because of a leaking gas tank.

Source: Jalopnik

F-15 Lands with One Wing after Mid-air Collision

snarfer — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 19:49:06 +0000

This occurred in 1983 when Israli Pilot Ziv Nadivi collided with a Skyhawk jet during a pilot training exercise. He managed to regain control and land the plane, unaware that the wing was missing.

Police Officer Survives Scary Crash

xcar27 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:36:46 +0000

This is the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor of Officer Damon Badnell, a Santa Maria California police officer. This Sunday (July 11, 2010) he was coming to the help of an officer on foot pursing a burglary suspect when he lost control of the vehicle and wrapped it around a tree. Other than a couple broken bones he’s doing fine — and doctor’s are optimistic about his recovery. That is a hugely strong car. And tree, for that matter.

51 Year Old ‘Donald Duck’ Gets a DUI

xcar27 — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 01:25:50 +0000

That lovely mugshot is of Donald Duck, an unfortunately named 51 year old from Massilon, Ohio. No word on whether he was named for Disney’s feathery cartoon character, but according to local police he is a ‘frequent flyer’ when it come to traffic violations. Mr. Duck has 4 previous drunken driving convictions, and was arrested on June 26th for ‘repeatedly bumping the car ahead of him’ at a pizza drive through. When law enforcement arrived at the scene Duck “smelled of alcohol and suffered from red, glassy eyes.” To make this situation funnier, when he opened the door of his car, a bag of marijuana fell out. Pizza drive-through munchies, anyone? Police Capt. Joe Herrick said “he’s not that good a driver.” Thanks for the update, Joe.

If you’re interested in other funny DUI instances, check out our list of 10 Most Hilarious Ways to Get a DUI